West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Saturday 7 September 1946, page 11


BRITISH DECORATIONS. Services in the S.W.P.A. CANBERRA, Sept. 6.-Twelve Americans, including five major- I generals, have been awarded de- I corations by the King for outstanding services in the SouthWest Pacific. This was announced today from Government House. Major-General Lelf Jack Sverdrup, U.S. Army, was made an honorary i Commander of the Military Division I of the Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.) for his work in ensuring a continuous stream of supplies andi aircraft during the most critical ( period of Australia's history.-He was largely responsible for the vast American construction, programme for the defence of Australia. He car-a ried out reconnalssnces ith the face of the enemy and rushed to completion the construction of airfields [ at Port Moresby and Milne Bay. i Other decorations included four c honorary Commanders of the Mill-l tary Division of. the Order of the , British Empire (C.B.E.), two Honorary Officers of the Order (O.BE.) and. one honorary Member of the i Order (M.B.E.). The awards were: C.B.E. r Major-General Hugh John Casey (US. Army). who co-ordinated all engineering efforts in the S.WP.A. between March, 1942, and Apri, 1945. He helped to mould Australian and American efforts during the I Pacific campaigns. 1 Major-General Stephen Jones Chamberlin U.S. { Army). who helped' to develop Australia as a base for the American Army. He helped to direct the strategic and operational planning of all Allied forces in the S.W.P.A. Major-General Lester Johnson a Whitlock (U.S. Army). who helped I pioneer American headquarters in Australia. He worked with Austra1ans on -questions involving LendLease transportations and supplies. Major-General Charles Albert Willoughby (US. Army), who helped to organise .and co-ordinate Australian and American intelligence services in the S.W.P.A. O.B.E. Colonel Sidney Forrester Mashbir I (US. Army), who for nearly three 1 years co-ordinated the work of the Translator and Interpreter Service. Colonel Mashbir repeatedly acknowledgea his debt to the Australian services, particularly the Australian Army, for help in this work. SColonel Walter Compere Lattimore (U.S. Army), who was liaison officer with the -second Australia Army and was later base commander at both Oro Bay and Finschhafen. He was G H.Q. Co-ordinator 1 at Morotal between April and July, 1945. He contributed Greatly to the successful movement of Australian forces for the Borneo operations, Lieutenant Ernest Williams (US. L Naval Reserve), who commanded - tank landing craft in the Altape Iarea. His persnal reconnaissances helped to land supplies, guns and e ammunitions for forward Australian - troopse. D MILITARY MEDAL. staff-Sgt. Benjamin F. Nash (US. SArmy), who, accompanied by natives, carried out extensive patrols and scouting missions In enemy tenttory on Bougainville. With another sergeant he infiltrated into enemy k encampment areas at Soraken during March, 1945. After waiting three days they seized a prisoner but he seemed unintelligent, sb they waited another day and seized another two t from whom information essential for future operational planning was obtained. MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES. Captain Joseph J. Wallner. Tech- nical-Sgt. Paul J. Lusid and Sgt. Arvie O. Maberry, of the U.S. Army.