Part 1: The Governor (not specified on the dopesheet, but presumably John Arthur Herbert, Governor of Bengal) steps from his aircraft at Baigachi, and is greeted by Air Commoder Hunter. He is introduced to airmen of RAF 176 Squadron (Flying Officer Crombie DSO is mentioned on the dopesheet).

Part 2: On a range in a wood, a Madrassi havildar (sergeant) explains the sights of a Lee Enfield No. 3 rifle to four sweepers. He explains about the safety catch. Camera moves from the havildar, with the cocked rifle in the aim, to look at each of the four sweepers. The four sweepers lying prone with rifles; each has an instructor. Closer shot. View from behind looking at their targets, with some firing. A close-up of one sweeper who fires his rifle.

Wide shot; lorries on a road are loaded. Loading lorries. Vehicles move off; in the foreground a soldier sews a sack shut. Closer shot sewing. Lorry driver. Man writing BURMA onto the side of a lorry. Lorries moving. Lorries unloaded. A Highland officer leads a group of heavily laden Kharsi porters. Panning view of parked lorries.

A mule train sets out with rations. Men at work with stores and panniers.

A bulldozer at work cutting a path for a road. A tree is felled by the dozer. Three men walk along the bulldozed track. More of the bulldozer at work.

A party of the Chin Levies being addressed by their commanding officer, who stands on the verandah of a single-storey building. There are a number of other buildings around and some onlookers in the background. Close-up the commanding officer, a bearded captain. Close-ups of members of the levy; many wear feathers in their hats or hair. The men leave, heading away from the buildings. [camera speed problem here at times the men appear to move in slow motion]. Most of the men are armed with Lee Enfield rifles but some have shotguns or other weapons, and the range of the mens ages is very apparent.

A Dakota transport aircraft passes over misty hills dropping food by free drop (i.e. without parachutes). Another Dakota passes over a dropzone [camera problem here, the apperture stutters and so the aeroplane does not appear to move smoothly]. Hillside dropzone with parachutes. Local people in a village; man passes with sack of rice on his head. Dakota passing in the distance, roughly level with camera. Dakota overhead. Dakotas dropping parachutes; the drop is noticeably accurate. A watching Chin (?) man. A Dakota passes and drops parachutes with a number of men on horseback in the foreground. Local civilians and Chin Levies (?) watching as a Dakota makes a free drop. Close-ups of Chin men. Hillside with parachutes which men gather up.Local men carry in a supply bundle.

A two-item reel, the first item depicting a visit by the Governor of Bengal, John Herbert, to RAF 176 Squadron at Baigachi, the second showing various scenes from Burma including sweepers being taught to shoot, lorry and mule convoys, local Chin Levies, and air supply.

Notes

This film is documented on two dopesheets. The first, which is clearly contemporary to the film, documents the Governor's visit to Baigachi and is dated 18 April 1943, the film being shot by Flying Officer Thomas. The second dopesheet, which is undated and appears to be a more recent re-typing of an original, documents the rest of this reel under the title 'Burma Tour', shot by Captain Bryan Langley. The Thomas footage amounts to 61 feet, followed by the Langley material which accounts for the rest of the reel.

Sweepers were non-combatant members of a battalion, responsible for human sanitation. They were usually drawn from the lowest castes of Indian society. Soldiers, by comparison, enjoyed a much higher status. There is, therefore, a social significance to the fact that these sweepers are being taught to bear arms.

While the lack of a date on the Chin Hills material is disappointing, this film is still useful as a record of the service of the Chin Levies.

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.