Description
Object description
At a Royal Indian Navy base in southern India (probably Madras), women of the Women's Auxiliary Corps (India) (WAC(I)) are seen at work on administrative tasks, and relaxing while off duty.
Full description
A group of about a dozen women of the Women's Auxiliary Corps (India) (WAC(I)s) leaving their accommodation, an apparently modern hostel. The group walk along a jetty and board a small motor launch. The launch motors away. Onboard the launch (which presumably stopped and returned to allow the cameraman to board). Close-up of two Indian WAC(I)s. At the far side of the harbour the boat approaches the quay and the women disembark, led by a British female sub-lieutenant; some of the women wear saris and others blouses. The group walking. They enter a single-storey brick building. Low-angle close-up, looking up at the British woman who has a metal 'WACI' badge on her blouse. Brief close-up of naval officer, probably the cameraman Sub-Lieutenant Worth. Interior; looking up at a small painting (presumably the King and Queen) above a sign 'Cypher Office'. Tilt down to women at work. Women at work with close-ups. An Indian sailor sitting at a wireless set writing a message. Close-up of the insignia on his arm (a winged lightning bolt). Close-up his headset. Close-up hands writing. Wider shot; he tears off the paper and hands it to another sailor (he wears a similar badge on his arm but with stars above and below the lightning bolt). The paper is put in an out tray and collected by a WAC(I). Sign 'Registration', the same girl steps into shot with the message, and then leaves. She hands it over to another for decoding. Close-ups of a woman decoding, then standing up. The message is passed to a WAC(I) Cypher Officer for checking. The message is passed to a typist, apparently an Englishwoman from London, who types it up. Fingers typing with close-up of the young freckled typist. The typed message is passed to a Indian sailor. Sign 'Distribution' over pigeonholes; one is marked '25 P.A/S.O'. Another WAC(I) receives the message and posts it into a pigeonhole before passing it on to another Indian sailor, a messenger. Two shots women playing badminton. Interior sitting room; women sit on sofas or armchairs reading and chatting and a gramophone sits on a side table. Woman reading. Women playing carrom. Two women listen to a gramophone record. [612 ft] On a dockside (at Chittagong?) a Hyster Karry Krane reverses towards a marine engine lying on the quayside. The engine is hooked up and hoisted; alongside the quay is a launch with '441' (possibly ML 441, of 55th Motor Launch Flotilla) on its funnel. A naval officer gestures as the engine is lowered into the launch. [654 ft] Parade ground with a White Ensign flying at a mast. British woman seen earlier marches out and halts in front of her group of WAC(I)s. They stand easy. Low-angle close-up Indian WAC(I). WAC(I)s on parade with Indian sailors marching past behind them. WAC(I)s marching past a British officer with a contingent of Indian sailors behind, framed by the barrel of naval gun. Low-angle close-up looking up at British officer at the salute with White Ensign flying above and behind. WAC(I)s passing. Indian messenger leaving a building.
Physical description
35mm