26TH INDIAN DIVISION CONFERENCE, TANKS CROSSING RIVER AND REFLOATING STEAMER (US ARMY CAMERAMEN) [Allocated Title]

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


  • Title: 26TH INDIAN DIVISION CONFERENCE, TANKS CROSSING RIVER AND REFLOATING STEAMER (US ARMY CAMERAMEN) [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: MGH 139
  • Other titles: BRITISH ARMY OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: A four-part film, shot by American cine cameramen of the South East Asia Command Photo Unit, showing a 26th Indian Division conference in the Arakan, tanks and guns crossing a river, and the refloating of an Irrawaddy Flotilla Company steamer, the Ontario.
  • Description: Part 1, shot by Sergeant Benedict: Outside a wooden hut (a command post?) a British brigadier wearing the triangular insignia of 26th Indian Division gets into a jeep with a number of Indian soldiers as escort. He drives away. On a dirt road the stationary car starts up and passes camera followed by a jeep marked 'Official photographer'. A 5.5-inch gun (possibly 6th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery) passes camera followed by the jeeps again. The brigadier speaking to another officer. Group of officers sit on the ground in a circle with maps in their laps. Part 2: shot by Sergeant Benedict: Grant medium tank (possibly 146th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps?) driving towards camera and kicking up dust. More Grants pass. Indian infantry climb aboard a tank. Tanks driving slowly with infantry crowded on their hull. Jeep follows with British brigadier (?) driving. Jeep; pan to tanks driving across a shallow chaung (river or watercourse). More tanks cross. A lorry towing a 25-pounder field gun with men hanging off it; one man loses his hat. A number of towed 25-pounders are driven across a chaung. An RAF Stinson Sentinel, serial KJ450, lands in a field, taxis to a halt and a 26th Indian Division brigadier climbs out. He drives away in a jeep. Part 3, shot by Sergeant Paul (?): Somewhere on the River Irrawaddy, a view from water of a beached river steamer of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company named 'Ontario'; a XXXIII Indian Corps DUKW ('Duck') amphibian beached alongside. The DUKWs attempt to drag the Ontario off the beach; there is a large pagoda behind. Various views of the Ontario. More shots; the Ontario slides into the water. Part 4, shot by Sergeant Block: View from beach with DUKWs on the water and bulldozer on the beach. Men at work on the beach. Men onboard the Ontario. Bulldozer passing and shunting the Ontario. Men heave on a pole to lever the boat into the water. The boat slide free and men literally jump up and down and clap with delight. Looking up at the pagoda on the waterfront with people watching. Men on the beach. The Ontario afloat. Close-up of an Indian Electrical and Mechanical Engineer officer addressing his men. Ontario with men on the beach in foreground. Two officers, a British sergeant and some of the Indian troops pose for the camera. People watching from the pagoda. Ontario with DUKWs.
  • Alternative Title: BRITISH ARMY OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: MGH 139
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period:
  • Production Date: 1945-03-24
  • Production Country:
  • Production Details: War Office Directorate of Public Relations (Production sponsor) SEAC Film Unit (Production company) Benedict, L M (Production individual) Paul (Sergeant) (Production individual) Block (Sergeant) (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Indian Army, XXXIII Indian Corps (regiment/service) Indian Army, 26th Indian Division (regiment/service) Indian Army, Indian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (regiment/service) Royal Air Force (regiment/service) British Army, Royal Armoured Corps, 146th Regiment (Duke of Wellington's Regiment) (regiment/service) British Army, Royal Artillery, 6th Medium Regiment (regiment/service) Irrawaddy Flotilla Company (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: Arakan, Burma (geography) Irrawaddy (River), Burma (geography) Third Arakan Campaign 1944-1945, Burma 1942-1945, Second World War (event)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 1016 ft; Running time: 12 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    MGH 139

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:
Register