Title:BATTLING THROUGH MUD AND MONSOON AT NYAUNGKASHE [Allocated Title]
Film Number:JIN 68
Other titles:INDIAN ARMY OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
Summary:Two weeks after the recapture of Rangoon by British forces, monsoon weather hampers the movement of tanks and vehicles in the vicinity of Nyaungkashe, 35 miles north east of Pegu, Burma, and infantry of 5th Indian Division cut off Japanese stragglers.
Description:Medium shot; on boggy ground near Nyaungkashe a Stuart (or 'Honey') light tank lies bogged down in the mud while a number of soldiers stand around and another Stuart attempts to pull the tank free. Closer shot; the bogged tank is pulled free. A tank drives past camera and up onto a road. A tank drives towards and passes close by the camera; its tracks and running gear are caked with mud. A tank drives through a puddle. A jeep, marked 'PR [Public Relations] India' lies bogged down and spattered with mud; a slight pan right shows an Indian soldier (presumably the driver) digging away at a wheel which is submerged in muddy water. Close-up of the front right-hand tyre, and the Indian soldier digging away with his hands. The soldier digs away at the mud; the exhaust pipe sputters in the water. Close-up of the exhaust pipe. A Stuart tank jerks to a halt behind the jeep before gently shunting the jeep along; the tyres spin and raise a fountain of mud. At a river a team of Indian Engineers from the Bombay Sappers and Miners haul a pontoon Bailey bridge into position. A snatched shot shows a Stuart tank driving onto a raft. Onboard a raft, carrying a tank; the raft is hauled across by the sappers. The tank drives off (onto a muddy beach) and passes close to camera. A tank drives through a stream. Shots from a moving tank; three tanks leading the way. Looking down at the tank's glacis plate (the bow machine gun is in shot) and muddy water flows in front of the tank's tracks. A Stuart drives through a deep puddle, pushing a bow wave of muddy water before it. Another Stuart follows. A Stuart climbing out of a muddy pool. Another tank struggles out of the pool, its tracks slewing about in the mud; it fails and the driver reverses back into the mud. A tank uses an improvised track of sticks to cross muddy stream; it carries Indian infantry riding on its hull. Another tank follows, also carrying infantry. A tank is towed across the stream. Wide panning shot of tanks and infantry on a field with tall grass; the infantry appear to be waiting. The infantry move off towards a treeline. Wide shot shows tanks stationary on the field with smoke spreading in the treeline. Indian infantry advancing towards the treeline with a tank in support; some of the troops in the right midground are running through water. Two local Burmese civilians walk away from camera with a drum of signal cable; a soldier supervises them. The soldier's battledress is seen to be soaking wet and the grass is blowing in the wind. Wide shot looking towards the treeline with infantry and a tank going forward; in the foreground muddy patch of water with rain falling. Closer to the treeline with troops walking; a large building on stilts stands in the treeline. Troops running towards the trees. A soldier fires a Sten gun (into wreckage of a building?). Infantry walk across shot right-to-left through trees, a tank drives slowly past behind them, and a large building burns in the background. One man has a No.85 rifle grenade fitted to his rifle. Wide shot tanks on an otherwise empty field.
Alternative Title:INDIAN ARMY OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
Colour:B&W
Digitised:Yes
Object_Number:JIN 68
Sound:Silent
Access Conditions:IWM
Film: IWM (JIN 68)
Featured Period:1939-1945
Production Date:1945-05-19-1945-05-19
Production Country:India
Production Details:Public Relations Directorate, India (Production sponsor)
Indian Public Relations Film Unit (Production company)
Abbas, Yavar (Production individual)
