Travels to Tokyo

Accession Number F04948
Collection type Film
Measurement 22 min 10 sec
Object type Home movie
Physical description 16mm/b&w and colour (Kodachrome)/silent
Maker O'Brien, John William Alexander
Place made Australia: Queensland, Brisbane, Australia: Victoria, Melbourne, China: Hong Kong, Japan: Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan: Okinawa, Japan: Tokyo, Netherlands East Indies: Ambon, Pulau, Netherlands East Indies: Ambon, Pulau, Ambon, Netherlands East Indies: Dutch New Guinea, Biak Island, Netherlands East Indies: Halmahera Island, Morotai Island, Philippines
Date made 1946
Conflict British Commonwealth Occupation Force, 1946-1952 (Japan)
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright unknown

Description

A home movie taken by VX15127 Brigadier (Brig) John O'Brien. Brig O'Brien served as the Leader of the Australian Scientific Mission to Japan 1945-1946 and Chief of the Scientific and Technical Division Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP) HQ Tokyo 1946-1951. A Japanese fan moves to show the title 'Presenting'. A spinning globe stops at the title 'Travels to Tokyo'. Newspaper headline Australian for Gen MacArthur's HQ: Brig O'Brien for Tokio. First British representative to take place on the staff of SCAP General MacArthur's HQs in Tokio, which is the equivalent of the Allied Government of Japan. Map with model airplane indicating the route taken by Brigadier (Brig) John W A O'Brien - leaving Melbourne for Brisbane. Unidentified officer next to Jacaranda tree. Loading US Air Transport Command C54 Skymaster transport aircraft. [B&W begins] C54 taking off. In flight of C54 pilots and cockpit. Biak Island airfield, Brig O'Brien walking around and examining parked C54. Mechanics servicing C54 engine. [Colour begins] Model aircraft on map moves to Philippines. Title: 'Malaccan Palace'. Sightseeing. Manila street scenes, war damage to buildings. Title: 'Artillery fire' Shows shell damaged public buildings in Manila. Pan of harbour and ships. [B&W begins] Harbour. Pan from mountain top. [Colour begins] Okinawa, US 5th Airforce sign 'Okinawa' laying flat on the ground infront of a Yokosuka Ohka (Cherry Blossom) rocket propelled suicide bomb. Allied personnel examining concrete hillside bunker. Okinawa coast. Aerial of coast. Japan, sunset. Aerial of the Hiroshima showing the damage caused by the atomic blast. Long shot of Mount Fuji from the air. [B&W begins] Sign 'Air Transport Command Atsugi Japan'. [Colour begins] Sign 'You are now entering Tokyo home of the 1st Cavalry Division'. Tokyo outside the Imperial Palace. [B&W] Drive through streets, electric passenger trains, civilians transporting goods on bicycles and motor cycles. [Colour] Airport terminal. Looking through window of RAF or RAAF C47. Hong Kong RAF Sunderland flying boat moored in harbour. Kowloon railway station. Long shot of Chinese? military at railway station. Chinese workers shipping pigs encased in large baskets. Sightseeing - pagodas, palace. Street scenes. Farmers carrying rice sheaves and operating irrigation equipment. [B&W] Manila, Philippines parked C54. Title: 'Emplaning war criminals'. Australian Military Police escort Japanese war criminals to C47. War criminals boarding. Interior of C-47 guards and prisoners. Title: 'Morotai' Brig. O'Brien swimming. Title: 'Ambonia NEI' Mechanic or aircrew examining leaks in wing. C47 on airfield Australian and NEI troops guard 37 Squadron C47. [Colour] Australia. Stewardesses with tea trays in doorway of Australian National Airways DC-3. Line of parked civilian DC3s. Arrival Melbourne. Close up of DC3 wheel as it lands on airstrip. Scenes at the O'Brien home with family.

  • Video of Travels to Tokyo (video)