NEW DELHI SNAKECHARMER AND AWARD OF VICTORIA CROSSES AT THE RED FORT [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: NEW DELHI SNAKECHARMER AND AWARD OF VICTORIA CROSSES AT THE RED FORT [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: MWY 18
  • Other titles: INDIAN INTER-SERVICE PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTORATE COLLECTION - INDIAN HOME FRONT AND MILITARY OPERATIONS, AND ALLIED OPERATIONS IN ITALY AND THE PACIFIC DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Two-item reel, both by the same cameraman, showing (1) a snakecharmer in New Delhi and (2) a presentation ceremony at the Red Fort in which the Viceroy of India, Archibald Wavell presents Victoria Crosses to Gaje Ghale and the widow of Chhelu Ram.
  • Description: Part 1, shot on 2 January 1944: Various shots of a snake charmer, the snakes and spectators (apparently mostly local people). [115 ft] Part 2, shot on 5 January 1944: At the Red Fort, pan of seated official spectators and large crowd behind. Spectators including Gaje Ghale and widow of Chhelu Ram. Pan troops on parade. Close-up Jemadar Gaje Ghale. Widow of Chhelu Ram. Spectators. Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Peirse. Spectators and recipients. Field Marshal Wavell at the salute. Inspecting guard of honour. The widow of Chhelu Ram receives her husband's medal; she is accompanied by a British brigadier and a young child. Wavell hands over the medal. Brief shot Gaje Ghale. Ram's widow holds the medal for the camera. Ghale receives his medal; he wears the patch of 17th Indian Division and 5 RGR [5th Royal Gurkha Rifles] can be read on his epaulette. He salutes and shakes Wavell's hand firmly. Close-up Gaje Ghale with tilt down to his medal. Pan from recipients and spectators to Wavell saluting the march past. Lady Wavell looking on. Lady Wavell speaks to Ram and the escorting brigadier. Wavell and Lady Wavell depart by car. General Auchinleck congratulates Ghale. Lady Auchinleck likewise. In a general melee of congratulation Ghale salutes an Indian officer and a Chinese officer (three stars, dark background, light border) as an American major-general, wearing the patch of China-Burma-India theatre, passes (probably Major-General Daniel Sultan).
  • Alternative Title: INDIAN INTER-SERVICE PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTORATE COLLECTION - INDIAN HOME FRONT AND MILITARY OPERATIONS, AND ALLIED OPERATIONS IN ITALY AND THE PACIFIC DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: MWY 18
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1944-01-02
  • Production Country: India
  • Production Details: Public Relations Directorate, India (Production sponsor) Indian Public Relations Film Unit (Production company) Kerntiff, A (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Wavell, Archibald Percival (person) Ghale, Gaje (person) Peirse, Richard Edmund Charles (person) Auchinleck, Claude John Eyre (person) Sultan, Daniel Isom (person) Ram, Chhelu (person) Indian Army, 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles, 2nd Battalion (regiment/service) Indian Army, 17th Indian Division (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: Delhi, North Central India, India (geography) Burma 1942-1945, Second World War (event) India 1939-1945 (theme) Indian Army 1939-1945 (theme)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 464 ft; Running time: 6 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    MWY 18

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    MWY 49 (WAVELL AWARDS VICTORIA CROSSES TO INDIAN TROOPS IN DELHI [Allocated Title])
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