ABOUT £600 A MINUTE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 15, 13 October 1943, Page 5

ABOUT £600 A MINUTE

Australia’s War Bill CANBE RR A. October 12. The casualties suffered by the Australian armed services since the beginning of the war to August 31. 1943. numbered G1.5G4. Of those 13,908 were J<i9ed in action or died of wounds. 14.<0S were wounded. 20.823 were taken prisoner, and 12.131 posted as missing. The total of the Royal Australian ISavy casualties, not. previously released, is 23(58. 'These are included in ollicial figures of the Commonwealth’s war effort which have just been announced. Since the outbreak of the Pacific war. the Allied air forces in the South-west Pacific area have destroyed 1539 Japanese aircraft, probably destroyed 493. and damaged 581. Australian servicemen in this war have won 4084 awards and decorations. These include 11 Victoria Crosses. Of the total, of 2.529.000 males now occupied. 842.000. or nearly one-third, have enlisted in the fighting forces. 1.531.000. or GO per cent., are engaged in direct or indirect war work, and only 117.000, or under 5 per cent., continue io produce factory-made goods for eivilan needs.

From Australia’s total of 2.823,000 males of 14 years and over. 2.529.000, or 8G per cent., are either fighting, doing direct, war jobs, or in civilian employment.

By the end of September the war had cost Australia £1.247,000.000. or about £GOO a minute. Paring September Australian war expenditure was £1,754.000 a day, or £l2lB a minute. Expenditure on the R.A.A.F. since war began hay been more than £224.000,000.

No combat airman would return to civil life after th<‘ war with normal hearing. said an American ear specialist. Dr. Walter Hughson, addressing (he National Association of Ear, Nose and r l hroaf: Specialists, lie estimated that there would be 250,000 cases of impaired bearing among servicemen as a result of the war.