RECOVERY OF JAPANESE SURRENDERED PERSONNEL AT SHWEGYIN [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: RECOVERY OF JAPANESE SURRENDERED PERSONNEL AT SHWEGYIN [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: JIN 120
  • Other titles: INDIAN ARMY OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Parties of Japanese stragglers are recovered at Shwegyin near the River Sittang, where they are interrogated by British Army intelligence officer Lt Levy, and receive medical attention.
  • Description: Wide shot, rather out of focus; Japanese officers walk to the riverbank at Shwegyin with an escort of Gurkhas. A small boat, made from two assault boats tied together, flying Red Cross flags with British soldiers on board. Medium close-up Japanese officer, possibly Lieutenant Sunada. The British soldiers on the boat preparing to cross the river. The Japanese move down to the riverbank. The Japanese with the boat behind. Waiting to board a single boat from a jetty. The Japanese board the boat; a British officer standing in the boat is probably Lieutenant Louis Levy, an intelligence officer attached to the Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre. Close-up British officer (?) trying to start the boat’s outboard motor. Levy, Sunada (?) and an Indian officer, probably of the 5th Mahratta Light Infantry (‘Mahratta’ shoulder title). The larger boat (with flags) moving off. Water churning at the stern as another two-hulled boat moves off. Two boats in midstream. A three-hulled boat at the riverside with a party of sixteen Japanese soldiers on board. Looking up at Red Cross flag flying; the weather is overcast and the light is dull. The boatload of Japanese soldiers sets off across the river. A local canoe approaches the riverbank carrying a number of Japanese soldiers; another boat follows. One of the narrow boats draws up to the jetty and a Japanese soldier steps onto it; Lt Levy (wearing a rain cape but no shirt) is on the jetty. The other boat of Japanese soldiers comes to the jetty and the men leave the boat. The Japanese men are questioned (village huts in background). Lt Levy speaks to a Japanese. A British officer, possibly of a Gurkha Rifles battalion, searches a Japanese soldier’s kit for contraband. The Japanese lay out their equipment for searching by British/Indian personnel. A group of Japanese talking to Levy; an officer (wearing 7th Rajput Regiment cap badge?) is present. Levy and a Japanese pass a sign pointing to the entrance of 76 Main Dressing Station (76 MDS). Japanese troops enter an area screened off and drop their clothing and equipment on the ground. A British (officer) and a Japanese going through a pack. Sitting at a table in a tent, Lt Levy is saluted by a Japanese who gives his name; Levy (presumably translating) turns to a scribe and dictates. Inside the screened area Indian troops of the Indian Army Medical Corps pick up the Japanese clothing using wooden poles. A pile of Japanese clothing is fumigated with DDT using handheld pumps; others use the poles to turn the pile. Various angles of the fumigation. A skeletally thin Japanese soldier walks past camera. A Japanese soldier, with the number C2 painted on his back, sits in a bath and an Indian havildar (sergeant) pours water over his head. The Japanese soldier is severely underweight and his spine, shoulder blades and ribs are all visible. Two Japanese washing themselves. A Japanese soldier removing his trousers inside the screened area. A Japanese soldier, apparently in better shape, has L5 painted on his back. More Japanese washing. An Indian soldier dowses a Japanese soldier with water from a large urn. A Japanese stretcher case is set down. The man is helped out of his clothes by an Indian major wearing the patch of 19th Indian Division. The major (probably Major Syed Baqir Hosain Gardezi OBE, Indian Medical Service) sprinkles some kind of salt or powder from a tube onto the naked man’s head. He is helped to lie down. More of the powder is applied; close-up of his face in obvious discomfort. Medium close-up Japanese being interrogated by Levy. Close-up Levy. Japanese soldiers dressing (?). Medium close-up Indian major. A Japanese soldier has a blood spot taken for testing. A Japanese soldier receives an injection against cholera. Close-up British officer wearing Royal or Indian Army Medical Corps cap badge. Japanese soldiers walking away from the screened area.
  • Alternative Title: INDIAN ARMY OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: JIN 120
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1945-09-10
  • Production Country: India
  • Production Details: Public Relations Directorate, India (Production sponsor) Indian Public Relations Film Unit (Production company) Benjamin, H (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre (regiment/service) British Army, Intelligence Corps (regiment/service) Indian Army, 19th Indian Division (regiment/service) Indian Army, Indian Army Medical Corps (regiment/service) British Army, Royal Army Medical Corps (regiment/service) IMPERIAL JAPANESE ARMY (regiment/service) Allen, Louis (person) Gardezi, Syed Baqir Hosain (person)
  • Keywords: British Army 1939-1945 (theme) Indian Army 1939-1945 (theme) Surrender of Japanese Forces 1945, Burma, Second World War (event)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 834 ft; Running time: 10 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    JIN 120

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    JFU 305 (JAPANESE EMISSARIES ARRIVE IN BRITISH TERRITORY ON THE BANKS OF THE SITTANG [Allocated Title]) JFU 306 (JAPANESE EMISSARIES ARRIVE IN BRITISH TERRITORY ON THE BANKS OF THE SITTANG [Allocated Title]) JFU 284 (JAPANESE PRISONERS OF WAR AT PENWEGON [Allocated Title])
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