GATHERING PACE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25849, 21 May 1945, Page 5

GATHERING PACE

FLOW TO PACIFIC MEN AND WAR MATERIAL (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, May 18. The flow of men and material from Europe to the Pacific is gathering pace, says Reuter’s correspondent at Allied Headquarters. There are so much of both that there is a plentitude that is embarrassing to those responsible for moving them. There is already almost enough material in first-class condition to defeat the Japanese. Shipping seems to be the only drag. Limitless stocks of German material have been added to the huge Allied stocks. More than 3,000,000 separate items of ordnance equipment and more than 700,000 tons of ammunition are already being prepared for shipment to the Pacific. This tremendous task is being undertaken by ordnance units, who tor more than two years have been uncrating war material and assembling it. Now they are reversing the process. The processing cf weapons and vehicles requires -20 ordnance shops, 9 vehicle parks, and 9 ammunition depots. One of the greatest organising and packing jobs in military history is now proceeding at record-breaking speed, with German prisoners of war employed at unskilled work. Arrangements are already under way-for speeding up the departure of the troops. The deployment centre at' Rheims alone is handling 8000 men a day. More than one completely-equipped division will soon be flowing trom Europe to the Pacific. The existing vast pool of trained troops and material is a sharp contrast with the scratchings and improvising which marked the early stages of the war against Germany. A gigantic staging camp covering 10J square miles and capable of processing 15,000 soldiers a day for the Pac.fic war is being prepared in Southern France, reports an American Associated Press correspondent at Allied Headquarters. The camp is near Marseilles, which has been selected as the departure point for troops going to the Pacific. It has semi-permanent accommodation for 60,000, a bivouac room for 30,000, and will be staffed by 10,000. CANADIAN PARTICIPATION OVER 30,000 SOLDIERS (Rec. 10.15 p.m.) OTTAWA, May 19. Approximately 30,000 Canadian soldiers will serve "Outside Canada in the war against Japan announced the Prime Minister, Mr Mackenzie King. Canada’s naval force will be approximately 13,500 of all ranks serving afloat in the Pacific theatre. The precise character and strength of the Canadian Air Force has not yet been settled. Mr Mackenzie King said that a special rate of campaign pay had been approved for all navy and army personnel serving in the Pacific. This would be in line with a similar provision made for British and American personnel serving in - the same area. The Canadian Air Force will receive higher allowances, on a scale similar to those of the R.A.F. in the Pacific. FOR PACIFIC WAR FRENCH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE (Rec 8 p.m.) LONDON, May 19. Paris radio announcing that the French Expeditionary Force for the Pacific war was already four divisions strong, said: “ France will not consider the present conflict terminated until Japan has been defeated and French Far Eastern territories liberated.”