Image TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage Tile
Image size: 5632x7680 Scale: 35% - PanoJS3
Page overview thumbnail

Article text

PLANES FLY FIRST OF
TROOPS TO JAPAN
Australians Soon in
Action in Korea
Australia's first draft of. troops for Korea arrived by
air in Japan yesterday aboard two planes, and will be in
action within weeks.
Wartime secrecy ana security measures marKea tne nignt de-
parture of the Australian spearhead from r Mascot .aerodrome,
Sydney, by -Qantas Skymaster, this week;- i
It is believed there were about 80 men in the first flight of
ho- nirliff.
The incoming troops will at
present make up half a bat
talion. Australian occupation
forces to a full Battalion will
then be brigaded with two bat
talions of British troops who
arrived In Korea direct from
Hong Kong on Tuesday,.
The newly arrived" Australian
troops, all volunteers, went into
barracks at the British Com
monwealth Occupation Forces
headquarters at Iwakuna, 400
miles west of Tokio.
The : Australians , will take
their- own- weapons and supply
system with them , to Koj-ea. .
. Speaking at the departure
of the troops the Minister for
the Army (Mr. Francis) said
that , additional men would , be
sent at intervals to Japan by
planes , in: the next three
weeks.
.-Most- or the Initial draft has
been in the Australian Regular
Army for 18 months, -and
rounded oil long, and thorough
training with an intensive pre-
embarkation course at Ingle-
burn.
They are all members of the
Australian- Regular Army at
tached to the 1st Battalion of
the Royal Australian Regi
ment. j
Among a small - group of
people who farewellcd them at
Mascot were Mr; Francis and
the General Officer Command
ing Eastern; Command (Lieu-
tenarit-General, 'F. H. Berry-
man). '
In charge, was Major R. A.
Gordon, who served in the
Middle East, - Syria, the Owen
Stanley Ranges and Bougain
ville.
Departure of the Skymas-
ter was delayed an . hour
while ' a detailed check of
the plane was made in case
of sabotage.
JPollce . and army officers
maintained a close security
check while the men filed out
of buses at the Mascot cus
toms house in readiness to
board the aircraft.
.The troops carried .303 rlflles,
bayonets, water bottles and
webbing gear. Their average
age was .23 and there were
eight World War II service
men among them.
Only eight people saw the
troops off. Two mothers and
three young girls wept as the
men boarded the Skymaster.
Miss Valdah Watson, of Potts
Point, said she was engaged to
Sergeant J. R. Graham, the
draft's senior non-commis
sioned officer. They would
have been married, but did not
get time to arrange a . wed-
rilne-.
Leader Fouqht in Islands
Major. Gordon, who was
chosen as one of the officers
for the Korean campaign be
cause of his experience in the
islands of the type of warfare
being waged there, said his
draft would join the' 3rd Bat
talion of the B.C.O.F. as re
placements.
"These boys will be In the
Korean fighting soon, and are
just rearing to go," he said.
"Although they did not know
officially that they were to go
today, they had a pretty fair
Idea. Their standards of physi
cal fitness and efficiency will
be as good as the best over
there.
"They were told three days
ago to get ready for Korea.
They had the week end off for
leave and were packed and
ivudv (!>;': mtfcr:w!.v
j ! ith
lei! while . Tnev
laughed, joked,, told yarns and
faced a battery of press and
newsreel cameras. Several
talked with :Mr. Francis and
General Berryman.
After Mr. Francis .remarked
that the Australians who
would fight in Korea knew
what the fighting was about,
Private W. Lyons, of Lidcombe,
said: "Sure, everyone knows
what it's all about. Let's cut
the cackle and get it all over/'
When the men were
ordered aboard the aircraft,
they were checked out of the
office and again on the
plane.
P.M/s Message
-Before the TCnrpnn ' (Jrflfi
left Ingleburn. Mr. Francis in
spected more - than 300 volun
teers at the camp, and read.. a
message irom tne Prune Min
ister (Mr. Menzles).
Mr. Menzies wished the
troops God speed in the mis
sion they were about to un
dertake. He' said that in leav
ing Australia to take their
place with the men of other
freedom-loving nations m re
sisting Communist aggression
they were carrying on the
splendid traditions founded by
Australian fighting men in two
world wars.
"May your task be accom
plished with equal success,"
the message ended.
Mr, . Francis - told the troops
that the Communist drive
In Asia was a direct and
positive threat to Australia's
position as a major Pacific
Power and principal ally of
the United States.
The Korean conflict was not
a civil- war. but a deliberately
ana eatehUiy calculated plan
.mat vftH-prt iTssirfi'r.f.Iv- Int.n t l-.f-
obvta) s Cv?/innmhls f strategy in
the 1 ar East v
I wiijh to pay tHbutftv.io
and express, the highest ad-1
miration of the (readiness .with
which you all responded to the
call . for volunteers worn 1 the
Australian Regular Army."
said Mr. Francis.
-The task you are to - under
take is a vital one. dedicated
to the preservation Qf our way
of life as a democratic people
determined to uphold the four
ireeaoms of the Atlantic
Charter."
Mr. Francis said he was
confident that Australians in
Korea would achieve new
fame and add distinction to
the already fine record of
Australian military forces.
HAPPY IN THE SERVICE. — These Bmiling sea cadets certainly seemed to been- joying life when they returned io Melbourne yesterday from an eight-day , cruise aboard the corvette H.M.A.S. Gladstone. Help
HAPPY IN THE SERVICE. — These Bmiling sea cadets certainly seemed to been-
joying life when they returned io Melbourne yesterday from an eight-day
, cruise aboard the corvette H.M.A.S. Gladstone.
$