BRITISH LANDING FORCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 11 September 1945, Page 5

BRITISH LANDING FORCE

PERSONNEL FROM CRUISER GAMBIA NAVAL BASE OCCUPIED Tok»o, Sept. 10 The first members of the British landing force to step ashore on the Japanese mainland were B Company which, with the exception of one platoon from King George V , is manned and officered by New Zealand personnel from the cruiser Gambia and is under the command of Lieut.-Comman-der Davis-Coff, R.N.Z.N., writes G. W. McConnell, a schoolmaster, of the R.N.Z.N. with B Company. Although New Zealanders were prepared to meet anv contingency, they experienced no opposition after they landed. B Company is part of the British force now occupying Yokosuka naval base. The Japanese who had been left behind at the base were obviously badly scared and nothing more than a display of arms was necessary to exact immediate comp iance with any orders. Although the base was in a filthy condition the company turned to with a will and within 24 hours by dint of iudicious requisitioning and • with the New' Zealanders’ usual facility to "make do.” nres were soon started, quarters cleaned out. polluted water chlorinated and the whole detachment nade as comfortable as mosquitoes and rations would allow. Within a few days of the initial landing. B Company was ve i established, carrying out routine duties vvhi'e the New' Zealand Ensign proudly is flying over their-headquar-ters Men of B Company, proud of the fact that they were the first ashore "ind conscious that they indeed have mace history, have earned the distinc‘icn of being the smartest company ashore and New Zealanders at home, too. should be proud to know that they have been as well represented at the conclusion of this war as they were at its beginning. CONTROL OF JAPAN General MacArthur also issued a statement defining his policy, which says: “The Supreme Commander is at present controlling the Japanese Government along the following lines: “First, the instrument of surrender is being enforced.

‘’Secondly (a) the Supreme Commander will issue all necessary instructions to the Japanese Emperor or the Imperial Government, and every opportunity will be given the Government and people to carry out such instructions without compulsion. If necessary, however, the Supreme Commander will issue the appropriate orders to the army and corps commanders indicating action to be taken to secure obedience by the Imperial Government agencies within the areas of their commands. In other words, the occupation forces will act principally as an agency on which the Supreme Commander may call, if necessary, to secure compliance with the instructions to the Government. CONTROL OF ECONOMY .

“(b) The existing Japanese economy will be controlled only to the extent necessary to achieve the United Nations’ objectives, (c) The civilian population will be treated by the occupying forces in such a way as to develop respect for and confidence in the United Nations and their representatives and encourage cooperation. In the accomplishment of the desired objectives they will be required to obey all laws, proclamations orders and regulations issued by the Japanese Government pursuant to the Supreme Commander’s directives. They will be completely free from all unwarranted interference with individual liberty and property rights. “Thirdly, among the United Nations post-war objectives are : (a) Abolition of militarism and militant nationalism in Japan (b) Encouragement, subject to the necessity for maintaining military security of liberal tendencies and processes such as freedom of religion, the Press, speech and assembly, (c) Creation of conditions which ensure that Japan will not again become a menace to the world’s peace and security and which will permit of an eventual emergence of a Government which will respect the rights of other nations and Japan’s international obligations.”