A.I.F To Be Fully Equipped

Northern Advocate, 15 November 1941, Page 6

A.I.F To Be Fully Equipped

(Rec. 1 p.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. General Sir Thomas Blarney, Com-mander-in-Chief of Australian troops in the Middle East, has recommended that there should be direct air cooperation with the army in Australia. This system already applies to the A.I.F. in the Middle East. The Minister for the Army (Mr. Forde) said that the air co-operation plan for Australia, which was embodied in Sir Thomas Blarney’s reports, is now being considered. The supply of suitable aircraft and equipment would be a big factor to be discussed before the plan could be adopted, but no time would be lost. The Government will insist that the A.I.F. is fully equipped for modern warfare before being sent into action, said Mr. Forde. An Equal Chance “Australian soldiers will at least be given an equal chance with the enemy they are asked to face,” he said. “No matter how brave flesh and blood is, it cannot be expected to stand up against iron and steel.” Mr. Forde announced that the A.I.F. casualties in the Middle East total 12,950, as follows: Killed in action, officers 83, other ranks 1177; died of wounds, 18—354; prisoners (dead), 7—7; prisoners (wounded), 258—4305; wounded and missing, 7 —119; missing, 921 —2249; missing (believed dead), 7—86; missing (believed prisoners), 43 —985; prisoners of war. 124—2687; prisoners (wounded), 8—216; unclassified, 0—39. The total number of casualties in the A.I.F. to September 25 in all theatres of war was recently given as 13,143.