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Title:HONG KONG'S 'V-DAY': CELEBRATION PARADE IN HONG KONG [Allocated Title]
Film Number:ABY 176
Other titles:ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
Summary: Victory parade and celebrations in Hong Kong after the surrender of Japanese forces and its liberation by British troops.
Description: Navy, Army and RAF personnel on parade on a quayside in Hong Kong. A veiled cenotaph with crowds of onlookers in the background. The parade presents arms. A British Union Flag flying alongside the flag of the Republic of China. The cenotaph, apparently identical to the Cenotaph on London's Whitehall, is unveiled. Officers and civilians watching proceedings; the group includes British, Indian, American and Chinese people. The guard of honour at the 'slope arms'. Group of senior officers. Aircraft fly-pasts; one shot of a distant group of Spitfires, another by a squadron of an uncertain type, probably Fairey Barracudas. The latter aircraft pass over the imposing headquarters building of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC). Crowds of civilians watching the parade led by a military procession. A Chinese civilian procession with many different flags and banners. Allied flags are paraded; British, American, Chinese, French and Soviet can be seen. A carnival float in the shape of a miniature battleship. A young boy, waving flags, stands on the shoulders of a man who is in turn standing on the shoulders of a third person. Dragon dancers. A trolley carrying a billboard is wheeled along; half the space is taken up by a large Union flag and the other by a portrait, presumably of King George VI but the entire face is not visible. 'Hearty congratulations' and 'Victory' is painted along the bottom of the billboard. A large drum is carried through the streets by two bearers and beaten by a drummer. British servicemen watching the parade. Chinese children let off firecrackers in the street. Stilt walkers. Servicemen on a balcony.
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 (regiment/service)
British Army (regiment/service)
Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm (regiment/service)
Keywords: Hong Kong (geography)
Liberation of Hong Kong 1945, Pacific War 1941-1945, Second World War (event)
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 651 ft; Running time: 7 minutes
HD Media:
Notes: An attractive piece of film that gives a good impression of the pageantry and atmosphere of the occasion.
The dopesheet also gives a good narrative description of the scene, describing the procession as stretching along half the length of all the city's main streets.
For coverage of a Chinese military parade through Hong Kong, see related items below.
'V-Day' in the title is a reference to the 'Victory' days marking Allied victories in Europe and the Far East, named VE-Day ('Victory-in-Europe Day') and VJ-Day ('Victory-over-Japan Day').
Related IWM photographs of this occasion can be seen at the references below.
No dates on slates, but date above confirmed from photograph captions.
