PM Transcripts

FOR PRESS P. M. 23/ 1964
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATION AT MacARTHUR
FUNEA
Statement by the Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Menzies
The Prime Minister ( Sir Robert Menzies) announced
today that Australia would be represented at the funeral of
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur by the Australian
Ambassador to the United States, Sir Howard Beale, K. B. E.,
the Rt. Hon. FM. Forde and General Sir John Northcott,
K. C. MG., C. B.
The Head of the Australian Joint Services Staff
in Washington, Major General C. Long will represent
the Australian Military Services at the funeral which takes
place on Saturday, April 11.
Mr. Forde and Sir John Northcott will leave Sydney
by air for the United States tomorrow ( Thursday) evening and
will arrive in Washington on Friday morning ( Washington time).
CANBERRA 8th April, 1964.
BACKGROUND NOTE Mr. Forde was Minister for the Army and
Deputy Prime Minister in 194+ 2, when General MacArthur arrived
in Australia to establish his headquarters here and he continued
to be Minister for the Army throughout the period in which General
MacArthur was stationed in Australia.
Sir John Northcott, a former Governor of
New South Wales, was Chief of the General Staff from 1942 to
1945 and was Commander of the British Commonwealth Occupation
Force in Japan in 1945/ 4+ 6. Both of these appointments brought
him into close contact with the late General MacArthur.
J I