An ambiguous piece of undocumented rushes film, probably showing infantry of 17th Indian Division in southern Burma during the early stages of the campaign following the Japanese invasion, and a brief view of 18-pounder field guns (possibly Burma Auxiliary Force) being fired.

Gurkha troops in field gear passing. By a tree a number of medical chests, with two men sitting nearby and one man, back to camera, looking in a chest. Troops gathered around a tree. Indian troops on the march. Wide shot of terrain showing fields, hedgerows and trees. Indian troops filling canvas belts for a Vickers gun with 0.303-inch cartridges. Wide shot with double-line railway track in the foreground (a river beyond with pagodas on the bank?). Lorries passing carrying troops (marked with a lightning bolt in a circle?) A motorcyclist speaks to a British officer. Mule carts, mules and men on foot passing. The British troops are wearing topis. A cup of tea is passed to an Indian soldier on horseback. Troops gathered around a tree (the same as seen earlier?); pan to waiting lorries. Lorry passing; camera pans to follow and a parked station wagon is clearly marked with a lightning bolt. Morris lorry passing. Indian troops walking down a railway embankment; a footbridge is behind and wagons can be seen below. Indian troops boarding a lorry. Indian troops passing on foot and using a footbridge over the railway line. More of boarding lorry and lorries moving off. Brief shot looking down railway embankment with a jumble of stores piled beside some wagons. On an open field a battery of 18-pounder field guns firing (in training or in action?); the crews are wearing topis.

Notes

No dopesheet survives for this film and consequently details of all kinds are unclear. Various details, however, suggest that this film dates from early in the Burma campaign. The 'lightning bolt' insignia is seen a number of times and suggests 17th Indian Division. The division changed its insignia, from the lightning bolt to a black cat, sometime after the disastrous Battle of the Sittang in February 1942. The sight of 18-pounder field guns might suggest 5th Field Battery, Royal Artillery, part of the Burma Auxiliary Force, the only field artillery in Burma at the outbreak of war. The topis would also suggest an early date; they were disliked and soon replaced with bush hats.

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.