SINGAPORE [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: SINGAPORE [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: ABY 181
  • Other titles: ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Scenes from recently-liberated Singapore, including aerial views of the harbour, Japanese internees being put to work and the evacuation of freed Allied prisoners by hospital ship.
  • Description: A group of Japanese prisoners are escorted along a road in Singapore under armed guard. A large number of civilians crowd around, evidently delighted. Aerial views, taken from an RAF Short Sunderland flying boat, of Singapore and of the harbour with a variety of naval and civilian vessels. Views from the water as the Sunderland taxis; the aircraft passes a Landing Ship Tank, laden with lorries, with its bow doors open. Air Vice Marshal John Breakey, Air Officer Commanding Air Headquarters Malaya, aboard a Landing Craft Personnel (Large) to visit an RAF headquarters ship. Japanese prisoners of war at work filling in trenches on the Padang, home of the Singapore Cricket Club. Buildings in the background appear to include the Supreme Court Building and the Victoria Memorial Hall. Close-ups of the prisoners at work. A crowd of local civilians watch the prisoners work and applaud. Lorries and ambulances driving through the city towards the docks. One of the vehicles is a cumbersome-looking jeep fitted to carry two stretchers and a medic in addition to the driver. Ambulances of various models arriving at the docks; the hospital ship HMHS Amarapoora (No. 7) is berthed. The stern and bow of the Amarapoora; 'Glasgow' can be seen on the stern. Indian personnel, probably of the Indian Army Medical Corps, carry stretcher cases up a gangplank. Sailors carry more stretcher cases; some of the patients are clearly severely underweight. Working party of Japanese prisoners in front of Municipal Hall. Very dim footage of Japanese aircraft concealed under trees near Kallang Airport. A Japanese aircraft parked amongst trees with local children playing on it. One child sits in the cockpit and the control surfaces can be seen moving. A Japanese character on the tailfin suggests 'HQ'.
  • 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 181
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1945-10-20
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Air Ministry, Directorate of Public Relations (Production sponsor) Royal Air Force Film Production Unit (Production company) Hughes, H R (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Breakey, John Denis (person) Royal Navy, AMARAPOORA (HMHS) (regiment/service) Royal Navy, KARAPARA (HMHS) (regiment/service) Indian Army, Indian Army Medical Corps (regiment/service) Royal Air Force (regiment/service) Royal Navy, CLEOPATRA (HMS), light cruiser (1915) (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: Singapore (geography) Surrender of Japanese Forces 1945, Singapore, Second World War (event) Liberation of Singapore Island 1945, Malaya, Second World War (event)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 664 ft; Running time: 8 minutes
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    ABY 181

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    JFU 328 (JAPANESE PRISONERS CLEAN UP SINGAPORE [Allocated Title]) JFU 345 (JAPANESE PRISONERS PUT TO WORK IN SINGAPORE [Allocated Title]) JFU 346 (JAPANESE PRISONERS PUT TO WORK IN SINGAPORE [Allocated Title]) JFU 357 (JAPANESE WORKING PARTIES IN SINGAPORE [Allocated Title]) JFU 380 (JAPANESE WORKING PARTIES IN SINGAPORE [Allocated Title])
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