OPERATION SALTMEAT: FOOD CONVOY FROM PHNOM PENH TO SAIGON [Allocated Title]

After nationalist disturbances close the roads to Saigon, capital of French Indo-China, a convoy named 'Operation Saltmeat' is mounted from Phnom Penh (now in Cambodia) to provide food to the city with the cooperation of surrendered Japanese personnel.

Medium shot showing a moored barge being loaded with cattle; the animals are led up a ramp onto the vessel and a naval officer keeps watch. Closer shot of cattle being loaded. Medium shot of an empty jetty with moored barges. Dockworkers manhandling a pig in a basket. A pig in a basket is weighed on a balance. A Japanese soldier, standing on the back of a lorry, throws vegetables down to a waiting human chain who pass them along. A pile of vegetables. A river steamer in the process of loading supplies. On the quayside Japanese labourers load a cargo net. Wider shot of cargo going aboard. Major Adamson, of the recently created Civil Food Control organisation, supervises the loading of the barges; large bunches of bananas lie on the jetty. Close-up of Major Adamson. Wide shot of barges under tow through the My Tho Canal. Views of the convoy. A (Japanese?) patrol boat passes on the river. Arriving in Saigon. Barges passing; two large arched bridges can be seen in the distance. View approaching the dock with a number of parked lorries waiting. Japanese troops march along the dockside in preparation to unload the barges. Indian troops unloading sacks and baskets. Baskets are loaded onto a lorry; a sign in the background reads 'RASC [Royal Army Service Corps] Supply Depot'. Market scenes in Saigon with French civilians buying the supplies brought by the convoy.

35mm