A Japanese man (in military-style clothing) attempts to open a damaged safe? amongst the rubble in Hiroshima. A British naval officer (possibly Hodgkinson's friend Frank Worth) climbs a stairway. He looks out over the ruins of the Hiroshima Nagarekawa Church of the Japan National Council of Churches. The building just visible at the top of the picture is what remains of the Hiroshima Central Broadcasting Bureau. Several Japanese soldiers? look out over the ruins of the immediate area, only a chimney? is left standing. Views from another balcony show a tram running, a few people in the street and some buildings still standing. The building near the top of the picture is probably the Higashi Police Station, the hill to its right Hiji-yama. Small temporary dwellings are dotted about. The camera pans around, the islet Ninoshima is visible in the distance. A shot of the naval officer looking out over the city, some people and a vehicle in the street.

Burma National Army on parade, wearing red armbands with black stars. Another shot of them lining up, most are wearing Japanese style caps. A soldier is handed a belt which he puts on, and then a sword which he attaches to a chain on the belt and secures it to his waist. Close-up on a badge on the right of the soldier's chest (two stars alongside three stripes, beige on a khaki background). A soldier bows to an officer who responds with a salute. Further shots of the Army. A soldier in conversation with an officer. An officer, with troops behind, camouflaged with branches, puts his sword into its scabbard and leads his men off. The troops disperse quickly into the trackside bushes. The Army on parade. The soldier and officer in conversation again. Soldiers on the ground in a (staged) ambush. The camouflaged troops march away from the camera.

Amateur film of Hiroshima after the bomb, possibly late 1945 or early 1946. Views are from a fairly high building (most likely on the roof of the Chugoku Shimbun building) in the vicinity of Kami-Nagarekawa-cho (now Kami-Nobori-cho), approximately 900 metres east of the hypocentre. The scenes of the Burma National Army are reconstructions staged by Colonel Hodgkinson.

Notes

Allocated Title taken from Hodgkinson's original can markings.

Date: stock date on Kodachrome is 1944

Technical: film marked "original"

Identification of Hiroshima detail is taken from the book Hiroshima-Nagasaki. A Pictorial Record of the Atomic Destruction. Published by the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Publishing Committee (IWM ref: 36(521)