The 47 bakers of 1029 Indian Field Bakery work to bake fresh bread in forward areas near Shwebo in Burma.

Indian bakers kneading large tubs of dough. The dough is formed into smaller pieces and put into tins. Man pokes a mud oven. A baker, squatting on the ground, lays out tins; a number of other bakers stand behind but their faces are out of shot. Closer shot. Human chain passes tins along. Camera tilts up an assembly of several hundred loaves waiting for baking; bakers stand around and one is waving a cloth over the tops of the loaves. Closer shot of the baker. Tins going into a small mud oven. A baker prepares yeast by squeezing it over a strainer. Closer shots of the resulting liquid. Loaves of bread coming out of an oven and being tipped out. Two men carry a wooden pallet covered in many loaves. More bread removed from oven and the growing pile of bread. Two Indian soldiers; one cuts a slice of bread with a dah (machete) and they eat it.

Notes

The dopesheet goes on to describe that these bakers were Punjabis, Madrassis and Bengalis, and that most were bakers in civilian life. The commander is named as Jemadar K A Kunhi Mohammed. The output was apparently 3,000 loaves daily, all of which was distributed to forward troops.

An interesting and probably unique film.

Series note: The MWY series of films is believed to be part of a ‘pool’ of film received by the Government of India from various sources, including South East Asia Command, the Indian Inter-Service Public Relations Directorate, the Ministry of Information, and from Allied governments. This footage would have been considered for editing and release through the Indian Newsreel Parade; see INR series.