Footage with live sound taken at Shoreditch, in the East End of London, as a contingent of Indian troops from the 4th Indian Division is welcomed by an enthusiatic crowd and by the Mayor of Shoreditch, who gives a speech.

Somewhere in Shoreditch, a large crowd gathers around a temporary stage decorated with Allied flags. Surrounding buildings exhibit bomb damage. The local mayor, wearing his chains of office, mounts the stage. A line of Indian Army soldiers walks to the stage; camera pans to see an RAF Ensign being hauled down and a Union flag run up. The Indian soldiers on the stage; the mayor gives a speech (a cameraman on the stage can be seen winding his camera). Pan of scene; local police and civil defence forces are on parade. Mayor speaking; children can be seen climbing on a damaged building in the background. A Subedar-Major Agandhar Kandakar [spelling questionable] of 1st Battalion 9th Gurkha Rifles, a winner of the Indian Order of Merit, is introduced to the crowd. Subedar-Major Lalbahadur Thapa VC, 1st Battalion 2nd Gurkha Rifles, is introduced; the crowd cheer and applaud enthusiastically. Footage from the back of a lorry or similar; a brass band leads a parade through the streets. Children march alongside. The parade continues; they pass a brick air raid shelter and turn onto another road where a parked No. 543 bus can be seen. The parade passes under a railway bridge and past Shoreditch Town Hall; the Indian troops stand outside as the parade passes. Mute footage from an alternative angle, showing the RAF Ensign being hauled down, the crowd, and the vicinity around the stage. Shot from a different angle, probably from the damaged block of flats seen from the original position; a Union flag flying and people can be seen watching from rooftops in the background. A crowd of children mob Lalbahadur Thapa VC; he grins. Close-up Thapa; his VC ribbon can be seen. Medium close-up Thapa. Waving cheering children. Thapa shows his kukri to the mayor, his wife and other civil dignitaries. A very brief shot appears to show Thapa signing autographs.

Notes

No dopesheet survives for this film, so various details are unclear. The shooting date is drawn from a Times newspaper article from 16 September, which refers to this occasion occurring the day before. Production company is probably British Movietone. Besides Shoreditch Town Hall exact locations are not clear, though in the shot of the march through the streets a street name, possibly Crondal Place, is seen. The film is noticeably clean, and the enthusiasm of the people for the troops, especially Thapa, is very marked.

The portion of the mayor's speech which survives contains an interesting mix of local pride, belligerence, humour and imperialism, and is reproduced below: Ladies and gentlemen, today Shoreditch has been given the honour, the very great honour of welcoming to East London a portion of the Indian contingent who has done so remarkably well in the war in North Africa [cheers and applause]. Shoreditch, as our visitors will see in the immediate neighbourhood, has been very badly dealt with by the enemy. But let me assure our very honoured guests no tears are being shed because Shoreditch could take it, with other East End boroughs [applause]. We of the East End of London have suffered the full blast of German ‘culture’, whatever that might mean. While making no apologies, but all we do hope is that as East London took it, Germany will take her medicine in the same way [applause]...East End mayors of London, the Mayor of Hackney....I don’t feel a bit nervous [laughter] that when I look and see that an Indian gentleman, who was decorated by His Majesty the King with a Victoria Cross, is sitting next to my wife [laughter and applause]. My only complaint against him is, he didn’t kill sufficient! However I welcome him and I honour him and I pay homage to him for his wonderful bravery [cheering and applause]. I’m more than pleased to know that he is a member of the Gurkha Regiment. [cheering and applause]....In command of the Indian contingent, and I’m now going to ask him to say a few words to you people. But before I do so can I pay a compliment to the Indians and I turn to them and I say, speaking as I am for the East End of London, ‘Thank you for all you have done’. Thank all of India, that wonderful nation. And may we all pray that something will come along that will make us at the end of this war a happy nation and in unity with the all of the British Empire. I voice those opinions, because I feel...Before Lieutenant-Colonel Scott’s speech, I’m sure you’d like to meet them personally. I’m going to ask Lieutenant Kelly to announce the names of all the Indians who are present with us. Now give ’em a Shoreditch welcome! [Lieutenant Kelly speaking] Subedar Major Agandhar Kandakar IOM 1st 9th Gurkha Rifles. [applause] Subedar…[cheering and applause] that was Subedar Lalbahadur Thapa, VC, 1st 2nd Gurkha Rifles.

Film is also held which shows these men being decorated by the King at Buckingham Palace. See related items.

Series note: The MWY series of films is believed to be part of a ‘pool’ of film received by the Government of India from various sources, including South East Asia Command, the Indian Inter-Service Public Relations Directorate, the Ministry of Information, and from Allied governments. This footage would have been considered for editing and release through the Indian Newsreel Parade; see INR series.