In Colombo Harbour, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), the Supreme Allied Commander Lord Louis Mountbatten visits the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Saratoga and the destroyer USS Dunlap.

Taken from a boat on the harbour; wide shot of the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga with her air wing on deck. View of HMS Illustrious past the stern of Saratoga. View of Saratoga with Illustrious behind. Illustrious. Saratoga; pan to Illustrious. Views of Saratoga with a US Navy jack with 48 stars flying from jackstaff. Further views. Mountbatten on deck, seen low and from behind. High shot showing Mountbatten in the midst of a sea of sailors. Shot from behind the crowd looking to Mountbatten. Looking down on Mountbatten. Looking down on sailors who completely fill the frame. Mountbatten’s launch approaching. Stepping onto gangway staircase. Being piped onboard. Meeting officers. Captain John H Cassady (US Navy, captain of the Saratoga), Mountbatten and Admiral Cunningham. Crew assembling on deck. Mountbatten departing by launch. Mountbatten on deck in conversation with an American officer. Sailors forming up on deck. Mountbatten speaking to another American officer. Mountbatten departing from USS Dunlap. Mountbatten talking with Cassady and Lieutenant-Commander Dose, commander of Saratoga’s air wing. Talking in front of a parked fighter aircraft. Deck elevator rising with Mountbatten and group onboard. Views of the band playing.

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.