396 EX-PRISONERS

Grey River Argus, 21 September 1945, Page 5

396 EX-PRISONERS

REACH~AUSTRALI A. WITH EVIDENCES OF JAPANESE BRUTALITY.

ißec. 9.20). BRISBANE, Sept. 20. Six out of four hundred prisoners of war and internees, en route here from Hong Kong, died aboard the Navy hospital ship “Oxfordshire” on the way to Australia. _ The plight of many survivors was pitiable. The Oxfordshire arrived in Brisbane to-day. She brought to Australia the first grim visual evidence of Japanese brutality. Eighty-seven stretcher cases, 'many in a fearful state of emaciation, were carried off the ship. Even the passengers who were we'l showed signs of a dreadful ordeal. Members of the crew said that, bad as the condition of many of prisoners still was,- they had improved marvellously since they were first recovered. T’he survivors described almost unbelievable horrors which had become a commonplace to them. One prisoner said Japanese murdered two R.A.M.C. officers, bayoneted fifty patients who were lying in bed, and killed three nurses in an emergency hospital at Hong Kong. Punishment of Japs FOR ATROCITIES. DESIRED IN AUSTRALIA. (Rec. 9.40). CANBERRA, Sept. 20. No machinery exists' for the apprehension of Jap'anese war criminals, except for the major personages who are listed by General MacArthur. Ministers here admit that they know of no steps being taken to seize Japanese responsible for atrocities against Australians and others in the vast, area policed by Australian forces. Japanese are easily identifiable as war criminals as atrocities are discovered, but these are being allowed to disappear among a great mass of prisoners, probably to escape entirely punishment for their savage crimes. When tabling Justice Sir Wm. Webb’s report on the Japanese atrocities, the Acting-Minister of External Affairs, Hon. Mr Makin, said: Instructions have gone to all of the Australian Commanders to detain all Japanese named in the war criminals’ list, or the Japanese suspected of war crimes, but the war criminals’ list is confined to the major personages in Japan. There is no organisation to deal with the minor offenders, and until machinery is provided so that a Japanese may be detained once he is identified as responsible for war crime, criminals will continue to get away”. , . , , The Government has not yet taken action to correct, an amazing position in Timor Island. Australian troops are slaving under a hot sun thei e. Japanese there work leisurely for a five-hour day. An angry protest was made by the Deputy-Leader of the Opposition, Mr Harrison, in the House of Representatives to-day about the state of afPrime Minister, Mr J. B. Chifley, in reply, said he did not know if the reports were true. He promised that inquiries would be made immediately. , Mr Chifley said: ‘lt has been made clear that the Government is anxious that all responsible for unspeakable brutalities on Australian prisoners ol war should be punished. That is be ing done through the proper channels, and in the proper way. There has been no deviation from the policy announced.” C „ . L. 1-7 LONDON, September 17. _ “I have been shocked and horrified at first-hand accounts from liberated prisoners of war. I am determined that no Japanese responsible for these inhuman bestial practices shall escape justice.” said Lord Mountbatten in a S.E.A.C. communique issued in London after his letuin from Malaya. “But this justice must follow their conviction and must) conform to the accepted civilised code. Lord Mountbatten expressed disapproval of petty humiliations—such as being publicly forced to touch the forehead to the ground—as reported to have been inflicted on the Japanese commander awaiting trial at Singapore as war criminals. He said he was in Singapore at the time of the reported incident. “I immediately took steps to make it clear I would not tolerate individual reprisals against Japanese prisoners. I ordered disciplinary action to be taken against the officer responsible. We, by bullying in a childish way, would only descend to the level of these very elements among the Japanese, which we fought the war to ■eliminate.” BRITISH GUNS ON NAURU (Rec. 11.40) SYDNEY, Sept. 20 A war correspondent of “The Sun” said: Millions of pounds have been spent by the Japanese in transforming Nauru Island into an almost impregnable Pacific citadel. The correspondent after a tour of the island cabled that he saw enough explosives to blow up Sydney, and enough naval guns of huge calibre to destroy a large invasion fleet. Staggering engineering feats have been performed in hauling six-inch naval guns to positions on sheer cliff crests. Every gun is in an elaborate underground concrete chamber, with a circle of ammunition receptacles all perfectly camouflaged. A number of the 150 millimetre naval guns which had been taken from Japanese warships bore the stamp of a British firm. CANBERRA, Sept. 20

Immediate steps are being taken by Commonwealth Government to ascertain the names of the members of the Japanese occupation force on Nauru who were for the execution of Administrator Chalmers and the four others (cabled). The Acting Minister of External Affairs, Mr. Makin, said the Australian occupation force-was seeking all details of the atrocity.