Title:ROYAL ENGINEERS BRIDGE THE HOPIN CHAUNG; GENERAL FESTING VISITS ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS [Allocated Title]
Film Number:JFU 152
Other titles:BRITISH ARMY OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
Summary: Two-item film showing sappers of 236th Field Company Royal Engineers (36th Division) at work on a railway bridge over the Hopin Chaung in northern Burma, and a visit of Major-General Francis Festing, the divisional commander, to the 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers.
Description: Reel 1: Two British sappers of 236th Field Company seen up to their waists in the fast-flowing Hopin Chaung (river). A man uses a hand drill. On the riverbank a group of engineers push a large wooden frame towards the water. The frame is lowered with ropes down the riverbank and into the water. The frame is pulled up into a vertical position before being allowed to drop into the water. Lying in the water the frame is manhandled, against the current, into position. Two men position a rail. Men hauling on a rope. Men positioning sleepers and rails. Group shot showing 80 or so members of 236th Field Company. A second group shot showing 12 men. Major-General Festing seen with Colonel T N Dupuy US Army, Lieutenant-Colonel Ritchie (Royal Scots Fusiliers) and Colonel Bastin ('Bustin' on the dopesheet; acting commander of 29th Brigade). Shots of Festing touring a camp and speaking with troops. The group walk along a railway line before boarding a jeep train. Jeep train rolls away. Close-ups of Festing and Dupuy. Festing and Ritchie (?). Festing looks in a small hut.
Reel 2: A jeep train carrying Festing and the others slowly passes camera. The jeep train crosses a bridge laden with men and ammunition. Indian Engineers at work on a bridge. A rail trolley is pushed along it.
Alternative Title:BRITISH ARMY OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
Production Details: War Office Directorate of Public Relations (Production sponsor)
SEAC Film Unit (Production company)
Park, RolandArmy Film and Photo Unit/SEAC Film Unit cameraman/photographer. (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Festing, Francis Wogan (person)
Dupuy, Trevor Nevitt (person)
British Army, 36th Division (regiment/service)
British Army, Royal Engineers, 236th Field Company (regiment/service)
British Army, Royal Scots Fusiliers, 1st Battalion (regiment/service)
Keywords: Hopin, Burma (geography)
Operations in Northern Burma 1943-1945, Burma 1942-1945, Second World War (event)
India 1939-1945 (theme)
British Army 1939-1945 (theme)
