BROADCAST FROM TOKYO

Southland Times, Issue 24822, 14 August 1942, Page 5

BROADCAST FROM TOKYO

FORMER ANNOUNCER OF 2GB, SYDNEY (Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.PA.) (Rec. 10.50 p.m.) SYDNEY, August 13. A former Sydney radio announcer, who was taken prisoner after the fighting in Malaya, is believed to be broadcasting English news and commentaries from Tokyo. He is Captain Charles Cousens, formerly chief announcer at Station 2GB Sydney. Military investigators believe the broadcasts are being made under duress. Mrs Cousens has identified the voice as that of her husband and the identification has been confirmed by other investigators. She describes the broadcasts as “terrible and tragic.” Former broadcasting associates of Captain Cousens describe the voice as “colourless, flat and sick” and quite different from his normal broadcasting voice. They believe he has been tortured or confronted with evidence of Japanese atrocities and, hoping that he might be able to ease the lot of his fellow prisoners, has at last consented to go on the air. Captain Cousens, who comes from an English military family was a graduate of the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. He saw service at the Khyber Pass, where he was decorated. His father holds the rank of colonel. One brother is interned in Turkey, another is missing after Royal Air Force operations and a third is on service in Abyssinia. The Minister of Information, Senator W. P. Ashley, said today investigations indicated that Captain Cousens was broadcasting direct from Tokyo. Investigators were of opinion that the broadcasts were being made under duress. The voice has been heard on the air several times during the past fortnight at 9.15 p.m., New Zealand time, and again at 12.15 a.m.