MONSOON PATROLS IN THE SITTANG BEND (13/7/1945)

This film is held by the Imperial War Museum (ID: JFU 277).

Synopsis

Infantry of 1st Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) seen patrolling in monsoon conditions in the flooded 'Sittang Bend' area near Waw, Burma.

Men in rain capes patrolling on foot across a muddy field. Trains and railway rolling stock can be seen in the background. Soldiers board an assault boat on the Pegu-Sittang Canal. Supplies (a tin of petrol and tinned food) are unloaded. The boats move off. Footage from a local boat being punted along the river by a local boatman. Water is bailed out by a young Burmese man. A British soldier punting. Men board a boat. A Bren gunner looks down the sights of his weapon. The boat is punted away. Various views of boats on the river. The boat beaches and the Bren gunner gets off first followed by other soldiers. A post is marked 'B-62'. Men wade across a paddy field before climbing up onto an embankment. They wade across a shallow river. The men, having reached their destination, stop to wash and and wring out their clothes. Men removing their boots and socks. Close-up of socks being wrung out. A man lathers soap over his face and neck and washes in a puddle.

Notes

By May 1945 XXXIII Corps had advanced down the Irrawaddy Valley, and IV Corps down the Rangoon road, resulting in large numbers of Japanese troops scattering into the Pegu Yomas (hills) and the Shan Hills. The 1945 monsoon broke in the first week of May and by June a large area around the lower Sittang River, seen in this film, was an inpenetrable swamp. A week after this film was shot the Japanese began a breakout operation, known as the Battle of the Sittang, that cost the Japanese Army 11,500 casualties.

Very similar material was also shot by Sergeant Hewit. For this, and other film relating to the lower Sittang, see related items.

 

Titles

  • MONSOON PATROLS IN THE SITTANG BEND (13/7/1945) (Allocated)
Series Title:
BRITISH ARMY OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR
 

Technical Data

Year:
1945
Running Time:
7 minutes
Film Gauge (Format):
35mm
Colour:
B&W
Sound:
Silent
Footage:
554 ft
 

Production Credits

Production Countries:
GB
Sponsor
War Office Directorate of Public Relations
cameraman.
Hammond, R G (Sergeant)
Production company
SEAC Film Unit
 

Countries

 

Production Organisations