Although its main purpose is as an information film, the ‘S.E.A.C.’ section of Gen 12 employs some sophisticated and novel film techniques. Most of these are occasioned by a desire to smooth the transition between its component parts. The link between the WAAF story and the aerial bombardment of Burma is achieved by showing the men that the WAAF will be working alongside priming the bomber planes in preparation for the attack. The link between the bombardment and the training camp section is achieved by imagining the situation that the crew would encounter should they crash into the jungle.

Dominating all this is the commentary. Although the film begins with a third party narrator, from halfway through the WAAF section onwards it uses the voices of the RAF crew to elucidate the action. This device is employed to help the film hang together, the dialogue giving the impression that these characters are moving from scene to scene. Unfortunately, this conceit produces disjunctions of its own. In the aerial bombardment section the dialogue is linked with point-of-view shots. However, the surrounding footage requires them to take an omniscient position. Although the dialogue is scripted and is presumably spoken by actors, the use of ‘authentic’ voices does facilitate a more casual use of language than is common in military documentaries. One airman is referred to as a ‘clot’ (this is Pilot Officer Prune, originally a character in the RAF's ‘Tee Emm’ magazine), and we are informed that the WAAF will find the locals ‘a whole lot darker’ than the men that they are used to back home.

The desire for continuity is in evidence throughout. The WAAF section includes a brisk travelogue. WAAF officers walk through each setting and, as they do so, they help to blend the transition from one scene to another. Against a background of Asian-styled music we see an ancient India untouched by war: there is Mughal architecture, snake charming, camel riding, a beggar, and a bazaar.

Elsewhere the War dominates the film. The scenes of army activity in the WAAF are reflective of colonial hierarchy. Here a lone British soldier provides guidance to a group of Indians who are doing the heavy work of loading bombs onto aeroplanes. In contrast, the training camp section is notable for its positive portrayal of Burmese help. The Burmese are shown in a position of authority as they instruct the Allied forces about jungle survival. They provide translations and ‘useful tips’, including how to manufacture various devices out of bamboo. In this film it is ‘the Japs’ alone who are regarded as the enemy. While the Burmese use bamboo to trap wildlife, the Japanese are portrayed as having crafted it to create vicious man-traps.

Richard Osborne (May 2009)