MACARTHUR’S TRIBUTE

Grey River Argus, 21 September 1945, Page 3

MACARTHUR’S TRIBUTE

TO AUSTRALIANS CANBERRA, Sept. 18. In a message to the Australian Prime Minister, Mr. Chifley, the Allied Supreme Commander in the Pacific, General MacArthur said: — “In accordance with an agreement about to be reached between our Governments, I will shortly relinquish command over Australian forces, who so long and so brilliantly engaged the enemy in the South West Pacific -area. I enclose a message to Australian soldiers, sailors and airmen whom it has been my honour to command since April 18, 1942, which I request to be disseminated' by you to the services indicated. “Please accept my grateful appreciation for the magnificent co-opera-tion that the Australian Government and people always given me in the task we have jointly shared. Without that co-operation little could have been done —with it much has been accomplished. Australia was- saved from- the ravage of war, and we have forced upon the enemy his unconditional surrender General IvlacArthur added.— Ft om our association I shall ever Australian people m deep affection, and I pray God will further then country’s cause in the suture as He had so obviously blessed her in arms !n Mac Arthur’s message, to the Australian armed forces said:— Au f’h: lian soldiers and airmen: Since Apn IS 1942 it Ims been my honour to command you in one of the most bitter struggles recorded in mibtaiy history—a struggle not only against a fanatical enemy under stimulus of early victory, but the no less odds of the seeming impenetrable barriers of Nature-a struggle which saw our cause at its lowest ebb as enerfiv hordes plunged forward with almost irrestible force to the veiy threshold of your homeland. ‘‘There vou took your stand, and With your Allies turned the enemy advance on the Owen Stanleys,,_and at Milne Bay, in the Fall of 1942, thus denying him access to Australia, and otherwise shifting the tide of battle 111 “Thereafter, at Gona, Wau, Salarnaua, Lae, Finschhafen, the Huon Peninsula, Madang, Alexishaien Wewak, Tarakan, Brunei Bay and BalmPapan, your irrestible and remorseless attack continued. “Your airmen ranged the once enemy-controlled skieij a nc / secured complete mastery over all who dared accept vour challenge—your sailois boldly engaged the enemy wherevei and whenever they came in contam in contemptuous disregard of odds and with no thought but to close in for battle as long as your ships remained afloat. , “These your glorious accomplishments/ filled me with pride as your commander and honoured foi al time vour flag, your people and youi race and contributed imn'ieasuiably to advancement of the sacred cause for which* we fought. . . “I will shortly relinquish this command which throughout its tenure you have so loyally and so supported. I shall do so with a deep affection born of our iong ship in arms. To you of all ranks 1 bid farewell.”