AN RAF WING ON THE MOVE IN BURMA [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: AN RAF WING ON THE MOVE IN BURMA [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: ABY 107
  • Other titles: ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Part of an RAF Wing and an RAF Regiment Squadron moves across some difficult terrain to a new forward base in Burma.
  • Description: Wrecked bridge at Toungoo. A Bailey bridge under construction; various engineering stores scattered about with men at work. A bulldozer drives slowly towards camera levelling the ground as it goes. A file of local Burmese walk in the opposite direction. Close-up of the bulldozer blade pushing earth and muddy water. Local Burmese civilians trade chickens for clothing. An AEC Matador lorry, with the name 'Jumbo' above the cab, tows two prefabricated huts. A lorry drives into the river and fords across. The lorry mounts the opposite bank. A Chevrolet CMP lorry drives out of the river. An RAF Flight Lieutenant with a pipe. A CMP lorry gets bogged down in mud and is towed out by a bulldozer. A column of assorted motor transport with local bullock carts passing. A Chevrolet lorry moves off laden with airmen. It is followed by a CMP and later a staff car or station wagon. The convoy pauses for tea. A Medical Officer checks well water for potability. The scene at Penwegon (spelled 'Penwegan' on dopesheet); vehicles parked amongst trees with a wrecked railway locomotive (according to the dopesheet 'recently strafed by the RAF') in the background. Close-up of the locomotive. The vehicles moving off again; locals carrying baskets on their heads walk along the verges. Local children with airmen at an impromptu 'NAAFI' (Navy, Army, Air Force Institute) stall; a table is stacked with small tins and boxes marked 'Lux' (presumably Lever Brothers' Lux-brand soap). Men gather around a large cabinet radio to hear news of the war in Europe. Close-up of men listening to the radio. Wider shot; the men throw their hands up in the air, cheer and wave their hats at the news of Allied victory in Europe (VE Day). An airman tightens nuts on a wheel of a jeep while a very small Burmese child squats on the jeep's bonnet. A duck in a basket is loaded onto a vehicle. An airman picks up a piglet and stows it in a small compartment on the underside of a lorry. A second airman fastens wooden slats across the compartment.
  • 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 107
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1945-04-30
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Air Ministry, Directorate of Public Relations (Production sponsor) Royal Air Force Film Production Unit (Production company) Layzell, R G (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Air Force, 221 Group (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: Penwegon, Burma (geography) Toungoo, Burma (geography) Rangoon Road 1945, Burma 1942-1945, Second World War (event) Liberation of Rangoon 1945, 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: 492 ft; Running time: 6 minutes
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    ABY 107

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    JFU 211 (RIVER AND RAIN DELAYS IV CORPS' RANGOON DRIVE [Allocated Title])
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