In forward areas on the Burma front, a convoy of jeeps carries supplies, while mules are cared for by muleteers of the Royal Indian Army Service Corps.

Various shots of jeeps on hillside road. Parked line of jeeps (according to the dopesheet, part of a 200-jeep convoy) stretching around a bend in the road. Tented camp on hillside. Mules in harness. Indian muleteer rubbing down a mule. A muleteer goes to examine a mule’s hoof; the animal flinches. Brushing a hoof. Mules eating. Mule nibbling a saltlick. Muleteer shows camera a handful of grain and bran from a sack. Line of mules’ tails swishing. Indian soldier with machete chopping fodder. Indian muleteer with armful of fodder which entirely obscures him. Mules eating from nosebags. Muleteers moving supplies for loading onto mules; one man has a carries a box on his head with an empty sandbag for padding. Taking a length of rope off a mule’s back before loading

Notes

The dopesheet for this film is undated and does not give a location, though this is presumably forward of the railhead at Dimapur. Even so, the dopesheet is interesting, as it provides both a detailed description of this line of supply and the capabilities of mules and drivers. It also gives useful technical details, illustrating the difficulty of filming in forward areas in this theatre.

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.