Pacific Front - Ninth Division Captures Australia.

I. 'PACIFIC FRONT-NINTH DIVISION CAPTURES AUSTRALIA.' An item covering the return of the Australian Ninth Division to their homeland and the ensuing celebrations occurring in the major Australian cities in which more than one million spectators take part. Infantry from the Ninth armed with Lee-Enfield Mk III .303-in rifles march past cheering civilian crowds in Melbourne. The march past continues with a contingent from the Australian Women's Army Service. Soft-skinned vehicles carry lightly wounded infantrymen past cheering Melbourne crowds. Similar scenes occur in Adelaide and Brisbane as the commentary outlines the distinguished part that the Australian Ninth Division played in the North African campaign. Elsewhere in Australia, United States infantry learn the skills of bayonet fighting using fixed bayonets and Garand M1 .30-in rifles (and US Enfield .300-in M1917 rifles ?). Unarmed combat techniques designed to disarm bayonet wielding adversaries are demonstrated to bare chested trainees. Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircrew cadets receive their wings at a graduation ceremony in an undisclosed location. United States Army Air Force (USAAF) pilots wearing A11 flying helmets discuss a forthcoming sortie at a rough landing strip somewhere in New Guinea. Captain T J Lynch USAAF is shown displaying a collection of medals as the commentary states that Lynch has shot down nine Japanese fighters. The fuselage side of Lynch's Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter is displayed showing his nine rising sun kill tallies. A USAAF Lightning fighter carrying one long-range drop tank flies towards camera during its take off run. Four USAAF Lightning aircraft make low-level high-speed passes to camera. Royal Air Force (RAF) Supermarine Spitfire Mk VB (Trop) fighter aircraft take off from an airfield in Australia. Air to air footage show Spitfire VB aircraft flying in five vics of three. The commentary states that many Japanese "Zero" aircraft have fallen foul of these formidable aircraft. A Spitfire Mk VB makes a low-level pass over an unidentified Australian airfield, that has a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Bristol Beaufighter and an Empire Air Training Scheme Fairey Battle aircraft parked at dispersal. Australian infantry clean Bren .303-in light machine guns during a lull in fighting in New Guinea. United States armoured troops clean the barrel of an M3 Stuart light tank. US armoured troops pose beside two M3 tanks that bear the legends "Captain Kidd" and "Captain Blood" on their turret sides. Australian troops use a fallen tree as a makeshift bridge as they move off on patrol in the New Guinean Jungle. A native led mule-train transports crates of phosphorus grenades over difficult terrain. The commentary outlines the role of such natives in getting supplies to where they are needed most. A close-up of delivered supplies and ammunition shows packages of salt, SMP Milestone brand corned beef, Australian dehydrated potatoes, dried full cream milk, M36 Mills grenades and boxes of .45-in ball ammunition (pistols). The commentary describes the Allied action in New Guinea and the Solomons as being the first stage of the road to Tokyo. US M3 Stuart light tanks move through undergrowth. Artillery shells explode in a distant tree-line as Australian infantry move through the jungle.