In Rangoon, capital of Burma, thousands of Japanese surrendered personnel board an American ship for repatriation, as part of Operation Nip-Off.

Outside a number of tents Japanese troops receive injections from orderlies and nurses. Close-up of man receiving injection. The SS Harold D Whitehead sailing away down the Rangoon river. Signs reading 'Ahlone Strand Road', 'Japanese surrendered personnel camp Ahlone' and 'Way in/Ana ka rasta'. Japanese surrendered personnel marching out with baggage. Alternate angles. Marching feet passing camera. The Japanese are counted onto the jetty. Walking down the jetty with the Harold D Whitehead in the background. Major-General Ichida, the wartime Chief of Staff to Lieutenant-General Kimura (commander, Burma Area Army), chats with the waiting men; it is raining. The Japanese personnel are ferried to the ship in a Ramp Cargo Lighter (RCL). The RCL comes alongside a floating jetty as others climb a gangway staircase. Stepping from the RCL to the jetty. Looking up at the gangway. Climbing the gangway. Japanese personnel coming aboard; a Scots soldier stands at the top of the stairs. Looking across the deck with a nameplate reading 'Harold D Whitehead' and Japanese personnel on the deck. Japanese troops eating from mess tins. Looking down on deck. More Japanese onto the floating jetty. Men walking on deck.

Notes

Following the Japanese surrender around 70,000 Japanese troops, designated Japanese Surrendered Personnel, were retained in Burma on reconstruction tasks. They lived a miserable existence and about half their number were repatriated in the period in which this film was shot. The remainder were repatriated by March 1947.