SCENES OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE IN PRE-WAR MALAYA AND INDIA, AND POST-WAR SCENES IN GERMANY [Allocated Title]

Log in to create clips, download free screeners and save clips/films in Collections. Click here to find out more.

Media files

  • Title: SCENES OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE IN PRE-WAR MALAYA AND INDIA, AND POST-WAR SCENES IN GERMANY [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: MGH 6583
  • Other titles: AMATEUR FILM BY WING COMMANDER ROBERT MILWARD [Alternative Title]
  • Summary: Amateur film, with some captions, shot by Wing Commander Robert Milward, while serving in RAF 39 Squadron on air policing duties on the North West Frontier (India) and torpedo training in Singapore in 1938-1940, and during travel through the Middle East, concluding with family scenes in the British Zone of Occupied Germany and Britain (1948-1951).
  • Description: Reel 1: "RISALPUR TO SINGAPORE - JAN 1938". A Hawker Hart starts up on airfield. "AMBALA WHERE WE FILLED UP...". Row of Harts lined up on airfield. Men cranking up motor vehicle engine by hand. "...AND HANDED IN NAVIGATION LOGS". Navigation logs handed over to officials. "60 SQUADRON WAPITIS". Four Westland Wapiti in formation. A Wapiti lands and taxis along airfield. Close up shot of pilot. Men in white overalls. Views from the air. "HALF WAY - AKYAB BURMA". Aerial views of airfield. Group of locals, some with large fans to cool themselves in the heat. Row of Hart aircraft on flightline. Scenes at local beach. "VICTORIA POINT". Aerial views. Hart lands on airfield. Men in bar enjoying liquid refreshments. "AT TAIPING". Harts on airfield. Men in white flying suits. "SINGAPORE". Man marshals traffic in the streets of Singapore. Singapore Sports Club flag. Scenes at local swimming pool. "SELETAR AIR BASE". View of large hangar. Tents. "ON A TORPEDO ATTACK WITH 36 SQDN". A Vickers Vildebeest is shown with torpedoes loaded. Aircraft takes off. Aerial views of shipping and aircraft in the air. Aircraft lands. Pilot turns around in his seat and smiles at the cameraman (presumably Wing Commander Milward). "70 BT SQUADRON". General airfield scenes. "100 TB SQUADRON". Formation of Vildebeest aircraft in the air. Men in mess room enjoying themselves. Reel 2: Scenes filmed in 1938. "TENGAH". Local dwellings built of mud and straw. Hawker Hart 'K8267' on airfield. "39 SQUADRON". Aircraft taking off. "RUBBER". Men in woods collecting sap from rubber trees. "SINGAPORE EXERCISES" Airfield scenes. "OFF ON A DUTCH RAID". Row of Hawker Harts, including 'K2104', 'K2097' and 'K2101'. Engine runs. Aircraft taxi out and take off in formation. Men in uniforms laughing at the camera. Fuel bowser. "THE FALLEN STAR OF INDIA". Views of unindentified RAF transport aircraft, seemingly with damage to port wing. Views of airfield. "SAILING". Views of assorted seaplanes and boats. "KOTA TINGI". Views of spectacular local waterfall. "HOMEWARDS". Aerial views. "V P FIRE". Ground fire. People fighting flames and smoke. Surveying fire damage. "THE GOLDEN PAGODA AT RANGOON". (Burma) Local scenes. "CALCUTTA AND DUM DUM AERODROME". Aerial shots. Airfield scenes. A Douglas DC-2 of KLM Airways makes a low level pass and then lands. A Hart lands. Close up shots of instrument panel in Hart. "THE END". Reel 3: "MIRANSHAH JAN - MARCH 1939". "ONE FLIGHT OF 11 AND TWO FLIGHTS OF 39 SQDN WERE EMPLOYED ON BOMBING AND PRESCRIPTION". Aircraft in flight. Passengers disembark from Vickers Valentia 'K4635'. Hawker Hart 'K2099' on airfield. RAF crew in uniform. Men enjoying drinks and canapés. "THE NEW 25LB INCENDIARY BOMBS". Bombs shown being loaded onto aircraft. Aircraft takes off. "AND THE EFFECT ON THE MASTOI VALLEY". Aerial views of bomb damage. "DIVE BOMBING". Aerial views. "SUPPLIES FOR THE COLUMN CUT OFF AT GHARIOMME". Men unpack supplies including a crate of Mackinlay's Scotch Whiskey. "SUPPLY DROPPING". Aerial shots. Snow topped mountains. Loading supplies onto trucks. "BOMBS ARE STORED UNDERGROUND". Men in flying gear. Harts on airfield. Mountain scenery. "NARAKKI (MADDA KHEL)". Aerial shots. Bombing raid. Men in uniform enjoying refreshments, presumably after raid."A CASUALTY (APPENDICITIS)". Invalid is loaded into nose of Vickers Valentia 'K4635' "City of Calcutta" presumably to be taken to hospital for treatment. "A VISIT FROM THE A.O.C." Avro Anson approaches airfield and lands. Interior and exterior shots of Anson. Westland Wapiti 'J9509' on airfield. Small explosions on airfield [not clear if this is a genuine or simulated attack on the airfield]. Attempts to put out very small fires. "RETURN TO RISALPUR". Harts on airfield. Air to air shots of Harts in flight. Reel 4: Scenes filmed in 1939. "1st BLENHEIM COLLECTION PARTY". Men disembark from truck. "WEIGHING IN". Men being weighed on scales. Vickers Valentia 'K4634' on airfield. Engines start up. Views from interior of aircraft of take off. "KHANPUR REFUELLING". Valentia 'K4634' is refuelled. "KARACHI". Valentia on airfield. "JEWANI". Aerial shots. Men relaxing inside large tent. "SHARJAH". Local men armed with rifles. "WE SLEPT IN THE FORT". Views inside large fort. "BAHRAIN". Aerial views. "OVER TO THE OIL WORKS". Scenes at local oil works. "NEXT MORNING". Boat trip. "SHAIBAH". Aerial shots. "HABBANIYA". Airfield. Airmen and Iraqi locals smoking cigarettes. "AMMAN". (Transjordan) Airfield. Aerial shots. Interior views of aircraft in flight. "CAIRO". (Egypt) Aerial shots. Local scenery. "THE PYRAMIDS". Exploring pyramids and surrounding areas. Travelling through the streets of Cairo. "OUR BLENHEIMS ARRIVE...[Remainder of title indecipherable] Bristol Blenheims lined up on airfield. Reel 5: General scenes in Gilgit and Drosh (Kashmir), filmed in 1937. Men relax by swimming pool. Horse racing at local racecourse. Men playing polo. Views of unidentified airfield. Aerial shots. Hawker Harts in flight. A Hart is shown on its nose after tipping over upon landing. Aircraft is repaired. Street scenes in unidentified town. Mountain scenery. Men skiing and enjoying themselves. Reel 6: General scenes in and around Singapore, filmed sometime between 1939 and 1941. Ships at sea. Street scenes. Swimming near Pasi Panjang on the south coast. Entrance to Singapore airport. A snake charmer works his magic in Singapore. Milward and his wife Phillipa visit Jonha Falls in India sometime in 1942. Reel 7: General scenes filmed in Drosh and Karachi sometime in 1937. Aerial views including various shots of snow topped mountains. Hawker Hart 'K2098' in the air. Unidentified Avro Anson on airfield. Aerial shots of Harts 'K8629' and 'K2085' of 39 Squadron in the air. Unidentified Vickers Valentia on the ground. Aerial shots. Views from the passenger seat travelling along a bumpy track by car. Snow scenes. Aerial shots. Low level pass over a long unidentified beach filmed from the rear passenger's position. Camel pulling cart. Small sailing boat departs from marina. Unidentified Short Sunderland flying boat stationary on water. Aerial shots. Supplies are dropped by parachute. Reel 8: Scenes filmed between 1939 and 1941. Bristol Blenheims on airfield. Engines are started and aircraft takes off. Blenheim in flight. Views from nose of aircraft in flight. A Blenheim is shown upside down after crashing upon landing at an unidentified airfield. Aircrew drinking from flask. Scenes at Singapore Airport. Exterior of the 'Happy World Cabaret' Club in Singapore. Street scenes. Journey by car along bumpy road. Milward and friends enjoy a game of golf, followed by drinks at local bar. Exterior of the 'Empire Hotel', location unknown. Sunset. Scenes in Kuching (Sarawak). Funeral procession [identity of the deceased unidentified in film]. Scenes in Greece. Views of ancient ruins. A Greek family pose happily for the camera. Scenes in Kalimpong (Nepal). Mountain scenes. Reel 9: Scenes in and around Hochdonn, Germany, filmed between February 1951 and February 1953. Girl playing on swing in garden. The Milward family travel by train across the Hindenburgdamm to the island of Sylt. Exterior of 'Hotel Wiking'. Scenes in and around Westerland. Seaside pier. Boy rowing boat towards shoreline. Children building sandcastles. Pleasure boat returning to pier. Children playing together. Street scenes. Ship in harbour. Snow scenes. Entrance gate and barracks at RAF Uetersen. Children sledging in snow. Reel 10: Miscellaneous family scenes filmed between 1948 and 1951, including scenes in Bawtry in Yorkshire, Market Drayton in Shropshire, Ferring in Sussex, and Aberdovey in Gwynedd.
  • Alternative Title: AMATEUR FILM BY WING COMMANDER ROBERT MILWARD [Alternative Title]
  • Colour: B&W (part Colour [Kodachrome])
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: MGH 6583
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM (MGH 6583)
  • Featured Period:
  • Production Date: 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1948 1949 1950 1951
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Milward, Robert (Wing Commander) (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords:
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W (part Colour [Kodachrome]) Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: English
  • Technical Details: Format: Std 8mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 10 Footage: 2162 ft ca; Running time: 180 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    MGH 6583

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:
Register