JUNGLE OUTPOST - RAF 20 SQUADRON (17/5/1944)

This film is held by the Imperial War Museum (ID: ABY 10).

Synopsis

Reel 1: Hawker Hurricanes airborne and taxiing at beach airstrip 'Hove' on the Arakan coast. Men undressing behind Hurricane (later shot from reverse angle). Hurricane being serviced in concealed dispersal, with propellor spinner replaced, gun barrels reamed, engine cowling replaced and machine guns reloaded. Salvaged Bristol Beaufighter being dismantled - crane removes outboard starboard wing. Hurricane taxis to dispersal, shuts down and pilot disemplanes. Local people queuing for treatment at RAF medical post. Child is bandaged. Cookhouse scenes including the butchering of meat and the use of oil drums as an oven. Airmen shaving, washing clothes and drawing water from a well. Close shots of local labourers. Brief shot of Dakota being serviced. Airborne footage showing attacks on enemy positions - smoke from tracer ammunition and fires on the ground.

Reel 2: Exterior shots of canteen. Airman cleaning his Lee Enfield No.3 rifle and another airman writing a letter. Brief shot of twin anti-aircraft machine gun position. Fine shot of two Hurricanes flying low over beach surf. A small group of naked airmen run into the sea. A small herd of local longhorn buffalo. Local fisherman in the surf catches a stingray. RAF Regiment anti-aircraft gunners man a twin Browning machine gun and train it on passing aircraft. Other airmen drinking tea and playing draughts surrounded by camouflage netting. Local labourers with children. Distant shot of Spitfires at dispersal. Hurricane taxis away from camera, followed soon after by a Dakota in the opposite direction. Dakota's wingspan passes over camera. Airstrip control tower being thatched. Air-to-air footage of four Hurricanes in line abreast. Hurricanes peel off left-right. Airmen undressing in front of Hurricane. A jeep passes parked Hurricanes. Airmen gather around a map. Airman climbs out of aircraft.

Hawker Hurricane operations from a beach airfield in the Arakan, Burma, showing aircraft maintenance, airfield life, RAF Regiment defences, attacks on enemy positions and some of the local population and wildlife.

Notes

Some aircraft seen to be Hurricane Mk IID's with 40mm Vickers 'S' guns. One aircraft indentifiable, Hurricane LD 447.

'Hove' was also known as Mardhaibunia. It had previously been home to a detachment of RAF 135 Squadron (Hurricane IIBs) January-May 1943, to RAF 258 Squadron (Hurricane IIC) between late January and late February 1944, and to RAF 20 Squadron from February to May 1944.

One of the cameramen of this piece, Warrant Officer John Laing McKee, was killed on 21 January 1945. Flying in a Liberator heavy bomber of RAF 99 Squadron supporting the landings on Ramree Island, McKee's aircraft collided with another Liberator of the same squadron and both disintegrated. All aboard both aircraft were killed. McKee, and the nineteen other aircrew of the two bombers, are buried in the CWGC Maynamati War Cemetery, near Comilla in Bangladesh.

 

Titles

  • JUNGLE OUTPOST - RAF 20 SQUADRON (17/5/1944) (Allocated)
Series Title:
ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR
 

Technical Data

Year:
1944
Running Time:
21 minutes
Film Gauge (Format):
35mm
Colour:
B&W
Sound:
Silent
Footage:
1819 ft
 

Production Credits

Production Countries:
GB
Sponsor
Air Ministry Directorate of Public Relations
cameraman
Goozee, S (Sergeant)
cameraman
Hughes, H R (Sergeant)
cameraman
McKee, J L (Warrant Officer)
director
Connochie, T D (Squadron Leader)
Production company
Royal Air Force Film Production Unit
 

Countries

 

Production Organisations