Home movie shot in Waziristan, on the NW Frontier of India, ca 1930.

The film begins by showing a practice parachute supply drop and there then follows a sequence showing a convoy of Thornycroft 3-ton 6-wheeler lorries taking supplies for a column marching from Razmak to Ladha in the heart of roughest Mahsud country. The lorry convoy was the first attempt to use motor transport to replace animal transport for cross country supply. There is then a sequence showing a march past of a large number of troops returning to camp, illustrating the multiracial nature of Frontier defence troops. They include Sikhs, Gurkhas, Indian and British troops, the Pioneers and the Baggage train.

Notes

Technical: 16 fps.

Documentation/associated material: there is a tape-recording and transcript of Brigadier Alston's commentary on these films, held by the Museum.

Remarks: the camerawork in this collection is very poor, with everything shot in static long shot. However, the uniqueness of the military events recorded on film here make this a valuable historical record.