CONCENTRATED FORCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26349, 2 January 1947, Page 6

CONCENTRATED FORCE

DOMINION OCCUPATION UNIT LONG-RANGE BUILDING SCHEME (N.Z. Official Correspondent with J Force) (Rec. 10 p.m.) CHOFU, Dec. 28. The concentration of the New Zealand forces in Japan to one main and one subsidiary centre, and a longrange building programme which includes a new 300-bed hospital and new barracks, has been announced by the commander of the v 2nd N.Z..E.F. (Japan), Brigadier L.'.Potter, D.S.O. When the scheme is complete, there will be one battalion only in Yamaguchi, which will be a subsidiary centre, and the rest of the force will be concentrated in the Ozuki and Chpfu area. Except for the 27th Battalion at Yamaguchi and headquarters and base units at Chofu, all the other units will eventually transfer to the main centre at Ozuki, which is about six miles from the present 2nd N.Z.E.F. headquarters at Chofu, at the southern tip of the main island of Honshu. Main Project Commenced Work on the first major project at Ozuki, the building of the 27th Battalion’s barracks, is already well under way, and should be finished before the end of February. More than 2500 troops will eventually be accommodated in Ozuki. Plans for the new hospital have already been drawn and approved, and the building will begin in January. ' , Because of tactical needs and the lack of suitable accommodation, the New Zealand force has previously been spread over the several hundred square miles of the Yamaguchi Prefecture. The proposed Changes are now possible because of the different tactical needs, and because of the advantages which can be gained from having the force concentrated. Lines of communication should become' more efficient and centralised, and the amenities could be more extensive than they are at present. The proposed building programme and change-over of troops will take some time. For instance, it will probably be December next before the new hospital is opened. It has, therefore, been decided that the present building improvements will be continued so that the troops will be as comfortable as possible until they change over. Repatriation Supervision The supervision of the repatriation of Japanese soldiers and civilians from overseas, and of Koreans from Japan to Korea, is one of the more important duties of the New Zealand force which is now almost ended, and the detachments responsible for this work will probably be withdrawn. When the concentration is complete, it is likely that platoons and companies will be sent from the two main centres, both to keep the Japanese under surveillance and to give the troops experience of service conditions. , , All the construction at Ozuki and Yamaguchi will be carried out by allJapanese contract firms under the close supervision of New Zealand engineer officers and men. The firm at present building the barracks m OzuKi is one of the largest in Japan, and its present staff on the job, apart from hundreds of casuals, exceeds 800. With the new project at Ozuki, the planning and building of which are comparable with the design and construction of an entire new town, provision has been made for a water supply, sewerage, stormwater drains, roading, lighting, and hot water. 4 large well-qualified staff of Japanese, working under close supervision, has been available for much of the detailed work. Directing the project as a whole is Major G. W. King, of Gisborne, and with him, as architect-in-charge, is Captain R. S. Kerr, of Christchurch.