“FORGOTTEN MEN”

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 September 1946, Page 6

“FORGOTTEN MEN”

BRITISH OCCUPATION FORCE IN JAPAN CORRESPONDENT’S STORY [N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.] LONDON, Sept. 20. Under .the title “Put These Meh in Headlines,” the Daily Herald to-day publishes a special article from a correspondent in Japan describing the work of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force and claiming that British troops in Japan believe Britain has lost all interest in them. This is supported by the publication of a letter from the mother of a member of the occupation force asking why no news about the occupation force is given either in the British press or by the British radio. “The Commonwealth occupation troops in Japan,” she says, “now describe themselves as the forgotten army.” “The British Commonwealth Occupation Force deserves to be a household word throughout the British Isles and its story headline news in London, Sydney, Auckland, and Calcutta,” says the Daily Herald correspondent. He adds that he has heard repeatedly the charge that the British Commonwealth “has dumped its occupation force in Japan and forgotten all about them.” _ “The occupation force is doing a difficult job in a soldierly manner and without fuss,” adds the correspondent. “It is dealing very, effectively with smuggling and maintaining itself at a very high level of efnciency as a fighting force. It also represents a new and significant step in co-operation between the armed forces of the British Nations.” The article, emphasises that the British Commonwealth Occupation Force is responsible for garrisoning an eighth of Japan and for maintaining the prestige of the British among the Japanese. • The correspondent adds that he is investigating charges that conditions enjoyed by the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces compare unfavourably with those of Americans in Japan. This is the first article of any size dealing with Japan or the British Commonwealth Occupation Force that has appeared in any leading British daily newspaper for ' at least four months.