SIAMESE MILITARY MISSION AT SOUTH EAST ASIA COMMAND (3/9/1945)

This film is held by the Imperial War Museum (ID: JFU 307-308).

Synopsis

A military mission from Siam (Thailand) arrives at the headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia (SACSEA) in Kandy, Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

Exterior; the leader of the Thai delegation walks towards the building in which discussions are to be held. Interior; three British officers talking. Group shot of the Thai delegation which includes six officers and a civilian. Close-up of the Thai leader. Thai leader in conversation with Rear Admiral Sir Cyril Douglas-Pennant (Chief Naval Staff officer to Lord Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander). Thai leader in conversation with Major-General Kimmins, Assistant Chief of Staff of South East Asia Command; he wears the 'phoenix' patch of the Supreme Allied Commander. Air Vice Marshal Gerald Gibbs, Chief Air Staff officer to SACSEA, can be seen behind. Pan across mixed group of Allied and Thai officers; the man of the left wears the shield patch of Allied Land Forces South East Asia (ALFSEA). Thai delegation waiting to go inside. Close-ups of various members of the Thai party. More close-ups of the Thai leader with Douglas-Pennant and Kimmins.

Notes

During the war Thailand's status as regards the opposing belligerents had been complex. Thailand had allowed Japanese forces passage through its territory and had received territorial gains at the expense of its (British and French-administered) neighbours. Thai territory, and particularly its railways had been heavily bombed during the war. It had not actively fought the Allies, however, and sections of the Thai state had resisted the Japanese occupation. After the war the Allies' interest in Thailand was primarily concerned with recovering prisoners of war and disarming and repatriating the Japanese garrison.

This meeting was filmed by two cameramen, Sergeants Davis and Stewart, and as such is documented on two dopesheets. Both cameramen document 100 feet of film each. However, the coverage of events in both items is very similar and at times it appears that the coverage overlaps. Therefore it is difficult to say which cameraman shot which parts of the above.

Corresponding photo captions name the delegates as follows (spellings per captions):

Lieutenant-General Akdi Sena Narong, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army.

Captain Chalern Saydiz, Aide de Camp.

Nai Thavu Thigul, Director Ministry of Commerce.

Rear Admiral Chan Bajus Anom, Vice Chief of the General Staff.

Colonel Sura Chitra Charuseni, Deputy Chief of the General Staff.

Wing Commander Thavi Chulasar, Air Force staff.

Colonel Yodhi, Siamese liaison to Force 136 (Special Operations Executive).

Major Kham, secretary.

Captions also name Major-General W R C Penney (Director of Military Intelligence at SEAC) and a Brigadier Scott. Esler Dening, Mountbatten's Foreign Office advisor, was also in attendance.

 

Titles

  • SIAMESE MILITARY MISSION AT SOUTH EAST ASIA COMMAND (3/9/1945) (Allocated)
Series Title:
BRITISH ARMY OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR
 

Technical Data

Year:
1945
Running Time:
3 minutes
Film Gauge (Format):
35mm
Colour:
B&W
Sound:
Silent
Footage:
194 ft
 

Production Credits

Production Countries:
GB
Sponsor
War Office Directorate of Public Relations
cameraman.
Stewart (Sergeant)
Production company
SEAC Film Unit
Sergeant; cameraman.
Davis, Desmond (Sergeant)
 

Countries

 

Production Organisations