British Mission To Implement Promise Made By Churchill

Northern Advocate, 1 October 1943, Page 2

British Mission To Implement Promise Made By Churchill

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Maximum British co-operation with the ' United States in future operations against ; the Japanese is now being planned, stated the Prime Minister (Hon. P. Fraser) in - announcing that British military, naval and air mission, headed by Major- , General J. S. Lethbridge, was arriving \ shortly in New Zealand en route to. ( Australia. Mr. Fraser said that MajorGeneral Lethbridge and his staff were ; engaged in a study of all problems of tactics, weapons, supply, transport, communications and medical services con- t nected with the war against Japan, other than future operational planning. The mission has already spent some weeks in the United Stales. In the South Pacific* and South-west Pacific, members of the mission hope to observe fighting against the Japanese at first hand, as well as obtain the benefit of discussion with Australian. New Zealand and United States officers who had recent experience in action in the Solomons and New Guinea. The mission will later go to India, where it will similarly benefit from experience' gained on the Burma front. The mission was formed after Mr. Churchill’s speech on June 30 at Guildhall. In this speech he promised: “When the Germans have been crushed in Europe, c-verv man, every ship and every aejoplane in the King's service that can be moved to the Pacific will be sent and there maintained in action for as many years as are needed to make the Japanese, in their tui'n, submit Or bite the dust.” Re-equipment /

In order that the British forces may. when they can be released from the European theatre of war, be quickly made ready to co-operate to the full with the United States against the Japanese, many problems connected with their re-equip-ment and re-organisation must Hirst be solved. The work of Major-General Lethbridge and his staff, said Mr. Fraser, will ensure that solution of these problems is reached in the light of the accumulation of experience and the knowledge available from those active theatres which they are visiting. The formation and despatch of the mission is the clearest possible indication that the words that Mr. Churchill spoke at the Guildhall ,at once are being followed by positive action to implement, in due course, the promise he then made. The British Government is taking these measures in full tation and agreement with the States. New Zealand, Australia and All Services Represented The mission, said Mr. Fraser, is posed of officers oi afi three British fighfU ing services. The senior naval member' is Rear-Admiral F. H. W. Gooldan and the senior air member. Air-Commodore, L. ,L. Mac Lean. The United Kingdom army contingent includes Brigadiers H. Bartlett, Royal Corps of Signals, and McAlevey. R.A.M.C. Representatives from both the Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force are included. The mission is accompanied by Captain Blick, of the United States Navy, Colonels Robins and Deware, of the United States Army,.and Colonel, Moore, of the United States Army Air Force.

Major-General Lethbridge is 45 and is a graduate of the Staff College. He saw, service in France, Belgium, Afghanistan,

and the North-west Frontier from 1914-21 with the Royal Engineers. Since 193 Ghe has been attached to the War Office as Director of Liaison and Munitions. Visit To Australia

The British Mission will arrive in Au:;. traiia shortly, says a Sydney cable. Conferences will be held with Australian and. American officers who have fought in New Guinea and the Solomons. After visiting Australia and New Guinea the mission will go to India. The .’Chief of the Uhited Kingdom Army, Air and Liaison Slaff in Australia (Major-General R. H. Dewing) said with’ the exception of operational plahningj the mission would study all Pacific problems, including tactics. organisation, weapons, supply, transport, communications and medical services. He adcjed that in order that British forces when thev could be released from the Europbah theatre might quickly be made ready! to co-operate to the full with the United States in the war against the Japanese. Many problems of re-equipment and f reorganisation would have been solved,'