MALAYA BATTLE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 302, 22 December 1941, Page 4

MALAYA BATTLE

SCATHING ATTACK

LEADERS ACCUSED ANGER IN AUSTRALIA <0.C.) SYDNEY, December 17. The obvious difficulties being encountered by the British drive in Libya, and much more the loss of Britain's newest battleship. H.M.S. Prince of Wales, and also H.M.S. Repulse in Malaya, followed by the disclosure that Empire forces there have insufficient fighter support, have made a very deep impression on Australians. Australians are not the kind of people to uselessly rake up past errors, although it must be admitted there have been plenty of them. They were willing to accept the official assurances poured out when the offensive in Libya began, and other assurances given by people in high places concerning Malaya's ability to withstand any attack. Now they are beginning to ask when a halt is going to be called to the traditional policy of "blundering through." Significant of the state of public feeling is the fact that the Daily Telegraph yesterday devoted the whole of its front page to an editorial under the headings—"We Can Put Better Men at the Top," "They Said ] We Were Well Prepared for the j Battle in Malaya," "Purge the Higher ; Commands." The editorial was illustrated with pictures of the British : Commander in the Far East, Sir Robert Brooke-Popham; the Chief of the Australian General Staff, Lieut-enant-General Sturdee; the Chief of the Australian Air Staff, Sir Charles Burnett, and the Commander of the A.I.F. in Malaya, Major-General Gordon Bennett. "Ready For Anything" The Daily Telegraph editorial recalls that the Commander-in-Chief of the China Station, Sir Geoffrey Layton, recently said that Singapore's defences could face any enemy with confidence. The Commander of the British Forces in Malaya, Major-General Percival, said: "Britain can, and will, hold Malaya whether help is forthcoming from any other nation or not." Major-General Gordon Bennett said the A.I.F. in Malaya had all the equipment necessary to deal with any enemy. Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, among a lot of other assurances, declared that everything was ready for any eventuality. As late as October 9, Mr. Duff Cooper, a member of the British Cabinet, after his visit ( to the Far East, said Japan had waited too long for her southward drive. The Daily Telegraph recalls that Lieutenant-General Sturdee, MajorGeneral Northcott, when he was Deputy-Chief x>f the General Staff, and Sir Charles Burnett, after visits to Malaya, gave no hint that they were dissatisfied with the air strength there. The paper declares that if all these people really meant what they told the public, they were fools; if not, "they were whatever you call men who mislead you into a false sense of security in wartime. The main editorial attack seems to be directed against Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, of whom the Daily Telegraph says:—"Nearly a year ago, during a visit to Sydney, Sir Robert Brooke-Popham assured newspaper editors that supplies of planes, which were shortly to arrive, would give him adequate protection against the inferior nlanes the Japanese would be able to launch from aircraftcarriers. More recently, asked whether it was not a fact that the Japanese were building planes of the Messerschmitt type, Sir Robert smiled his charming smile, and pointed out that the Japanese were 600"miles away—too far to be dangerous from the air. At the earlier conference, Sir Robert also informed his listeners that there was no danger of Japanese bringing tanks into ar>v attack on Malaya. He was closely pressed on these points, and reassured his questioners with bounding and enthusiastic confidence." Parliament Discussion The Daily Telegraph concludes its. unusual article by urging: "Let us get men to us who understand what modern war is. . . . Australia will not mind very much if some of its army leaders are promoted to a

harmless job with a high-sounding title and a fat salary. It would be cheaper in the long run. What a pity that we cannot create a few peers and distribute a few governorships."

The editorial was discussed in Federal Parliament yesterday afternoon. Mr. Rosevear (Labour, New South Wales) said the man in the street was "fed up with excuse after excuse and alibi after alibi for our military failures." Major-General Rankin (U.A.P.), the senior military member of the House, bitterly attacked the Chief of the Air Staff. Sir Charles Burnett. He said Sir Charles had repeatedly said that the Japanese had very poor planes and could not fly them. This was the man who had been sent to advise Australia—"probablv because be was not wanted in F.ngland."

Mr. Cameron (U.A.P., former Minister and Country party leader) said such newspaper criticism was crim inal and the papers should be Closed down.

In the Senate, Senator Foil, a former U.A.P. Minister, said we should wait to make sure if our leaders had blundered before criticising them.