GENERAL AUCHINLECK HONOURED BY THE KING OF NEPAL [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: GENERAL AUCHINLECK HONOURED BY THE KING OF NEPAL [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: JIN 155
  • Other titles: INDIAN ARMY OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: The Commander-in-Chef of the Indian Army, General Sir Claude Auchinleck visits Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, and is decorated with the Star of Nepal by King Tribhuvan.
  • Description: Reel 1: Against a backdrop of mountains, the Tundikhel parade ground with troops marching past. Troops march across frame left-to-right. Near the saluting base a Nepalese officer walks towards camera. Looking up a steep track through a hillside village (at Thankot); the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, General Sir Claude Auchinleck rides a pony downhill towards camera accompanied by a bearer. Two other officers (Nepalese?) follow behind and the villagers have turned out to see him pass. An unidentified British officer also passes on a pony. Auchinleck’s staff car arrives at Kalamati; he steps out and is saluted by a guard of honour. A standard bearer slowly lowers his standard. Inspecting the guard of honour in company with General Sir Bahadur Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana. The band of the guard of honour playing. Auchinleck boards a carriage with the General and another officer. The carriage, pulled by at least four horses, moves off. View from a vehicle, part of a procession of vehicles and horsemen, as Auchinleck’s party drives through Kathmandu; crowds have turned out to watch. At the British legation Auchinleck, now in full dress uniform, returns the salute of a guard of honour. Another carriage arrives carrying the Maharajah Sir Jodh Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana, Prime Minister of Nepal. A long lens shot showing several senior Nepalese officers (or royalty?); they all wear enormous white plumes in their headdress and one of them is at the salute. Guard of honour. Nepalese officer at the salute (the Prime Minister?). View of the legation building, which is large, white, colonnaded and built in a modern style; the guard of honour march off. Wide shot; at Durbar Square in Kathmandu General Padma Shamsher, Commander-in-Chief Nepalese Army, salutes a guard of honour. Another carriage arrives, apparently carrying the Prime Minister. Guard of honour at the salute. Military band playing. Panning view of the location, with a crowd gathered on the tiered steps of a large religious (?) building. A carriage draws up carrying Auchinleck and party. Telephoto shot of Auchinleck (two civilians, a photographer and cameraman, can be seen in the background). Wide shot. Interiors; Auchinleck and another British officer (seen earlier at the British legation) meet the King of Nepal, Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah. Auchinleck, the British officer and an older Nepalese royal (the Prime Minister and Maharaja?) on a sofa to one side of the throne, where King Tribhuvan is seated. Telephoto shot of the King on his throne. Three men approach with a decoration on a cushion. Auchinleck is decorated (according to the dopesheet, with the Refulgent Order of the Star of Nepal) Auchinleck speaking (with long lens close-up). A group of six officers, all elaborately dressed, sitting on a bench seat in the throne room. Rather grey long lens close up of Auchinleck and the elder Nepalese royal. Auchinleck speaking to King Tribhuvan; the British officer seen earlier gives Auchinleck a tug on the elbow to tell him to withdraw. Shaking hands with and speaking to another Nepalese (royal or army officer?). Wide shot, back at Durbar square; Auchinleck saluting. Auchinleck’s carriage departing. Another carriage departing. Interiors, throne room; long lens view Tribhuvan on throne and wider shots. Wide shot at city location; a large limousine passes, followed by a detachment of lancers. Military band playing. Change of location; Nepalese officers arriving at the Singha Durbar, seat of the Nepalese government (?). Auchinleck’s carriage leaving the Durbar (?). Auchinleck at the salute. Carriage passing close to camera. At the Singha Durbar; Nepalese officers going inside. Tilt down the entrance. Auchinleck poses for a photograph with a large group of Nepalese officers. Close-up Auchinleck and the Prime Minister (?). Auchinleck and Prime Minster (?) walking hand-in-hand. Other officers follow. Reel 2: Auchinleck at the salute in his carriage. The carriage leaves followed by an open car. Shots of a garden party at the British legation. Auchinleck and the Prime Minister sitting on a sofa on the lawn. Looking up the legation balcony; it is decorated with flags and a banner reads ‘God Save the King’. Out of focus shot of a number of targets hanging on strings. Officers hold a shooting contest, shooting at the hanging targets; a British officer with a small-calibre rifle in the aim. Auchinleck inspects a horse. Another shot of the hanging targets. A traditional Mahakali dance is performed. Spectators and dancers, with good views of the various costumes. Musicians. Car departing the legation. More of the Mahakali dance. At Tundikhel parade ground with cloud-shrouded mountains in the background. Auchinleck mounts a saluting base. Band plays as troops march on. Padma Shamsher marches past; Auchinleck salutes. Royal Nepalese Army gunners pass with their mountain guns towed behind outdated lorries. Gunners march past with mules. A tent with spectators. More gunners march past, carrying their guns disassembled. Various further shots of the march past and Auchinleck saluting. Soldiers in khaki battledress, apparently veterans of the Burma campaign (therefore probably either Shere Regiment, Mahindra Dal Regiment or Kalibahadur Regiment). Further shots. Auchinleck speaking to officers on horseback. Departing by car.
  • Alternative Title: INDIAN ARMY OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: JIN 155
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1945-10-25
  • Production Country: India
  • Production Details: Public Relations Directorate, India (Production sponsor) Indian Public Relations Film Unit (Production company) Thapa, N S (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Tribhuhvan Bir Bikram Shah, King of Nepal (person) Auchinleck, Claude John Eyre (person) Royal Nepalese Army (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: Kathmandu, Nepal (geography) Indian Army 1939-1945 (theme) India 1939-1945 (theme)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 2 Footage: 1791 ft; Running time: 20 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    JIN 155

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