Appeal To Lay Down Arms
MELBOURNE, Friday.—Leaflets in pidgin English, urging Australians to cease fighting have been dropped by the Japanese in Malaya during indiscriminate bombing raids. The leaflets, crudely composed, attempted to cause a cleavage between Allied troops.
One of the leaflets brought to Australia by a R.A.A.F. officer, who retrieved it during a raid, was released for publication yesterday by the Minister for Air (Mr. Drakeford). It states:—
“1. We inform you, Australian soldier, that, as at present the main fleets of the English Far Eastern and American Pacific squadrons have nearly destroyed by Japanese navy, it is too clear that you will have to incur the miserable and dreadful state which was formerly shown in the battle at the island Create and in Dunkerque if you dare to continue fighting against us, Japan.
“2. Home soldiers of England in Malay are ready to retreat, and, by the order of London a great many transports have assembled together. Sorry to say, they are now under our fierce air raid.
“3. As you know too well the English not only name the Australian sheep farmer and treat you as the countrymen, but also at this present war the English make you stand at the first line in the battle field while the English behave as rearguards to watch you to fight and die. Accordingly, a great many Anzak soldiers were killed in the battlefields of Malay and Kota Bharu during hand to hand fighting against Japanese soldiers, and you left behind are also
Army News, Darwin, Northern Territories, Australia, January 4, 1942