Men of the Sikh Light Infantry capture the outskirts of the town of Pyawbwe during 17th Indian Division's advance on Rangoon, capital of Burma.

An Ordnance QF 3.7-inch Mountain Howitzer, probably of 21st Indian Mountain Regiment, Indian Artillery, is fired several times. Close-ups of the muzzle of the gun. Wideshot showing impacts of the shells. Distant footage of (presumably Indian) troops advancing across open ground. Smoke rising in the distance. Close-up showing the webbing of an Indian soldier, lying prone, showing his sheathed bayonet. He reaches back and draws the bayonet. Close-up of the muzzle of his Lee Enfield No.3 rifle as he fixes the bayonet. The soldier rises to his feet and advances past the camera. A Vickers medium machine gun (MMG) is fired. Close-up of the gunners. A Bren gunner cocks his weapon several times and fires it. Close-up of the Bren gun's muzzle, unfortunately quite dark. Close-up of the gunner. Sikhs charge across shot. A Sikh soldier with bayonet fixed creeps forward. Four Sikh soldiers advancing through low scrub. They rise up out of cover and charge forwards. At an observation post (OP) a Sikh soldier looks through binoculars. A soldier fires his rifle. Aircraft overhead attacking enemy positions. A Sikh crew fire an Ordnance ML 3-inch mortar. Smoke rising in the distance. Troops digging in with spades and pick axes. Group of officers conferring; they are named on the dopesheet as Major Malings MC, commanding officer of the Sikh Light Infantry, Lieutenant W S Blake and Major O'Brien (the latter two probably of 82nd Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery). A Vickers MMG is fired. The sights are set on a 3.7-inch gun and the gun is fired. Views of a battery of such guns firing. A well composed shot shows a platoon of Sikhs advancing across open ground across shot. Soldiers cross shot with fixed bayonets. Troops advance into a smoke screen and vanish into the smoke; a pagoda spire can be seen in the distance. A Captain L P Kalsey seen with his Subedar Major (dopesheet remarks on the recent award of the Military Cross to Captain Kalsey) looking at the objective with binoculars. Long shot looking over Kalsey and towards the objective, which appears to be a number of buildings on a ridge. A number of dead Japanese troops; some lying in the open and others in foxholes.

Notes

Pyawbwe was taken by a three-brigade envelopment by 17th Indian Division, with the Sikh Light Infantry (part of 99th Brigade) attacking from the north east. Pyawbwe was stoutly defended and after its capture some 1,110 Japanese dead and 13 guns were counted. The official history describes the fight for Pyawbwe as 'the only large action in the Battle of the Rangoon Road' and says that it 'finally shattered [the Japanese] 33rd Army'.

While the composition of some of the shots of this film make it clear that this footage is staged, this is probably still a useful piece of film. Operations against Pyawbwe were also filmed by a British Army cameraman (Sergeant Ken Higgins) attached to 48th Brigade. See related items.