A reconnaissance in force is made to the village of Bekassi (Bekasi) in Java, Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia), with the support of tanks and aircraft.

An RAF Auster observation aircraft overhead, probably of RAF 656 Squadron (Air Observation Post). A column of lorried infantry approaching camera; they are identified on the dopesheet as 4th Battalion 7th Rajput Regiment (of 161 Indian Infantry Brigade). A Sherman medium tank of 13th Lancers following. Lorried infantry passing; pan right to sign reading 'Krandji' (now Kranji). Stationary Sherman entering corner frame right; a soldier gestures to others emerging at the roadside. Two Indian soldiers, one with a Bren light machine gun the other with a Sten Mk V submachine gun and wearing the patch of 5th Indian Division with a single-storey building in the background. Infantry in double file along a road with a Sherman following. Soft focus of a Sherman slowly passing; there is a soldier lying on the rear hull. Riding on the tank a shot looking up at a soldier with his back to camera. A tank in front. A tank behind. Extreme close-up of a tank commander (?) looking through binoculars. The tank's gun barrel. Rear quarter close-up of a Rajput soldier. Sherman tank with turret traversing. Scattered cartridge cases on the ground. Smoke drifting across a road with infantry moving off on foot. In a wooded area soldiers walk along a road towards camera. Troops in position in a ditch. Wide shot with troops in cover near a railway line (presumably the line to Batavia (Jakarta)); a railway semaphore signal can be seen. Troops carrying spades and pick axes. A sign reads 'Bekassi' and above 'Beh-kah-shi in Japanese katakana script; camera tilts down to show troops in a ditch and a Sherman (soft focus). Two tanks on a road; smoke suggests they have been firing their main guns. Rear quarter shot of a Sherman, turret traversed to the right, firing its main gun. Troops entering the village. Sherman in corner of frame right; pan left past seated soldiers and two steel arched bridges. Three British soldiers, one of them a signaller with a wireless set on his back. Close-up of the signaller writing a message; the writing is mostly illegible but '..with tank' can be read.

Notes

Bekassi had already witnessed some ugly scenes before this film was shot. In November 1945 the passengers and crew of a crashed RAF Dakota transport aircraft had been abducted and murdered in the vicinity. In response the British moved out the population and burned down the village, some 600 buildings being destroyed. See related items.

According to the dopesheet this column encountered road blocks en route to Krandji, and 'very accurate fire' in the village itself. Encountering further 'light fire' on the road to Bekassi, the force left their vehicles and entered the vilage on foot due to the threat of mines. Finding the village to be deserted, and after digging in, they received orders to return to Batavia.