SERIOUS STATE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 129, 2 June 1945, Page 7

SERIOUS STATE

AUSTRALIAN ARMY

POSITION THREE YEARS AGO (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.; Re"c. 9 a.m. CANBERRA, June 1. The training:, discipline, officers, and equipment of the first Australian troops sent to Port Moresby are severely criticised in a report on the civil administration of Papua in February, 1942, tabled in the House of Representatives today. The report was made by Mr. J. V. Barry, K.C.

The report also revealed that general and extensive looting of civilian property occurred after an early bombing raid on Port Moresby. The first Australian troops to arrive at Port Moresby after the outbreak of hostilities in the Pacific landed on January 3. 1942. "The condition which manifested itself immediately after their arrival calls for severe censure of the persons responsible for the loading of the troops' camp gear and equipment." declared Mr. Barry. "The troops were of an average age of 18i years, and had had no proper training. They were in charge of inexperienced officers, who appeared to have little or no control over them. They were inadequately equipped in every way." REFLECTION ON AUSTRALIA. i Militarily, the state of afl'airs at Port Moresby was a reflection of that I existing throughout Australia, added Mr. Barry, who said it was beyond question that when Japan entered the war Australia was in a state of military unpreparedness. An enemy invasion of the Australian mainland did not appear to have been considered a possibility. , . Having regard to all the circumstances, Mi-. Barry found that the Australian commander at Port Mores-' •by General Morris, could not be held responsible for the behaviour of the troops under his command following the first bombings of the town. it] was impossible for him to take any; effective steps to prevent the looting which occurred. i Mr Barry also exonerated the Administrator of the territory. Sir Herbert Murray, and the members of the Papuan Legislative and Executive Councils from charges of failing in their public duty to safeguard the, territory. DISCIPLINE POOR. Accompanying Mr. Barry's report: was a memorandum from the Com-! mander-in-Chief, General Blarney, ad-1 dressed to the Australian Government; on September 13, 1943. Referring to j the general condition of the Austra-| lian Army in Australia early in 1942,] General Blarney said: "On my return | from the Middle East at the end of March, 1942, discipline was poor, so poor as to be appalling. The conditions in the principal Australian cities were so bad as to demand drastic action to improve them. "The condition of the Provost Corps at the time can be described by the word • 'disgraceful.' The personnel were chosen mainly from old soldiers of the last war, and its view of its duty was to condone any and every misdeed of the troops." ( ' General Blarney said that without well-trained, well-disciplined, wellofficered troops, which he apparently lacked, General Morris, the military commandant in Papua, had been given an impossible task.