THE ARMY IN INDIA NORTHERN COMMAND, 1933-34

This film is held by the Imperial War Museum (ID: MGH 4524).

Synopsis

Amateur film with titles, shot by Royal Army Medical Corps doctor Colonel Alexander Simson (1894-1980), shows identified British Army regiments and Indian troops on training exercises in Northern India, 1933-1934.

"13/18 Hussars exercising at Sialkot, February 1933": British cavalry in solar topees walk and trot past buildings; indoors British Army officer inspects Indian soldier's kit. "1st Battalion The Norfolk Regiment leaving Sialkot, 1933": Soldiers in solar topees march past, led by regimental band. "Director Medical Services inspects British Medical Hospital, Sialkot, 1933": Officer inspects Indian orderlies lined up outside hospital building. "Stretcher drill by Bandsmen of 1st Battalion The Norfolk Regiment at Sialkot, 1933. No medical personnel present": British soldiers practise carrying stretchers at speed on football pitch. "Loading wounded on Supply Lorries at Kohat, North West Frontier District, 1933. In wartime these would supplement Motor Ambulances": Indians impersonate stretcher cases, and are loaded onto Army trucks. Gun carriage exercise. Sign to "British Section Combined Indian Military Hospital": Indian gardeners water flower beds; close-ups of Indian boys. British nurse tends young British girl in hospital bed. "Recruit Drill by Indian Cavalry - Hodson's Horse, Kohat 1933": Mounted Indians drill with sabres. "Royal Corps of Signals and Royal Tank Corps with Armoured Cars. Field Exercise at Bannu 1933. Note Wireless Telephone": British Army soldiers practise signalling. "The Guards Cavalry return to Bannu (NWFD) across country after Manoeuvres, 1933". "Guns in action. 2.75 Light Field Battery, Bannu, 1933": Indian soldiers fire 2.75-inch field guns. "2/6 Gurkha Rifles march to Razmak relieving 2/5 Royal Gurkha Rifles who entrain at Bannu for Abbotabad, March 1933": Gurkha soldiers with British officers march past mud huts and form up prior to entraining.

 

Titles

  • AMATEUR FILM BY COLONEL ALEXANDER SIMSON (Alternative)
  • THE ARMY IN INDIA NORTHERN COMMAND, 1933-34
 

Technical Data

Year:
1934
Running Time:
15 minutes
Film Gauge (Format):
16mm
Colour:
B&W
Sound:
Silent
Footage:
ca 350 ft
 

Production Credits

Production Countries:
GB
cameraman
Simson, Alexander Macdonald (Colonel)