WAR ON JAPAN

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 5, 1 October 1943, Page 4

WAR ON JAPAN

British Mission In The Pacific STUDY OF TACTICS AND WEAPONS Visit To New Zealand “Maximum British co-operation with the United States in future operations against the Japanese is now being planned,” said the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, in announcing last night that a special British Military, Naval and Air Mission, headed by Major-General J. S. Lethbridge, is to arrive shortly in New Zealand en route to Australia. Mr. Fraser said that General Lethbridge and his staff were engaged in the study of all problems of tactics, weapons, supply, transport, communications and medical services connected with the war against Japan other than future operational planning. The Mission had already spent some weeks in the United States. . “In the South Pacific and Southwest Pacific members of the mission hope to observe the fighting against the Japanese at first hand, as well aS obtain the benefit of discussion with Australian, New Zealand and United States officers who have had recent experience in action in the Solomons and New Guinea,” said Mr. Fraser. “The mission will later go to India, where they will similarly benefit from experience gained ou the Burma front.” The Prime Minister said that, the mission was formed after Mr. Churchill’s speech on June 30, 1943, at the Guildhall. In this speech lie promised! that “when Germany has been crushed in Europe every man, every ship and every aeroplane in the King’s service that can be moved to the Pacific will be sent, and there maintained in action for as many years as are needed to make the Japanese, in their turn, submit or bite the dust.” In. order that British forces might, when they could be released from the European theatre of war, quickly be made ready to cooperate to tlie full witli tlie United! States against the Japanese, many problems connected with their re-equip-ment and reorganization must first be solved. Evidence of Positive Action. . “The work of General Lethbridge and his staff,” said Mr. Fraser, “will ensure that the solutions of these problems are reached in the light of the accumulation of experience and knowledge available from those active theatres which they are visiting. The formation and dispatch of the mission is the clearest possible indication that the words which Mr. Churchill spoke at the Guildhall are at once being followed by positive action to implement, in due course, the promise which he then made.

“That the British Government is taking these measures'll! full consultation and agreement with the United States, New Zealand, Australia and India, is the best augury for full and effective co-operation against the Japanese, as soon as the world situation permits. “The mission is coinposed of officers of all three Britisli fighting, services. The senior naval member is RearAdmiral F. H. W. Goolden. and the senior air member is Air Commodore L. L. MacLenn. The United Kingdom Army contingent includes Brigadiers 11. Bartlett (Royal Corps of Signals) nnd McAlevev, R.A.M.C. Representatives from both tlie Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force are included.' Tlie mission is accompanied by Captain Bliek, of the United States Navy, Colonels Robins and De Ware, of tlie United States Army, and Colonel Moore, of she United States Army Air Force.”

Major-General John Sydney Lethbridge. C.8.E., M.C., commander of the mission, is 45, a graduate of the Still Collce. and saw service m I 1 rance, netgiuniTAfglianistnu nnd Norih-YVest Frontier from 1914 to 1921, with the Royal Engineers. Since 1936 he has been attached to the YVar Office, where us Director of Liaison ami Munitions he has done outstanding work, lie has largely responsible for the smooth working and admirable spirit, which has alwavs existed in the Army Sub-Committee of the London Munitions Assignment Board.