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Post by EXO on May 17, 2021 14:47:31 GMT 8
Table Tops was a free daily newspaper produced for Australian Army personnel, published in Queensland, Australia, with regional editions produced abroad for serving personnel. The newspaper was produced seven days a week: weekday and Saturday editions were four pages long while Sunday editions were eight pages. Occasional special editions were produced in addition to the daily editions. It contained news on the progress of the war, as well as home news such as current events in Australia and sport results. I found two editions in my father's footlocker. Being stationed in Manila with MacArthur's HQ., he was well informed as to the news from home. A close reading contains some surprises which may shock us today, but which were considered normal for the times. Australia had, after all, been in the war since 1939, and by proportion of population, had more men in uniform than the United States.
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Post by beirutvet on May 18, 2021 9:00:29 GMT 8
EXO
Great find!
Could you perhaps give us a little back story on the piece about 6 victory ships to be bringing home the troops? There seems to be a hand printed note (I presume your father's) where it is written "Any good eh!" across the article. Was it perhaps in joy that one of these would be bringing him home?
I also got a charge out of the item about the bugging of Yamashita's HQ. Was this confirmed and did it have any effect at his trial?
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Beirutvet, I'll answer what I can here. My father had been attached to the Americans since Nadzab, and was supplied by them. By Manila, about all he had left of his Australian uniform kit was an old slouch hat, the rest of his gear was US supply. So he had actually hoped that he'd be leaving Manila with the unit, whether that was to Tokyo or back with them via the West Coast. He was disappointed when his unit departed first, and it was neither, and so there were a relative handful of the Aussies left in Manila, with no priority. So his comment addressed the many promises given to them, largely with an 'I'll believe it when it actually happens, and not a second before" attitude. He often criticised the Australian Army for its "pinchpenny attitude." There was often a "bloody" in that, too!
I know a little of the backstory concerning Chick Parson's SPYRON, and Col. Smith was connected with Parsons. It's an intriguing possibility, I'll admit. I'll readily believe that the cells where the Japanese senior officers were kept pending trial were bugged. I'll ask Peter Parsons.
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