CROSSING THE IRRAWADDY [Allocated Title]
- Title: CROSSING THE IRRAWADDY [Allocated Title]
- Film Number: ABY 97
- Other titles: ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
- Summary: The RAF provides air cover and drops supplies for men of the 2nd Division as they cross the River Irrawaddy, Burma.
- Description: Distant shot of Spitfire taxiing. Two radio operators. Spitfires taking off and kicking up clouds of dust; the aircraft are Spitfire Mk VIII's AF:K and AF:S of RAF 607 (County of Durham) Squadron. Air-to-ground footage of buildings, some of them damaged, amongst trees. Vehicles on the bank of the River Irrawaddy. Men at work on a pontoon ferry on the Irrawaddy, possibly near Myinze, with a Spitfire passing overhead. Second shot of Spitfire overhead; camera tilts down to show men at work on the pontoon ferry with a number of DUKW amphibious trucks moored to it. Other men wait on the river bank and one of the DUKWs drives away. Shot from the ferry as it is towed across the river; a short distance away a DUKW tows another pontoon ferry loaded with lorries. Looking forward towards the towing DUKW. Airborne view of DUKWs towing pontoon ferries across the river. Three Chevrolet CMP lorries coming ashore. An RAF Douglas Dakota transport aircraft passes overhead. Supplies dropping by parachute. Shot from the opposite riverbank of various watercraft with men and vehicles on the bank and a Dakota overhead dropping supplies. Parachute supply bundles landing in a field. Series of shots of Dakotas dropping supplies from low altitute; the parachutes inflate and the supplies hit the ground shortly after. A man goes to retrieve a bundle. A Dakota dropping supplies from low altitude seen through the branches of a tree. Men detach a bundle from its parachute. Another shot of a Dakota through branches.
- Alternative Title: ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
- Colour: B&W
- Digitised:
- Object_Number: ABY 97
- Sound: Silent
- Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
- Featured Period: 1939-1945
- Production Date: 1945-02
- Production Country: GB
- Production Details: Air Ministry, Directorate of Public Relations (Production sponsor) Royal Air Force Film Production Unit (Production company)
- Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Air Force, 607 Squadron (regiment/service) British Army, 2nd Division (regiment/service)
- Keywords: Irrawaddy (River), Burma (geography) Irrawaddy Crossing 1945, Burma 1942-1945, Second World War (event) Air supply operations, Air operations over Burma, Burma 1942-1945, Second World War (event) Fighter operations, Air operations over Burma, 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: 244 ft; Running time: 3 mins
- HD Media:
- Link to IWM Collections page:
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Related IWM Collections Objects:
JFU 46 (2ND DIVISION BRIDGEHEAD OPERATIONS [Allocated Title]) JFU 10 (20TH INDIAN DIVISION CROSSING THE RIVER IRRAWADDY AT MYINMU [Allocated Title]) JFU 11 (20TH DIVISION BRIDGEHEAD OVER IRRAWADDY [Allocated Title]) JFU 19 (PREPARATIONS FOR DRIVE ON MANDALAY [Allocated Title]) JFU 20 (DECEPTION OPERATIONS DURING A LULL BETWEEN BATTLES [Allocated Title]) JFU 21 (7TH DIVISION CONSOLIDATING IRRAWADDY BRIDGEHEAD [Allocated Title]) JFU 22 (TRANSPORTING MEN AND SUPPLIES ACROSS IRRAWADDY FOR 7TH DIVISION [Allocated Title]) JFU 24 (TANKS MOVING FORWARD FROM 7TH DIVISION BRIDGEHEAD [Allocated Title]) JFU 26 (FERRYING TANKS ACROSS IRRAWADDY (BURMA) 100TH BRIGADE BRIDGEHEAD [Allocated Title]) JFU 27 (20TH INDIAN DIVISION IRRAWADDY BRIDGEHEAD [Allocated Title]) JFU 32 (7TH DIVISION ESTABLISHING BEACHHEAD ACROSS IRRAWADDY [Allocated Title]) JFU 34 (BRIGADIER'S CONFERENCE BEFORE 7TH DIVISION'S IRRAWADDY CROSSING [Allocated Title]) JFU 35 (IRRAWADDY CROSSING BY 7TH DIVISION AT NYAUNGU [Allocated Title]) JFU 25 (TRANSPORTING TANKS OF PROBYN'S HORSE ACROSS THE IRRAWADDY [Allocated Title])