As news of Japanese surrender reaches forward troops around Toungoo (Taungoo) in southern Burma, Gurkha, Indian and British soldiers celebrate, and a thanksgiving service and march past is held with Lieutenant-General Messervy, commander of IV Corps, and Major-General Rees, commander of 19th Indian Division in attendance.

Two Gurkhas, one a Lance Naik and listening to a wireless set with headphones. The Lance Naik speaks on the wireless. Another Gurkha signaller receives a message on a wireless set; he struggles not to grin at the camera. He sends a message and smiles broadly. He disappears down a track through undergrowth. He passes the message to a Gurkha havildar (sergeant, a section commander), who pats him enthusiastically on the back. The havildar calls his section together; one man climbs down a tree. Two others get up and the men gather around the havildar, grinning. Elsewhere British officers in jovial conversation with tea; they are seated around a table beneath a wooden structure (a house on stilts?). A platoon of Gurkhas standing and sitting around a captured Japanese antitank gun (focus slightly soft here). Playing with the gun’s mechanism. Standing around the gun. Two Gurkhas, both laughing, who seem to be trying to shift praise or blame onto the other. A group of Gurkhas standing in a half circle clapping rhythmically; one of their number (a Naik) dances for them. At a roadside Indian soldiers gathered around a tea van. British and Indian soldiers drinking tea. British and Indian soldiers around the van, which is marked ‘Free Indian Tea’ and may be fitted with a loudspeaker; one of the Indian troops wears the patch of 19th Indian Division. Crowd; one soldier unfolds a cloth marked with a crane with spread wings and a cross. Closer shot (of a loudspeaker?). British and Indian troops cheering; at least some of the group are Sikhs and some are probably Indian Engineers. A group (of Indian Engineers?) by a Bailey bridge across a broad river (also marked with 19th Indian Division insignia); they cheer. Under a large wooden roof a church service of Thanksgiving led by the Revered Lord Bishop of Toungoo. Rather dark shot of pianist or organist. Congregation (this shot rather blown out by the light from outside). A brief shot shows Major-General T W ‘Pete’ Rees. The bishop singing. A rather dark close-up of General Rees. Bishop singing. Congregation; in the front row are a number of female servicewomen. Women signing. Rees and another officer singing; they wear the 19th Indian Division patch. More shots of the service. The congregation dispersing afterwards (some are Indian). A body of troops, probably of a Scottish regiment, moving off as part of a march past. A Scottish unit passing, led by a piper; the men wear the cap badge of the Gordon Highlanders and so may be the 116th Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps (originally the amalgamated 5th and 9th Battalions, Gordon Highlanders). The battalion marching past; the salute is taken by Lieutenant-General Frank Messervy, commander of IV Corps. Rees and Messervy. Alternative angle. Rees with Messervy, saluting; Messervy’s IV Corps ‘elephant’ insignia can be seen.

Notes

This film was shot by Jemadar N S Thapa, a Gurkha, and as such is a relatively rare example of a Gurkha cameraman filming fellow Gurkhas. The variety of celebrations seen are interesting and depict something of the ethnic and religious mix of 14th Army.