AUSTRALIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 October 1944, Page 6

AUSTRALIA

‘•SOUTHERN CROSS” SYDNEY, October 29. The late Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s monoplane, “Southern Cross,’ now twenty years old, will fly again in a film version of the great Australian airman's life story. This ’plane which flew the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea, is being reconditioned by the R.A.A.F. Extensive repairs will be necessary to make it airworthy. The Southern Cross has not been m the air since Sir Charles handed it ove’’ to the Commonwealth Government in 1935. Production of the film is expected to begin early in December. WAR CASUALTIES. CANBERRA," October 29. The casualties in the three Australian Services are now 83,024. They comprise 16,639 killed; 33,458 wounded; 2695 prisoners of war; and 5976 missing. The figures are given in the latest issue of “Facts and Figures of Australia at War,” an official account. of the Australian war effort, just released by the Department of Information. In New Guinea fighting the ratio of Allied to Japanese soldiers killed is revealed as one to six. More than six thousand merchant ships, aggregating twenty-five mil'lion tons, were convoyed by the Royal Australian Navy ships in the New Guinea area last year, without a single loss by enemy action. This tonnage exceeds the pre-war tonnage of the entire British merchant navy. Since April, 1942, Australian orders for merchant ships have amounted to more than £16,000,000 and those for small craft (landing barges and supply vessels) total £24,000,000.