VALUABLE SALVAGE

Evening Star, Issue 25425, 5 March 1945, Page 6

VALUABLE SALVAGE

SHIPPING AND WAR EQUIPMENT WORK OF SPECIAL AUSTRALIAN BOARD CANBERRA, March 5. (Rec. 1.15 p.m.) The Commonwealth Marine Salvage Board salvaged 600,000 tons of shipping and 500,000 tons of valuable war equipment between 1942 and the end of January, 1945. The Minister of Supply and Shipping, Mr W. P. Ashley, releasing these figures, said the ships were the victims of attacks by submarines, surface raiders, and Japanese aircraft, or were wrecked by navigation hazards in Australian and New Guinea waters. A large number of the vessels were Liberty ships. "The value of war equipment and Essential civilian supplies was several million pounds, but in terms of our needs at the time it was priceless," said the Minister.

He quoted a case where an Australian regiment waiting for the expected Japanese landing at Milne Bay, in 1942, was rendered powerless when its guns, ammunition, and equipment were sent 40ft to the bottom of the bay in the steamer Anshun, which was sunk by a Japanese cruiser. The guns were in the lower holds of the ship. The surface of the water was covered with oil, and the Japanese made daily bombing attacks. The salvage officers jould go down only at night, but after four nights of "dangerous, back-breaking work, they brought up every gun undamaged. Later, when the Japanese made the landing at Milne Bay, the Australians were ready, and the Japanese suffered their first defeat on land in this area.