Fuel crisis affects Australian forces

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33626, 30 August 1974, Page 9

Fuel crisis affects Australian forces

■ X ? P A.-Reuter— CANBERRA, August 29. The fuel crisis has seriously affected Australia's defence forces. A major Army training exercise "Operation CounterThrust" has been cancelled, and R A.AI Mirage and Fill squadrons have been virtually grounded. A spokesman lor the Department of Defence said today that "Operation Counter-Thrust" was to have been held in the Broken Hill area in the middle of next month. The two-week exercise

would have involved up to 3000 troops from the Ist task force, Svdney.

The spokesman said that because of the fuel shortage, the railways had been unable to supply trains needed to transport troops and equipment to Broken Hill.

He said that the Army had asked for two troop trains and three freight trains.

The R.A.A.F. has stopped normal Hying at its bases at Amberley in Queensland and Williamtown. near Newcastle, in New South Wales. The defence spokesman

said there wa< a han on unnecessary living. He sa’d the ban uaimposed because fuel -tockat the two baws were ne.ti ing the minimum reserve level, a level whuh ti»r disclosed But the spokesman added that the minimum icserx. level regulation could mean that the bases would have enough fuel on hand to last up to six months. The ban arose because of industrial trouble n the oi

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