BLUFF IN RANGOON

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 136, 10 May 1945, Page 5

BLUFF IN RANGOON

PRISONER GAINS CONTROL. SYDNEY, May 9

A former Sydney Sun reporter, R.A.A.F. Wing-Commander L. J. Hudson, was the uncrowned king of Rangoon for four days preceding the city's capture by the British. This is reported by the former New Zealand journalist, Mr Nigel Palethorpe, now a war correspondent in Burma. Hudson, a prisoner of war, took control of the prisoners—about 200 British and 500 Indian and Chinese—and negotiated on behalf of His Majesty's Government with the remaining Burmese civilian authorities, including the Japanese puppet Finance Minister.

Hudson's authoritative air and brilliant initiative convinced the Burma defence army that he commanded a considerable force inside the gaol. He oven bluffed the local Burmans into fighting the retreating Japanese. Hudson, who crashed in enemy-oc-cupied territory last December, paid particular tribute to an unnamed New Zealander who successfully treated more than 40 cases of scabies, beriberi, jungle sores and ulcers among the prisoners of war. The New Zealander had a knowledge of animal doctoring acquired on dairy farms and this applied with commonsense undoubtedly saved many lives.