ACTING AIR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, SIR GUY GARROD, VISITS FORWARD AIRSTRIPS IN BURMA [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: ACTING AIR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, SIR GUY GARROD, VISITS FORWARD AIRSTRIPS IN BURMA [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: ABY 70
  • Other titles: ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Air Marshal Garrod, acting Allied Air Commander-in-Chief, visits RAF squadrons at forward airstrips at Tabingaung and Onbauk, Burma.
  • Description: Air Marshal Garrod arrives by Douglas Dakota transport aircraft and is greeted by Group Captain Goddard (commander of RAF 903 Wing). Garrod talking with British and American officers. Tents set up amongst trees. Garrod inspects an airman's Lee Enfield No.4 rifle fitted with a No.4 spike bayonet. Lunch amongst trees. Talking with airmen. Walking across airstrip with taxiing Spitfire behind. Addressing a circle of British and American personnel with parked Spitfires of RAF 607 Squadron in the background. Close-up on Garrod addressing the officers. Garrod talking to an airman next to a Spitfire.
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1945-01-29
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Air Ministry, Directorate of Public Relations (Production sponsor) Royal Air Force Film Production Unit (Production company) Lang, T W (Production individual) Goozee, S (Production individual) Woodcock, Sidney Leslie1945-05-02Flight Lieutenant Sidney Leslie Woodcock, service number 175562, cameraman with No.3 Royal Air Force Film Production Unit. Killed in action 2 May 1945 while filming from a Mosquito of 110 Squadron RAF over Rangoon, Burma. Buried in Rangoon War Cemetery alongside his pilot, Flight Lieutenant John George Buchanan (415744) see [http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2261432 accessed 24 February 2011] (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Garrod, Alfred Guy Roland (person) Royal Air Force, 903 Wing (regiment/service) Royal Air Force, 607 Squadron (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: Tabingaung, Burma (geography) Onbauk, Burma (geography) Burma 1942-1945, Second World War (event) Royal Air Force 1939-1945 (theme) Far East 1939-1945 (theme) Burma 1942-1945 (theme)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 371 ft; Running time: 5 minutes
  • HD Media:
  • Notes: Some conflict between dopesheet sources for this film - catalogued as seen. Goddard's personal aircraft, Spitfire VIII JG253 can be seen in the contemporary photograph referenced below. One of the cameramen of this piece, Flight Lieutenant Sidney Woodcock, was killed in action. He and his pilot, Flight Lieutenant J G Buchanan of RAF 110 Squadron, failed to return after a Mosquito sortie over Rangoon on 2 May 1945. They are buried in adjacent plots in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Rangoon War Cemetery.
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    ABY 70

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    CF 269 (ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN THE FAR EAST, 1941-1945.)
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