SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR JACK LAWSON VISITS TROOPS IN BURMA [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR JACK LAWSON VISITS TROOPS IN BURMA [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: JIN 121
  • Other titles: INDIAN ARMY OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: With the end of the war against Japan, the Secretary of State for War Jack Lawson visits British and Indian troops in Burma, giving speeches about demobilisation and repatriation.
  • Description: Secretary of State for War Jack Lawson MP climbs gingerly down from an RAF Douglas Dakota transport aircraft at Mingaladon airfield near Rangoon, Burma. He is greeted by Lieutenant-General Sir Montagu Stopford (commander 12th Army), by an RAF air marshal, and by Major-General George Symes (commander South Burma District). Lawson and senior officers chat on the airfield. Out of focus telephoto close-up. More chatting with senior officers. Short shot Lawson walking to waiting jeep. Panning shot follows Lawson’s jeep as it passes an army vehicle park. At Pegu (?) Lawson on stage (about to address troops?) at an unfinished wooden building. Troops applauding. Inside the building; troops in the audience standing. Lawson addressing troops (audience now seated). British troops applauding; some wear the elephant patch of IV Corps. A convoy of a civilian car and several jeeps passes some muddy ground; behind a large and apparently bombed-out building (a factory or warehouse?) with some tents pitched close to it. The convoy crosses a small wooden bridge. Another audience of British troops, sitting on benches on the ground floor of an open-sided two-storey building. Lawson leaving the building with another (civilian?) man. General Symes (?) talking with the civilian man; in the foreground a bespectacled officer of the East Yorkshire Regiment looks at the camera. Lawson standing in a clearing in a crowd of British troops. Lawson addresses the crowd. Medium close-up Lawson speaking. Pan of the crowd of British troops; a photographer takes a photo. Further medium close-up Lawson. Wide shot of the crowd applauding. High and wide shot showing the tightly packed crowd and the two-storey building behind. Lawson’s jeep with military police escort passes through a tented camp. Brief shot; officers dispersing after an address (?). The civilian car (seen to be marked with IV Corps insignia) passes. Lawson with a British guard of honour, probably of the Royal Artillery. Lawson inspects a guard composed of a variety of Indian soldiers of 17th Indian Division (‘Black Cat’ insignia much in evidence), in company with Lieutenant-General Frank Messervy (commander IV Corps). He meets Jemadar Jan Mohammed of 6th Battalion 7th Rajput Regiment, a Rajput from Gujarat. He speaks to an Indian Other Rank of the same regiment. He meets Subedar (two pips with stripes) Bakhtar Singh MC, a Sikh from Jullundur (Jalandhar, in the Punjab); Messervy points out a medal ribbon and Singh’s turban. Slightly wider shot; Singh (?) introduces Lawson to his men. Lawson speaks to Sepoy Mohammed Fazal, 4th Battalion 12th Frontier Force Regiment (a Punjabi Muslim). Lawson meets Jemadar Tejpal Singh, a Jat from Bulandshahr of 9th Battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles. Lawson meets a number of Gurkhas, including Subedar Sher Bahadur Rai MC IDSM. He meets more Indian troops from the Mahrattas and Garhwalis. He meets troops of the 16th Light Cavalry. Brief wide shot Lawson addressing the Indian troops. Applause as Lawson leaves. He shakes hands with an Indian soldier, possibly Jemadar Jan Mohammed, who interpreted his speech to the Indian troops. Lawson speaks to Major-General Thomas Rees, commander 19th Indian Division, who has his back to camera. Lawson getting into his car. Speaking with British officers. Camera follows as Lawson walks past; a sign reads ‘Office of the Supervisional Officer Pegu Canal Thanatpin’. Speaking to a British guard of honour, possibly of the West Yorkshire Regiment. Speaking to an unidentified Company Sergeant Major (of the West Yorks?) from Atherton, Lancashire who is wearing a crown and wreath wristlet. Lawson meets a small group of British soldiers at a small building. Lawson walking along a rutted, muddy road before calling at the next building. Walking along a much drier road through a village with various local buildings in the background. Very dark interior footage (at a cookhouse?). Lawson mopping his brow while taking refreshments at the officers’ mess. Two British officers talking over tea. Lawson’s car passing. At an airstrip Lawson chats to airmen; there are a number of parked L5 Sentinel light aircraft. Meeting airmen. Lawson takes his leave of Messervy and Major-General Crowther (commander 17th Indian Division). Lawson climbs into the rear cockpit of an RAF Stinson L5 Sentinel, serial KJ450. Lawson in the rear cockpit. The aircraft taxis out; it is seen to be named ‘General Ginge’.
  • Alternative Title: INDIAN ARMY OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: JIN 121
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1945-09-21 1945-09-22 1945-09-23
  • Production Country: India
  • Production Details: Public Relations Directorate, India (Production sponsor) Indian Public Relations Film Unit (Production company) Thapa, N S (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Lawson, John James 'Jack' (person) Messervy, Frank Walter (person) Stopford, Montagu George North (person) Rees, Thomas Wynford (person) Crowther, William Alan (person) Symes, George William (person) Indian Army, 19th Indian Division (regiment/service) Indian Army, 17th Indian Division (regiment/service) British Army, IV Corps (regiment/service) Indian Army, 7th Rajput Regiment, 6th Battalion (regiment/service) Indian Army, 12th Frontier Force Regiment, 4th Battalion (regiment/service) Indian Army, 13th Frontier Force Rifles, 9th Battalion (regiment/service) Indian Army, 16th Light Cavalry (regiment/service) Royal Air Force (regiment/service) British Army, East Yorkshire Regiment (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: British Army 1939-1945 (theme) Indian Army 1939-1945 (theme) Demobilisation, Second World War (event) Burma 1942-1945 (theme)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 909 ft; Running time: 11 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    JIN 121

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    JFU 343 (SECRETARY OF STATE JACK LAWSON ADDRESSES TROOPS IN RANGOON [Allocated Title]) JFU 379 (SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR VISITS HQ SOUTH EAST ASIA COMMAND [Allocated Title]) JFU 375 (SECRETARY OF STATE JACK LAWSON VISITS 7TH PARACHUTE BATTALION IN SINGAPORE [Allocated Title]) JFU 344 (SECRETARY OF STATE JACK LAWSON ARRIVES IN RANGOON [Allocated Title]) JFU 352 (SECRETARY OF STATE JACK LAWSON VISITS HONG KONG [Allocated Title])
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