Description
Object description
A naval arsenal on Madura Island, near the port of Surabaya in Java, Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia), explodes after sabotage by its Japanese commander to prevent its use by Indonesian republican forces.
Full description
Cameraman Frank Worth looks directly into camera and mouths something (an introduction?). Wide shot looking across water to a thick column of smoke rising; something on fire can be seen flying in a vertical arc, followed by a huge fiery explosion. Longer lens shots shows a mushroom cloud of smoke and flame. Long lens shot drifting smoke. Close-up; reaction shot of Indonesian soldier or militiaman (?) wearing Dutch helmet marked with red and white of Indonesia looking through binoculars. Pan; in the foreground a number of Indonesian militia, some wearing German or Dutch helmets, and some with levelled rifles looking towards the smoke in the distance. An Indonesian police (formerly Dutch, then Japanese) Marmon-Herrington armoured car, marked 'Polisi Islimewa' draws up; in the foreground a man wearing a 'xKR' (B, R armband crosses shot). Looking up at the commander of the Indonesian armoured car; Indonesian red and white can be seen on the turret. At the docks a party of Indonesian militia, armed with sharpened bamboo spears, walk past a moored Japanese submarine chaser [square, rounded deckhouse] and board a small wooden motorboat for transit to Madura Island. As their boat (with the cameraman on board) pulls away they salute the people on the dockside with outstretched arms and cries of 'Merdeka!' ('Freedom!') They pass the wreck of a ship sunk in the channel; the ship's funnel and upperworks protrude above the water. The funnel etc seen from various angles (there appear to be at least two sunken ships). Close-up Indonesian man looking out through binoculars. Sunken ship. The destroyed concrete jetty at Madura Island. Approaching shore; some smoke is still drifting. The boat berths and a man ties the boat up. The passengers step ashore with more Merdeka salutes. The civilians meet the local Indonesian police chief (who appears to be armed with a Japanese sword); he describes with gestures how the Japanese naval commander on the island, and his lieutenant, committed suicide with concealed grenades upon seeing the magazine explode. Camera tilts down to show a large bloodstain on the road. The party walk a short distance to wear the two Japanese are being buried. The party moves on to the site of the dump. A group of Indonesian police pass with belongings retrieved from the destroyed arsenal. The party pass a large (six inch?) shell lying on the ground. Smouldering ground; pan to the visiting group. A man picks up a piece of twisted metal, which appears to be a cartridge casing of a heavy shell. Light shells lying on the ground. Wide shot with pan of smouldering ground and visitors.
Physical description
35mm