LAND FIGHTING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 47, 24 February 1945, Page 8

LAND FIGHTING

ROLE OF AUSTRALIANS

»ro,« -, • CANBERRA, February 23 The placing of two A.I.F divisions under.the command of Admiral MoS batten was urged in the Houw nf LteM?n* 4 * G^en 2 ie°s fhlTJjol • Opposition, speakinsr to ?wt? S eS"i n flße^ debate h?«S ieSfn? ser5 er? rst imP°rtance that the SKiSSig?and foremost abS slZw h?vf ies Sf^ S at Australia in SL a paiit ln the relief drive m these areas, because amone the Tv^ 0?h c pS h0 P fn War held h * division b -rf art A ° T^ an Australian SpS >« S tile A-I-F. to be used meiely for moppilg up or j it v* fhe COFa cr PSt^V Bf^h forces in askeJ W^ St! he asked- He also Austral^ L Was If °POsed, that the Australian forces should play a full SLaSSn^Tft^ fo?ce* in SS resioiation of British prestige snri Srt aS* the British 2°S of "souTh?

Mr. Menzies said the role allotted to Australians ever since the drive to Japan began was the secondary one of mopping-up by-passed areas, which could no longer be regarded as of primary military importance. He did h? y uth. e- immense difficulties of taflr ™'« bJrf Ac ? USrißd whether that task was of such moment as to be preferred to others which might be allotted to the forces of Australia.

OPEN FOR DECISION. ,3 Menzies said it was always open £L + he G°vernment to decide in what theatres at present it was because the Australian forces should be engaged That principle had been adhered to hTl c i he teSH^ng of the war, and he had subscribed to it in very practical terms. " *

n ueply' Mr- Curtin said there could be no argument about the duties ot the Australian Government in determining where Australians should sg+5 g + P Ji? y w? r' X Australians were not fighting m any of the various theatres at present it was because the Government had made the decision that they shall fight in other theatres. The Australian Government had made the decision that the Australian ground troops should all be assigned to General Mac Arthur in the, South-west Pacific area.

"If I were to particularise about the strength of the Australian forces serving outside the Pacific area, it would at on C e be realised that this country, while fighting under the most terrible strains to maintain its own integrity, has all the time been a most powerful contributor towards the joint success of the Allied cause in all theatres of war," said Mr. Curtin. AUSTRALIA'S PRISONERS Rec. 9 a.m. MELBOURNE, Feb. 23. Australia has nearly 24,000 prisoners of war, including 4000 Japanese. These totals do not include civilian internees.

Approximately 18,000 of the prisoners are Italians of whom 2000 arrived recently. Those classified as Japanese are not all of Japanese race. They include 500 merchant sf^men from ships held in Australian waters when Japan entered the war. There are 1500 Germans, all in Victoria except 300, who are in timbe camps m Western Australia.