Description
Object description
During the Third Arakan Campaign landing craft are used to land troops and supplies up narrow chaungs (rivers) to beachheads, where the Royal Air Force provides support.
Full description
Footage from a Landing Craft Tank (LCT), operating on a coastal chaung (watercourse) in the Arakan region of Burma; a view over an awning as a Landing Craft Infantry (Large) 261 passes in the opposite direction. Looking aft; a gun barrel obscures a serviceman looking out. Looking up at the bridge, with a naval officer on the bridge and a White Ensign flying. Looking up at three men standing at a 20mm gun; one, probably a sailor, appears to be explaining the gun to the other two and the Ensign flies in the background. Looking forward over the gunshield of a 20mm to troops waiting on the deck. Another shot of the naval officer on the bridge. A brief shot of other landing craft beaching. Allied fighter aircraft overhead, seen from a 20mm gun. Indian troops transfer to a smaller Landing Craft Assault (LCA) which is drawn up alongside; the Ace of Spades patch of 25th Indian Division can be seen. LCA 202, laden with men and stores, motoring away. Transferring stores (jerry cans of water?) to a Landing Craft Mechanised (LCM) alongside. Looking forward as the LCT sails towards a Royal Indian Navy Modified Black Swan Class sloop, HMIS Kistna (pennant number U46). A fine view of Kistna (though partially obscured by a member of the crew in the foreground) as the landing craft passes. A gunner at his 20mm gun with the sloop receding into the distance. Close-up gunner's tattoo on his right bicep; a serpent coiled around a sword. Looking aft through the gunshield at the sloop in the distance. Footage (from an LCA?) passing a small motor launch, Q892. Fighter aircraft overhead; tilt down to Indian troops on the landing craft. The landing craft makes its way up a narrow chaung with thick vegetation at the water's edge. At the beachhead men carry supplies; two men are seen carrying a box marked 'Boots, Ankle, No. 1 Size 9 Pairs 12'. From a high point overlooking a grassy field where an Indian 3-inch mortar battery has dug in, fighters attack a target just beyond the treeline and smoke rises. Wide shot showing a mortar being fired. Smoke rising from the treeline, aircraft attacking and another mortar is fired. Looking down on a parked Sherman medium tank, probably of 19th Lancers? with its commander standing in the turret. Closer shot; commander talking on a radio (turret marked '2' in triangle (A Squadron?)). Brief ground level shot of a mortar crew in their pit. Aircraft (Royal Air Force Thunderbolts) attacking and smoke rising. A casualty on a stretcher is carried onto an LCM. Jerry cans carried onto an LCA. Large sacks carried on to the LCA. The LCM reverses away and heads off down the chaung. More footage of attacking aircraft. Men sit in the field and watch the bombing; the target appears to be in front of a small but fairly steep hill overlooking a chaung. Looking down; a small group of men crossing a field. Looking through trees towards a patch of spreading smoke.
Physical description
35mm