At a Royal Indian Navy base in southern India (probably Madras), women of the Women's Auxiliary Corps (India) (WAC(I)) are seen at work on administrative tasks, and relaxing while off duty.

A group of about a dozen women of the Women’s Auxiliary Corps (India) (WAC(I)s) leaving their accommodation, an apparently modern hostel. The group walk along a jetty and board a small motor launch. The launch motors away. Onboard the launch (which presumably stopped and returned to allow the cameraman to board). Close-up of two Indian WAC(I)s. At the far side of the harbour the boat approaches the quay and the women disembark, led by a British female sub-lieutenant; some of the women wear saris and others blouses. The group walking. They enter a single-storey brick building. Low-angle close-up, looking up at the British woman who has a metal ‘WACI’ badge on her blouse. Brief close-up of naval officer, probably the cameraman Sub-Lieutenant Worth. Interior; looking up at a small painting (presumably the King and Queen) above a sign ‘Cypher Office’. Tilt down to women at work. Women at work with close-ups. An Indian sailor sitting at a wireless set writing a message. Close-up of the insignia on his arm (a winged lightning bolt). Close-up his headset. Close-up hands writing. Wider shot; he tears off the paper and hands it to another sailor (he wears a similar badge on his arm but with stars above and below the lightning bolt). The paper is put in an out tray and collected by a WAC(I). Sign ‘Registration’, the same girl steps into shot with the message, and then leaves. She hands it over to another for decoding. Close-ups of a woman decoding, then standing up. The message is passed to a WAC(I) Cypher Officer for checking. The message is passed to a typist, apparently an Englishwoman from London, who types it up. Fingers typing with close-up of the young freckled typist. The typed message is passed to a Indian sailor. Sign ‘Distribution’ over pigeonholes; one is marked ‘25 P.A/S.O’. Another WAC(I) receives the message and posts it into a pigeonhole before passing it on to another Indian sailor, a messenger. Two shots women playing badminton. Interior sitting room; women sit on sofas or armchairs reading and chatting and a gramophone sits on a side table. Woman reading. Women playing carrom. Two women listen to a gramophone record. [612 ft] On a dockside (at Chittagong?) a Hyster Karry Krane reverses towards a marine engine lying on the quayside. The engine is hooked up and hoisted; alongside the quay is a launch with ‘441’ (possibly ML 441, of 55th Motor Launch Flotilla) on its funnel. A naval officer gestures as the engine is lowered into the launch. [654 ft] Parade ground with a White Ensign flying at a mast. British woman seen earlier marches out and halts in front of her group of WAC(I)s. They stand easy. Low-angle close-up Indian WAC(I). WAC(I)s on parade with Indian sailors marching past behind them. WAC(I)s marching past a British officer with a contingent of Indian sailors behind, framed by the barrel of naval gun. Low-angle close-up looking up at British officer at the salute with White Ensign flying above and behind. WAC(I)s passing. Indian messenger leaving a building.

Notes

A well-shot piece with a strong narrative, and a good example of female war work in India. Also an incidental record of the immense administrative burden of military communications. The dopesheet for this film appears to be a type-up of an original, and is undated. Specific references to the WAC(I) might suggest that this film predates the formation of the Women's Royal Indian Naval Service in 1944.

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.