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.
  • 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:
  • Notes: Issues dating this piece. Dopesheet date given as 30 April 1945, presumably the date production started. However, VE Day does not occur until 8 May 1945, and as the 'reaction' scene appears staged, it would seem likely the date of this section is at least some days after 8 May 1945. Dopesheet describes this as a move from Kwetnge (near Meiktila) to Payagyi (south-west of Rangoon) via Toungoo and Penwegon (both on the Meiktila-Rangoon road). For footage of the construction of the Bailey bridge at Toungoo, see related items. By this point of the war IV Corps had been driving hard south along the Rangoon road, and had reached Pegu, before being held up by the early onset of the monsoon. The RAF followed the advance in order to be able to supply continuous air cover. The unit seen here is presumably of RAF 221 Group.
  • 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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