Government House, Rangoon, Burma 3 February 1942. Brief shot of a Burmese policeman standing guard in the grounds. Sustained view of Government House. Shot of Union Jack flag. Panning shot over the Shwe Dragon Pagoda and over the city of Rangoon. The Governor of Burma, Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, playing with a pet monkey (named on the cameraman's original Dope Sheet as "Miss Gibbs"). Portrait shot of Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, and of Lady Dorman-Smith. Lady Dorman-Smith with the pet monkey. Portrait shot of Sir Paw Tun. Medium shot of Sir Paw Tun and Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith talking. Long shot of Sir Paw Tun, Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, Lady Dorman-Smith, Miss Patricia Dorman-Smith, the pet monkey on a lead and two dogs walking in the grounds of Government House.

Burma, 29 January to 3 February 1942, American Volunteer Group (AVG). Trucks on an airstrip. Portrait shots of AVG mechanics at work, J B "Johnnie" Carter, Mickey Mihailo, W A "Bill" Sykes, John B "Jack" Hauser, Pat Hanley, Jackie White and George R Bailey. Brief shot of the group receiving their pay on the bonnet of a Jeep. Another group of AVG mechanics working on a Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk fighter aircraft. Brief view of the backside of one of the mechanics leaning over the bonnet of a jeep (?) focusing on the revolver he is wearing in a leather holster. Portrait shots of the AVG mechanics at work: George J Tyrrell, Chester A Tully, Charles A Richardson, R E "Chuck" Graham and Carson M Roberts. Group of pilots walking across the airfield towards the camera, one carrying the tail fin from a Japanese aircraft. Portrait shots of pilots Charles W Sawyer and Frank Schiel Junior. Long shot of the same group in front of a Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk fighter aircraft. Portrait shots Doctor Sammy B Prevo and pilots, Robert F Layher, David L Hill, Edward F Rector, Robert H Smith, Freeman I Ricketts, Henry M Geselbracht Junior and several shots of Squadron Leader Jack V Newkirk.

Probably Rangoon, Burma 1 and 2 February 1942. Stock piles of equipment intended for the Burma Road, Various shots of supplies, numerous shots of wheels, tyres, oil drums vehicle parts. Large numbers of large wooden crates, mostly containing vehicle parts - one with sign "CHINA MOTORS RANGOON MADE IN USA" another with torn poster of two crossed Union Jack flags and the words "BRITAIN DELIVERS THE GOODS". Approximately 20 civilian dock workers carrying a large heavy piece of equipment (possible part of a vehicle chassis). War Correspondent Leland Stowe of the Chicago Daily News at work, 1 February 1942. Close-up shot of Leland Stowe, at work at his typewriter. Male Burmese civilian looks on. Portrait shot of Leland Stowe, smoking a pipe, working at his typewriter. Shots of his report being typed (several attempts to type it correctly).

Mute, unedited footage shot by British Paramount News cameraman Maurice Ford in Burma

Notes

The cameraman's original Dope Sheets gives details of the Burma Road "Racket". The "Racket" involves supplies, mainly unassembled vehicles parts intended for China, left open to the elements and neglected in Burma (probably in Rangoon) and not being transported to China as intended. The Dope sheet notes other non-essential items, such as cosmetics, were being imported along the Burma Road to China. Leland Stowe's report reads "Chicago Daily News, Chicago, Urgent Press, Press via Imperial Rangoon, Burma Road. For three and a half years Burma Road famous throughout World as China's lifeline has been operated as a racket, stop. It has been both a national scandal and national disgrace."

Names of AVG personnel taken from the cameraman's original Dope Sheet.

Above stories relate to Maurice Ford's shipment numbers 114, 115, 113 and 117 (as noted on the Dope Sheets).

For the British Paramount newsreel including footage shot by Maurice Ford in Burma, 1942, see issue no 1173, IWM film ref NPA 1173.