Newcastle Morning Herald transcriptions and Hunter Valley enlistment and death details for
April 5 - 11
NAZIS ADMIT DEFEAT
"We give warning to the world that we are now in the remarkable position of being forced to admit that it is possible to defeat us militarily," says Himmler's newspaper "Das Schwarze Korps," in the gloomiest editorial yet to come out of Germany, reports the Berlin correspondent of the Stockholm "Dagens Nyheter."
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"The war now is in the phase where it seems that only days or weeks separate the German people from total collapse," it says.
URGED TO SURRENDER
The Vatican newspaper "L'Osservatore Romano" urges the Germans to lay down their arms.
"Some authority in Germany having the power to order the laying down of arms along the whole front must ask for an armistice," it says. "Although Nazi propaganda itself now concedes that the war is lost, the Germans, rather than yield, are plunging themselves into an abyss of suffering which will destroy all their recuperative powers. Such a conception of honour is an absurdity judged from any standard. In God's name, end this bloodshed."
CESSNOCK AIRMAN FREED
Many hundreds of British and American prisoners of war have been liberated on the Western Front, according to the latest reports received in London. So far the name of only one Australian freed has been released by the War Office. He is Flight Sergeant David Keirs, RAAF, of Cessnock, a wireless operator, who was shot down early in January. About 160,000 British and Empire servicemen are prisoners in Germany, and when they begin to flow into Allied hands the preliminary sorting will be a massive undertaking.
The Australian services will be well represented at the Continental transit and embarkation centres for prisoners. In Britain there is great activity in planning for the return of the 6000 Australians still somewhere in Germany. Supplementing the main Australian Army prisoner of war reception camp, about 60 miles from London, the Australian Red Cross is now preparing a residential club in one of the choicest parts of London. About 20 adjoining four-storey houses, accommodating about 750 men, have been secured. The RAAF has secured several large hotels at a popular seaside resort for its 850 prisoners of war.
PUSH WAR ON JAPANESE
"An understanding on the part of all Governments is that the war in the Pacific will have to be waged when Germany is no longer capable of resistance," said the Prime Minister (Mr Curtin). "At the end of the European war all RAAF personnel overseas would return to continue the fight in the Pacific," he added. "They are needed for fighting here, and, besides, there will be a number ready for discharge because of the long service they have had overseas." Referring to a suggestion that some RAAF personnel might be required to form part of the army of occupation in Europe, Mr Curtin said: "We must clean this war up first before we hypothecate about the future."
MILLIONS WILL DIE: JAPAN
Tokio Radio states that Vice-Admiral Takijiro Onishi, Commander of the naval and air forces in the Philippines, said in a broadcast: "If the enemy attempts landings on our homeland we must be prepared to lose 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 lives." The radio said Wednesday's raid had caused fires in the Tokio and Yokohama area, but claimed that three Superfortresses were shot down.
MACARTHUR TO LEAD
General MacArthur is to command all the army forces in the Pacific theatre of war and Admiral Nimitz all the naval forces. General Arnold will continue to command the 20th (Superfortress) Air Force. "The Joint Chiefs of Staff, with the President's approval, have modified the command organisation for the war against Japan with a view to giving full effect to the application of our forces against the Japanese, including the large forces to be redeployed from Europe, taking into account the changed conditions that have resulted from the progress made both in the South-west Pacific and the Pacific Ocean areas.
"The rapid advances in both areas have brought us to close proximity with the Japanese homeland and the China coast, and the corresponding change in the character of the operations to be conducted are considerations which dictated the new directive. "General MacArthur will be given command of all the army forces and resources and Admiral Ninmitz all the naval forces and resources in the Pacific theatre."
AUSSIES INDEFATIGABLE
"Australians in build and fitness were as powerful as any other race in the world," said Commander Gene Tunney, of the US Navy, and former world champion heavyweight boxer, who is visiting Canberra.
"I have seen Australians in action from the Philippines down to the Solomons and in jungle fighting, they are indefatigable," he said. "On Bougainville, the Australians have taken over against an enemy that never knows when it is licked. The Japs are not game, but tradition and training have been indoctrinated with fanaticism.
"Although I am not in a position to say if the Australians could be doing a more important job, it is ridiculous to say they are playing a minor role. If they are, I would like to know what is a major role," he added.
Conditions of Army service in the tropics made sports and athletics imperative if men were to keep fit, he said. Much had been done to combat tropical diseases, and on Saipan, where the whole island had been covered by a newly-discovered powder, not a single fly or mosquito could be found. If this could have been done during the American campaign in the Solomons 100,000 cases of malaria and dengue might have been avoided. Touring Allied war fronts, Commander Tunney is reporting on the effectivencss of various physical fitness programs.
BANZAI ATTACK SLAUGHTER
Following last week's overwhelming victory in Bougainville on the Buin road, when Matilda tanks, used for the first time, slaughtered Japanese attackers, the enemy again suffered terrific losses as they ran in screaming, banzai charges right into the muzzles of Australian automatic weapons. First warning of the suicide attacks came when our lines were cut just before 5am. Less than a minute later swarms of Japanese came racing down the Buin road from the south in formation for a frontal assault in traditional banzai manner. The tropical moon brought out their figures in sharp relief and our Vickers, Bren and Owen gunners held their fire, until the first line of enemy hit our wire defences.
Then our guns opened in earnest. Great heaps of bodies lined our perimeter and it grew ever higher as the Japanese invited death with repeated assaults. For more than an hour the initial battle raged and, as the enemy withdrew into the heavily jungled valley surrounding Slater's Knoll one post could count 150 dead. The second phase of the attack opened with enemy fire from an adjacent knoll, but an anti-tank gun cut one enemy mortar position to pieces with its first few rounds. The enemy then attempted infiltration through our wires, but the small parties were quickly wiped out from short range.
Matilda tanks moved out into the valley between Slater's and an adjacent knoll and their appearance demoralised the Japanese and they broke ranks, screaming in fear, before the hail of lead from the tank guns. Anzac Corsairs and Boomerangs joined in the fray with strafing attacks and caused havoc in more than 50 sorties. At least one Japanese 37mm tank attack gun and a big ammunition dump were destroyed.
As the tanks returned to our headquarters they were loaded high with captured enemy equipment, which included nearly 40 light machine-guns.
TROOPS TO CIVILIANS
Turning servicemen into civilians would not be easy, because many of them had never lived as adult civilians, said the Governor (Lord Wakehurst). Lord Wakehurst, who was speaking at the official opening of the temporary premises of Anzac House, said rehabilitation of servicemen had the interest of the whole community, and the fund subscribed revealed a hope that something would be done for them on their return. There would always be the need for such voluntary organisations as the RSL to look after the welfare of servicemen, no matter how efficient were official plans, the Governor said.
LAMP FLASHES AIDED PLANE
A message, "OK Return to base," flashed in Morse by a member of the Volunteer Air Observer Corps at Wamberal, recalled a Catalina to base when its radio was unserviceable. The flying-boat was out in increasingly stormy weather searching for a Mosquito bomber presumed to be lost. The Mosquito landed safely and the RAAF station at Rathmines, where the Catalina was based, tried to recall it by wireless. The weather was so bad that all attempts at radio contact failed. It was discovered later that a technical fault in the flying-boat's receiving set would have made reception impossible in any case.
Darkness had fallen and Mr Sexty, VAOC chief observer at Wamberal, was requested to man his post. Mr Sexty stood by with a standard signalling lamp, and on hearing the Catalina's engines flashed out in Morse the required message. This was understood, and the flying-boat turned back to Rathmines.
MANY DID NOT SEE BOMBER
"G for George," the famous Lancaster bomber, flew low over parts of Newcastle on Wednesday. People in Hamiilton, Tighes Hill and Mayfield had a good view of it, but thousands in the city and other suburbs did not see it at all. The Lancaster is touring the State to boost the Third Victory Loan.
1000 GIRLS NEEDED: WAAAF
The WAAAF needs 1000 girls by June 30. In an effort to obtain this number, as well as recruits for the AAMWS. and AWAS, a women's Recruiting Committee has been established in Newcastle. Plans for publicity, which include the distribution of leaflets explaining enlistment, and the showing of slides, have been made. Previous experience is not always necessary to enrol in any of the 60 categories in which women may serve in the WAAAF. One of the big features of the Air Force is the valuable training it gives. Girls are helped to advancement to the limit of their capacity. and in a rapidly expanding service such as this, opportunities for promotion are plentiful. A few of the 60 musterings are - telegraphists, technical trainees, motor transport drivers, cooks and trainee cooks, clerks, clerk trainees, dental and nursing attendants and storekeepers, drill instructresses, mess stewardesses and mess women.
DEDICATION AT WALLSEND
Wallsend sub-branch of the Returned Soldiers' League have accepted an invitation from Rev. J S. Bullough to attend a service in St. Luke's Church of England on Sunday night, at which stained glass windows would be unveiled and dedicated. The central of three windows would be dedicated in memory of fallen servicemen.
Enlistments
Eric Joseph Austin, Singleton; Thomas William Burrell, Pelaw Main; William Colin Cashen, Lambton; Edward Victor Cheshire, Bolton Point; John Edward Hall, Abermain; Thomas Hepple Thomas, Adamstown; Gwenyth Margaret Jones, Cooranbong; George Henry Lasker, Marks Point; Robert Desmond Mitchell, Newcastle; Jessie Willoughby, Wickham; Stanley Clifford Wilson, Cooranbong; Robert Cooper Woods, Hexham; Edward Eric Campbell, Hamilton; James Alexander Falconer, Mayfield; John Morgan Irwin, Bandon Grove; Reginald Hilditch, Holmesville; Beryl Enid Allan, Cessnock; Marjorie Catherine Barrett, Cessnock; Marion Elaine Batterham, Timor; Phyllis Broadhead, Kurri Kurri; Andreina Brown, Stanford; Neville Kenneth Cashen, Lambton; Elvira Dumbrell, Mayfield; Mary Ewart Hussey, Murrurundi; Norma Patricia Kedwell, Greta; Wilfred Edwin Neems, Scone; George Gordon Perry, Bulahdelah; Douglas William Rawling, Maitland; Clifford Charles Hankinson, Greta.
Deaths
Lance Corporal Claude Albert Gardner, Boolaroo, POW; Private Stanley John Roots, Warkworth; Flight Lieutenant Alex Allan Buck, Stroud; Private John Patrick Moran, Hinton, POW; Private John Denes Guinea, Scone, POW; Flying Officer Dugald John Watson, Newcastle; Signalman Cecil Henry Ayres, Bellbird, POW.