ARRIVAL OF JAPANESE SURRENDER DELEGATION AT RANGOON [Allocated Title]

With the Japanese surrender on 15 August 1945, a delegation of Japanese senior officers arrives at Mingaladon airfield, in Rangoon, Burma, to discuss surrender.

Looking up as two Japanese Mitsubishi Ki-57 ‘Topsy’ transport aircraft pass overhead with an escort of Spitfires. Aircraft taxiing at Mingaladon. The surrender delegation walks off under escort. Japanese aircrew at the salute. Japanese aircrew saluting. Medium close-up Japanese aircrew. Squadron of Spitfires passing overhead in ‘Vics’ line astern. Japanese aircraft overhead. An alternative angle shows the Japanese aircraft landing; in the foreground is a variety of other aircraft, parked, including Spitfires and some Japanese types. Japanese aircraft taxiing. Japanese officers speaking to General Symes. Japanese officers passing camera. The Japanese officers board a lorry caravan, followed by a British officer wearing Royal Army Service Corps epaulettes. Convoy of vehicles moving off with military police escort and passing camera. A crowd gathers around the Japanese aircraft [frame slightly obscured from this point]. Japanese aircrew. A British RAF policeman speaks to an American officer with a camera. Crowds of servicemen on the airfield moving towards the Japanese aircraft. A rather dark shot showing General Symes, General Stopford (commander 12th Army), Air Vice Marshal Bouchier and another officer. British troops march past with fixed bayonets. British troops forming up. Waiting crowd at the airfield. A cameraman with a camera on a tripod, the camera has a turreted lens and a large external magazine. Waiting officers (Symes, Stopford and Bouchier?) standing or sitting about. Waiting spectators. Aircraft overhead. Japanese aircraft taxiing. Japanese aircrew passing camera followed by the interested crowd. Japanese officers passing. Japanese officers speak to British officer; a number of photographers and cameramen crowd around. An odd and probably misplaced shot of a soldier getting something (a match?) out of his pocket.

35mm