To Cut Down BCOF Staffs

Northern Advocate, 28 August 1947, Page 2

To Cut Down BCOF Staffs

(P.A..) WELLINGTON. This Day. The pruning knife is to be applied to headquarters and depot staffs of BCOF in Japan. This is the reason for the coming visit there of the Chief of the Australian General Staff (Lieutenant-Gen-eral Sturdee). who in an interview yesterday stated that economy in such establishments was necessary in view of the manpower position. He said that while troops to deal with possible trouble could not be cut down in numbers, men in supply and other depots could be. The infantry brigade provided for in Australia's new standing army of 19.000 would undertake some garrison duty in Japan. Asked about Australian General Staff plans towards developing tactics in the age of atomic bombs and rocket projectiles. General Sturdee said the staff was at present too busy organising the new permanent force and the training cadres for the citizen force soon to be reconstituted. Changed conditions, how’ever, had resulted in many of Australia’s best barracks being in places where they were no longer needed, such as around coastal batteries. “Monty's reforms were nothing new to the Australian regular forces." said General Sturdee. “With the possible exception of bedside lamps we had them before the war.”