OFFICERS DECORATED

Grey River Argus, 11 January 1943, Page 5

OFFICERS DECORATED

Papuan Victory GENERAL MACARTHUR'S AWARDS. BATAAN AVENGED (Rec. 7.45.) SYDNEY, Jan. 10. The return of General MacArthur from Papua to General Headquarters has been officially announced. General MacArthur has awarded decorations to General Sir T. Blarney, the Allied land commander, and to eleven other High Australian and American officers, for their part in the Papuan campaign. The officers decorated include Lieut.-Gen. Kenney, the Allied Air Commander in the South-west Pacific; Leut.-Gen. Robert Eichelberger, the Commander of the American forces in Papua; and Lieut.-Gen. Edmund Herring, the A I.F. commander. Each of these has received the Distinguished Service Cross, the highest decoration which General MacArthur can bestow. In announcing the awards, General MacArthur, in an Order-of-the-Day, gays: “The victory which has been achieved would hayp been impossible of accomplishment without the invincible leadership which they nave provided. The magnificent conduct of the troops and elements of this command operating under difficulties rareiy. if ever, surpassed in a campaign, has earned my highest praise and commendation.” General MacArthur pays a tribute to several units for special work in the campaign, and his Order concludes: ‘ * 0 Almighty God. I give thanks for the guidance which has brought us to this success in 'oui* great crusade. His is the honour, the power and the glory for ever.’’ When he was informed of the ian of Buna, General MacArthur said 1 ‘‘The dead of Bataan should rest a little easier to-night. 1 '

ATTACK ON AUSTRALIA

Japan’s Objective

BUILDING UP SUPPLY DEPOTS.

ISpecial to N.Z. Press Assn], (Rec 12.25.) SYDNEY. Jan. 10. The belief that the Japanese mast make a serious attempt against Australia, and that for such purpose the enemy is building up great supply depots north of Australia, was expressed by the Minister of External Affairs, Dr Evatt, when broadcasting to-night. Dr. Evatt said that Australia today was prepared to a degree that would have been regarded as impossible a year ago. The Curtin Government had always asserted that, not only the interests of Australia, but the interests of all of the United Nations, demanded that very substantial allocations of certain equipment should be brought to the Pacific, and that the flow should be continued m ever-increasing quantities It was necessary to add. however, that, but for supplies which Australia had already received from abroad, she might have gone under. In some respects the aid received had been magnificent. It had come, not only from America, but from Britain. Among the points made by Dr. Evatt were: There are five-sevenths of Australia’s industrial workers now engaged in direct war work; and that of her male population, between fourteen and sixty-five years of age, sixty per cent, are engaged in full-time war work, including the members of the fighting services. In the past year, the Government munition factories and annexes increased by more than one hundred per cent. The employment of women in direct war work in the factories also had increased one hundredfold since the war began.