Film shot with live sound of Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia, awarding medals to members of the Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) and other members of the Malayan resistance at the Municipal Building, Singapore.

Footage shot with live sound showing Mountbatten standing on the steps of the Municipal Building and delivering his speech. He explains the need for the population to be patient as the Allies seek to improve the food supply and living conditions in Malaya and promises to do everything possible to mitigate the hardships and inconvenience caused by the large military presence massed in Singapore. Shot of the steps (without Mountbatten) as a Royal Marine band (out of shot) plays. Decorations are awarded to a number of guerilla leaders; they are announced and applauded. Mountbatten departing. Royal Marine band playing. Mountbatten, Allied officers and the Malayan guerillas at the salute as the band plays God Save the King. Band marching and countermarching; they are playing the Scottish traditional 'Skye Boat Song'.

Notes

For a transcript of Mountbatten's speech, see the dopesheet of JFU 498. For other film coverage, see related items.

One of the guerillas decorated on this occasion was Chin Peng. A Chinese Malayan from Perak, he acted as the MPAJA's liaison with the Allies during the war, and (illustrating the turbulent political changes of this region and period) within a few years would be the leader of the anti-Commonwealth Malayan Communist Party during the Malayan Emergency. Captions for images held by the Imperial War Museum's Photograph Archive (see PHO references below) also name a Lieu Yau (Liew Yao), Chan Yeung Pan, Fuk Lung, Lin Chang, Chen Tien, Lao Wong, Ho Siew Lit, Chong Ching, Woo (Wu?) Chye Sin, Tan Sian Yay, Yeop Mahidin, Abdul Abdullah Bin Ta'ani and Feh Teh Chung (all spellings questionable). Besides the MPAJA, other guerilla groups represented include the Pahang Wataniah (by Yeop Mahidin) and Dalforce (Feh Teh Chung). Given that the Allies had entered into a 'marriage of convenience' with the Malayan Communist Party, and with whom the end of hostilities had brought a rapid souring of relations, there is an obvious political component to these presentations.