Nine hundred and ninety two urns containing the ashes of Americans, Australians and other prisoners of war, have been collected from camps in Japan and stored in a makeshift mausoleum for shipment to the US and other countries.

Most of the ashes are in porcelain urns. Some, particularly those of Australians, are in small, square teakwood boxes. Eighty two of the urns contain the ashes of former Australian prisoners of war.

The cost of the war to Australia until June, 1945, was £2111 million ($4222m) or £287/9/1 ($574.91) a head of population, according to figures released by the Department of Information.

Taxation provided for 34 per cent of the expenditure, public loans, war savings certificates and interest free loans provided £958 million ($1916m), treasury balances £86 million ($172m), and treasury bills £343 million ($686m). Pay for the fighting forces amounted to £604 million ($1208m), maintenance of forces, £252 million ($504m), aircraft war stores equipment cost £555 million ($1110m), works buildings £145 million ($290m), reciprocal lend lease £258 million ($516m), recoverable expenditure on supplies services for other Governments £209 million ($418m).

From a population of 7,300,000, nearly 1,000,000 men were enlisted for full time and there were 66,000 women in the auxiliary services.

Herb Narvo, of Merewether, heavyweight boxing champion of Australia, and outstanding Rugby League forward, will fight Bill Fuller in the main contest at Newcastle Stadium on Saturday night.

It is Narvo's first contest since he was discharged front the RAAF and is the first of a series he will have before defending his Australian title. Narvo was a physical training instructor in the RAAF and had many contests for the entertainment of troops and airmen. One of the most versatile athletes Australia has produced, Narvo has been a champion cyclist and a Soccer footballer. He represented Australia at Rugby League, and was one of the successes of the last English tour.

He has a unique record as a boxer. His first bout was a main event, and he won the heavyweight championship of Australia after only a few contests. Big crowds have seen him fight in Newcastle, Sydney and Brisbane. He is not a stylist, but is a heavy puncher and is strong and tough. He won most of his contests in the early rounds by the speed of his attack. Fuller, like Narvo, is rugged and is able to take punishment.

The vanguard of 40,000 British Empire troops who will participate in the occupation of Japan is scheduled to arrive on January 1, 1946, it is authoritatively stated, according to the Tokio correspondent of the New York Times.

The force will consist of Australians, New Zealanders, Indians, and Britons.

It will not have a specific occupation area, but will be distributed throughout Japan as reinforced regimental combat teams - small self-contained forces able to strike independently in any direction against any contemplated type of opposition. They will probably be under American overall command.

The Australians, who are expected to arrive first, will consist of contingents from the Sixth, Seventh and Ninth Divisions. The New Zealand contingent will consist of a brigade or more to be shipped from Italy.

A considerable section of RAAF have been assigned to Japan and will probably be under the command of the American Fifth Air Force.

It is now stated that all Empire contingents will furnish their own supplies.

Mr A.C. Iverson, of Ferndale Street, Tighes Hill, is anxious to hear from returned servicemen who may have information about his son, Driver J. Iverson, who was reported captured at the fall of Singapore. Driver Iverson enlisted in Queensland in 1940. He was a member of 2/26 Battalion.

Mr A. Dunnett, of Queen Street, Cook's Hill, wishes to hear from anyone who can give information about his son, Private Arthur Robert Dunnett, last heard of at Singapore. Private Dunnett was in C Company, 2/20 Battalion.

Mr J. Windsor, of Smith Street, Charlestown, would like to hear from returned prisoners who knew Gunner E. A. Windsor, of the 29th Battery, 2/15th Field Regiment. Gunner Windsor, who was taken prisoner at Singapore, is believed to have died while a prisoner of war in Japanese hands on May 27 this year.

The liners Aquitania and Orion are scheduled to embark 5500 members of the RAAF in Britain in the next fortnight, leaving only about 1000 Australian airmen in Britain.

The Aquitania will leave for Australia on Sunday with 2000 RAAF men, and the Orion is due to sail on November 9 with 2500 airmen.

The remainder of RAAF men in Britain will embark in the next few weeks, but a skeleton staff will be maintained at RAAF Headquarters in London until early in 1946.

The plan to erect an Unknown Warrior's Tomb in Civic Park has been endorsed by the Civic sub-branch of the Returned Soldiers' League.

The President (Mr W. Oakes) said the tomb would not be a returned soldiers' monument, but a citizens' tribute to men from Newcastle district who made the supreme sacrifice in two world wars. It would be a memorial where relatives could pause for a moment.

The proposed War Memorial Culture Centre would not interfere with the suggested site for the tomb in the centre of Civic Park. If an Unknown Warrior's Tomb was vetoed by the authorities, then a cenotaph would be acceptable although not regarded as fully fulfilling the wishes of the people.

"I fail to see why there should be only one Unknown Warrior's Tomb in each State," said Mr Oakes.

Mrs Jack Parsons, of Broadmeadow Road, Broadmeadow, has been notified that her husband, Driver J.W. Parsons, died while a prisoner of war in Borneo on July 12, 1945. A veteran of the 1914-18 War, he was taken prisoner at the fall of Singapore.

Mrs V. H. Farrell, of William Street, Adamstown, has been officially advised that her husband, Sergeant Vincent Farrell, of the 2/10th Australian Field Ambulance died on July 19, 1945, whilst a prisoner of war in Borneo.

Between 24,000 and 30,000 Australian troops previously not due home before March will be home for Christmas because of the allocation to Australia of six US Victory ships as transports.

The Commonwealth Government asked for help from the Allied shipping pool, controlled from London and Washington. The Victory ships, which can carry a total of 12,000 to 15,000 troops, will each make two trips between Australia and the islands by Christmas, and it is hoped they will make a third voyage early next year. In addition the Commonwealth Government has had the commercial steamer Canberra renovated and it will soon be available as a transport.

During the war, 33 ships, representing 150,000 tons, were sunk in Australian coastal waters, the Premier (Mr McKell), said in Newcastle. Eighteen ships were British and 11 were American. The last one lost was on Christmas Day, 1944, 95 miles (150kms) from Gabo Island, on the south-eastern section of the Australian coast.

Mrs F.B. Gower, of Denison Street, Hamilton, has received word that her youngest son, Corporal H. J. Gower, has been mentioned in dispatches.

The citation, announced by the Governor-General on October 20, 1945, stated that Corporal Gower, a cypher assistant, rendered conspicuous service during the landings at Tadji and Noemfoor. When under threat of enemy action, his cheerfulness and enthusiasm, with his cool efficiency and energetic leadership, greatly influenced his fellow airmen. Corporal Gower was educated at the Junior High School, Newcastle, and has served with the RAAF for three years, most of his service being overseas. Before joining the services he was employed at Rylands, Newcastle.

Private Donald McNaughton died while a prisoner of war in Sandakan camp, Borneo, on June 27, 1945, according to a notification received by his wife. Private McNaughton enlisted from Charlestown in June, 1940. He was formerly employed by the Broken Hill Proprietary Co. Ltd.

Mr E.Johns, of Wallsend Road, Shortland, has been advised that his son, Gunner William Johns, is presumed to have died on July 1, 1942. Gunner Johns left Fort Scratchley for Rabaul in 1942 and was reported missing. Before enlistment he was employed by Commonwealth Steel at Newcastle.

Mr and Mrs W Cheshire, Broadmeadow Road, Broadmeadow, want to hear from any returned soldier or prisoner of war who knew, or has heard anything of their son, Signalman C.W.J. Cheshire. 2/30 Battalion. He enlisted at the beginning of the war, and was at the fall of Malaya and the capture of Singapore. Signalman Cheshire was last heard of in Java. He escaped from Singapore in 1942.

Merchant ships which carried guns for protection against submarine attack during the war are being disarmed at Newcastle by the DEMS section of the RAN. Big guns, machine-guns, rockets and smoke apparatus have been removed from the Dilga, Yarra, Matthew Flinders, William MacArthur, and Iron Master. Other ships will be disarmed as they reach port. The equipment will be sent on to naval stores.

Mr and Mrs P.O. Jackson, of Russell Road, New Lambton, have been advised that their eldest son, Gunner Fred P. Jackson. of 2/15th Field Regiment, RAAF, AIF, died at a prisoner of war camp at Sandakan, Borneo, on July 2. Gunner Jackson was educated at the Newcastle Boys' High School and at Armidale. Before his enlistment he was on the staff of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney.

Advice has been received by Mr H. Grimwood, of Burns Street, Redhead, that his son, Gunner Joseph R. Grimwood, died of illness while a prisoner in Borneo. Gnr. Grimwood was captured at the fall of Singapore. Before enlisting he was employed at the Burwood colliery. He was educated at Redhead Public School, and the Newcastle Boys' High School.

Mrs D.W. Hawkins, of McIsaac Street, Tighes Hill, has been advised that her brother, Private Stanley Chapman, died while a prisoner of war at Sandakan, Borneo, on June 4 last.

Advice of the death from illness of Private Robert Lorne Lindsay, of Lorn, West Maitland, was received by relatives. Private Lindsay, who enlisted in 1940, died at Sandakan, Borneo, on June 18, 1945. Before enlisting he was well known as an auctioneer in Maitland district, having founded the firm of R.L. Lindsay.

About 790 members of the RAAF, nearly all aircrew, are missing in the South-west Pacific. Although no other theatre of war presents such a difficult task, everything will be done to trace and rescue those who may be still alive, or definitely establish the death of those who did not survive. The RAAF has established a special investigation service. The problem of tracing missing airmen is extremely difficult as they may have baled out, or forced landed anywhere in the vast area of the ocean, or on an island. Prisoner of war officers have been sent to all reoccupied territories, and already they have supplied information of RAAF personnel.