Says Politicians Withdrew ‘Tobruk Rats’

Northern Advocate, 29 June 1943, Page 3

Says Politicians Withdrew ‘Tobruk Rats’

(Received 11.30 a.m.) CANBERRA, This Day. The Ninth Division of the A.I.F. had been withdrawn from the Middle East by politicians, not by military leaders, paid Senator Wilson, of South Australia, speaking in the Senate. Later, the Prime Minister (Mr Cur,tin) denied the allegation. He said that the decision to bring the Ninth Division back to Australia had been made on the highest military advice.

Senator Wilson, who is a major iff the A.1.F., served two years with the Ninth Division in the Middle East. He enlisted as a private. He declared that the Ninth Division’s withdrawal had necessitated complete reorganisation of the Eighth Army and had enabled Axis forces to build up their strength. From a shattered force of 25,000 they had increased their numbers to 250,000. When the Ninth Division needed urgent reinforcements, the Australian Government had not sent them, Mr Wilson declared. For the battle of El Alamein, sick men and B class men had been re* classified and put into the fight. “While Australians were being pulled out of the fight,” added Senator Wilson, “New Zealand, which had a decent Labour Government, was sending reinforcements to its forces.”