FORCE FOR JAPAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26043, 5 January 1946, Page 4

FORCE FOR JAPAN

AUSTRALIAN COMMANDER VISITING DOMINION NEXT WEEK (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 4. In response to an invitation, Lieu-tenant-general J. Northcott would visit New Zealand next week for one or two days to discuss with the Gove'timent New Zealand’s contribution towards the British Commonealth force to take part in the occupation of Japan, said the Acting Prime Minister, Mr Nash, to-day. It was reported recently from Melbourne that General Northcott, of the Australian Army, would be in command of the British Commonwealth occupation force in Japan. Lieutenant-general John Northcott has been Chief of the General Staff, Australian Military Forces, since September, 1942. He had formerly held two successive field appointments with the Australian Imperial Forces, the first, in 1941, being as commander of the Ist Australian Armoured Division, and the second, in 1942, being as general officer commanding the 2nd Australian Corps. He is the son of a Victorian Church of England minister, and is in his fifty-sixth year. He served and was severely wounded at Gallipoli in the first world war. After his recovery he pursued a military career with the Australian forces, and held various appointments of responsibility and value. He was attached to the War Office in 1933 as a general staff officer, and in the following year did similar duties at Woolwich. In 1935 he attended the Imperial Defence College, and in 1936-37 he was sent to the United States and to Canada on special duty. In 1939 he was a military adviser at the Dominions War Conference in London.