TROOPS WITHDRAWN

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 February 1947, Page 6

TROOPS WITHDRAWN

BRITISH BRIGADE IN JAPAN DEMAND FORMANPOWjEE TOKIO, February 13. The sth British Infantry Brigade and a-proportionate number of administrative troops have been withdrawn from Japan. General MacArthur’s chief of staff, Major-General Paul J. Mueller, said the British forces were being reduced because of the very extensive demand on British manpower in other parts of the world. He added that the British Army would still be substantially represented in Japan and the United Kingdom naval and air components would not be altered. A New Zealand Official News Service message from Kure stated that speaking of the amenities for troops serving in Japan, the commander-in-chief of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force, Lieuten-ant-General H. C. H. Robertson, revealed that there are now seven leave centres in full operation for use by the force. These have a combined capacity of approximately 350 troops. In the last three months, two shipments of stores, approximately 3000 cases, had arrived from Australia for the Red Cross. A regular issue of Red Cross equipment, clothing and light foods had been made to all hospitals and other medical units and ships evacuating patients. Some canteen supplies were still in short supply, but on the whole the canteens were well stocked and able to cope with the demand. The Kawana Hotel, one of the four most luxurious tourist hotels in Japan, is now a leave centre for troops of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force.