Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, the recently returned Governor of Burma, entertains a range of Burmese dignitaries aboard the Royal Navy's County Class cruiser HMS Cumberland, moored in the Rangoon river, Burma.

Lieutenant-General Frederick Browning, Chief of Staff to Lord Mountbatten (Supreme Allied Commander) comes aboard. Lieutenant-General Sir Montagu Stopford (commander 12th Army) comes aboard. A small armed vessel of uncertain type comes alongside with a number of Burmese civilian dignitaries aboard. A number of them are sheltering under umbrellas. They climb the gangway steps and come aboard; some are wearing Burmese dress and others more western styles. Groups of 'notable Burmans'. Browning and Stopford talking.

Notes

The fact this meeting was held aboard a Royal Navy warship is significant as at this time Dorman-Smith had no authority or jurisdiction in a country that was still under military administration.

The dopesheet names one individual as 'Major-General H E Ranu OBE' but it is not clear who this man was nor what his appointment was. Also despite calling the Burmese men seen 'notable Burmans', the cameraman does not actually name any of them.

Bayly and Harper name some of the dignitaries as including Sir Paw Tun (pre-war Prime Minister), Htoon Aung Gyaw (adviser to Dorman-Smith) and U Ba U (high court judge) in addition to Major-General Aung San and Than Tun (general secretary of the Anti-Fascist Organisation). In JFU 273 we see a Mr John Keswick, Political Liaison Officer, and Aung San. See related items.