The "Elephant Dunkirk"

[Smithy]

A most remarkable and courageous event which had largely been forgotten but has come to light again with additional research.

The incredible story of an English tea farmer who with a team of elephants and their Indian mahouts saved hundreds of refugees fleeing the Japanese invasion of Burma:

http://www.theage.com.au/world/how-soldiers-were-saved-in-elephant-dunkirk-20101101-17ad4.html

 

[Stearmen]

What a great story! Amazing what unsung service elephants gave during WWII.

 

[Wally_Hood]

I'd never heard of this before. This could be an outstanding film- Just the visuals of elephants fording rampaging waters, the distant soldiers stranded on the island...

 

[Smithy]

I'd never heard of this before. This could be an outstanding film- Just the visuals of elephants fording rampaging waters, the distant soldiers stranded on the island...

That's exactly what I was thinking. In the vein of the classic British war films.

Footage of elephants strongly forging across a swollen Burmese river would match Lawrence's camels charging down a dune for visual impact.

 

[Spitfire]

What a great story, thanks for sharing Tim.

 

[MPicciotto]

Wow! That is just screaming to be made into a movie. It already has the natural plot line of ups and downs as the Elephants and their handlers rescue some men, but then the water level rises to much to get the 68 on the island, the drama of the island being made smaller by the torrent. The miraculous and short lived drop with the frantic rescue efforts as a climax and the movie closing with the water raging and rising again. Brilliant screenplay. And with actual archival footage there is no reason not to make it realistic.

Matt

 

[Spitfire]

Worktitle: "DUNBO".

 

[Peacoat]

Worktitle: "DUNBO".

Too Funny!

 

[too much coffee]

A very good read.............thanks much!

Regards, coffee

 

[MikeBravo]

There is already a WW2 movie with a similar theme (elephants): "Hannibal Brooks" "A prisoner of war working at a zoo gets the chance to escape from the Germans, so he does and he takes with him the elephant that he's been caring for. Together they head for the Swiss border and freedom"

 

[Story]

[video=youtube;XLMj-zG2Vmc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLMj-zG2Vmc[/video]