BACK FROM TIMOR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21066, 10 April 1943, Page 4

BACK FROM TIMOR

AUSTRALIAN FORCE WORK AS COMMANDOS EPIC ISLAND DEFENCE (By Teletrmph—Press Assn.—Copy nffiit.) (Special Australian .CoircspoiHlcnt.) . SYDNEY. April 9. A party of A.I.F. commandos who are part of the famous guerrilla force that operated in Timor for more than a year arrived for a well-earned rest. The troops brought with them Japanese aerial demands for surrender and worthless bank notes issued by the Japanese Army, as well as other souvenirs of their epic defence of the island. “A pathetic feature of our departure was the grief of our native helpers,” said an officer. “Most of these boys lived, marched, and scouted with us for many months. They had come to have a real affection and admiration for our men.” Worthless bank-notes had been lavishly distributed by the Japanese among the natives, many • of whom were thus won over to support the enemy. However, , those who attached themselves to the Australians remained wonderfully loyal.

Describing the Japanese as cruel and ferocious, -tire officer said they fell roughly into three types. The first .was the marine, a gallant, selfreliant, and physically good type: the better ordinary soldiers were fair physical specimens, but the remainder were under-sized and animalesque. Most of the Australians developed 3 “paunch” from the steady diet oi rice, with lesser quantities of buffalo meat and maize. In some areas, however, tropical fruit relieved the monotony of this diet. Sometimes when rice stocks were exhausted the men lived for days on native maize.