Title:ENTERTAINMENTS ON BOARD HMT DILWARA 14 - 29 JULY 1945 [Allocated Title]
Film Number:ABY 127
Other titles:ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
Summary: Scenes of entertainment activities onboard the troopship HMT Dilwara.
Description: A tug-of-war; Indian Other Ranks (ORs) versus British Other Ranks. The Indian ORs are defeated. Second tug-of-war; Sergeants versus Officers. The officers are defeated. British ORs watching the contests. Personnel embarking from landing craft at Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Close-ups of the feet and legs of the men engaged in the tug-of-war. 'Horse racing' on deck; the horses are wooden silhouettes with pole handles that run along the race track according to the rolls of a dice. A crossing-the-line ceremony. A sailor dressed as King Neptune arrives with large false beard and trident before taking his seat. He is accompanied by an officer with a roll of toilet paper and a bell. A man is lathered and then 'shaved' with an oversized comedy razor. Another is given a 'haircut' with an oversized comb and pair of scissors. Men are dunked in a tank of water before swearing allegiance to King Neptune and being handed a certificate of initiation. A third tug-of-war; Sergeants versus Ship's Crew. The ship's doctor acts as referee and the Captain (Captain Sampson) and the Officer Commanding Troops (Major Hartley) watch the contest. Crewmen heaving. Crowd shots. Close-up of the certificate issued to King Neptune's initiates. Close-ups of some of the winners of a drawing competition held on board, including humorous cartoons and a drawing of a large country house.
Alternative Title:ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
Production Details: Air Ministry, Directorate of Public Relations (Production sponsor)
Royal Air Force Film Production Unit (Production company)
Elsee (Flying Officer) (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Navy, DILWARA (MV), troopship (regiment/service)
Keywords: Colombo, Ceylon (geography)
Indian Ocean (geography)
Repatriation (event)
Welfare and recreational activities and services, Burma 1942-1945, Second World War (event)
Royal Air Force 1939-1945 (theme)
Burma 1942-1945 (theme)