Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia, visits British Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force Dutch Catalina flying boat squadrons in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

In an area enclosed by high walls Mountbatten meets British officers of a Fleet Air Arm squadron; camera pans. Speaking to an officer. Seen through a barbed wire barrier the anti-aircraft gunners of a battery of 40mm Bofors guns run to hear Mountbatten. Mountbatten meeting Fleet Air Arm officers. At a large airfield Mountbatten, with Royal Air Force and Royal Navy officers, including Air Vice Marshal Albert Durston, walking from an RAF Douglas Dakota transport aircraft to waiting cars. At RAF 321 (Dutch) Squadron (location possibly RAF China Bay at Trincomalee) Mountbatten meets Dutch officers; a Catalina flying boat behind. Mountbatten speaks to a cheerful young officer who has his arm in a sling. Meeting officers. Mountbatten with Commander W van Prooyen, the commander of the Dutch squadron. Mountbatten with van Prooyen walking on the dockside, a parked Catalina behind; it is marked Y64 with a large G on the tail, and with a Dutch flag. Walking past a hangar with van Prooyen, Durston and others.

Notes

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.