Scorched Earth
Page 4
Bovril; petrol lighter and small supply petrol, or 3 boxes matches; and 1 pkt. A.P.C. Powders6; small bottle iodine; small roll ¾" adhesive plaster; 1×2" bandage; and
1 heavy blanket or rug; 1 small plate; knife, fork and spoon, mug, 1 qt. billycan; tin opener with corkscrew; brush, comb and small mirror; shaving gear; tooth brush and paste; small cake soap; face washer or towel (small); spare socks or stockings; sweater; light waterproof cape or coat; home made water bottle (e.g. 1 qt. flaggon, flannel covered, to sling over shoulder).
(Women to wear strong low-heeled shoes and bush attire.)
- and provide himself with a haversack and/or swag.
10. Every citizen will make two identification discs for himself or herself out of plywood, leather, linen or other household material, mark on it in marking ink, or engraving, his or her Full Name, Occupation, Religion, Age and Address. - And wear it - one on wrist, one around neck.
11. Every citizen will plan emergency retreat for his women and children; the available motor cars will be reserved for such - able-bodied men over 14 will have to retire on foot with swags.
12. Every citizen will pool his other vehicles (trucks, bicycles, carts, tractors), his tools, his essential goods, for collective use in retirement; and will hide or cache what he cannot pool or carry.
13. Every citizen will arrange for the emergency destruction of such of his goods as cannot be hidden or removed; and will see to it that he leaves nothing moveable of use to the enemy, other than house and furniture.
14. Every citizen will arrange to turn on the tap of his water tanks before leaving, and puncture the tank - and spoil his well as far as possible.
15. Every citizen will participate in civil collaboration in either (i) The Volunteer Defence Corps; (ii) The Naval Auxiliary Patrol; (iii) A Guerilla Group; (iv) The N.E.S.-Air Raid Precautions; (v) Labor Corps &c.; or make camouflage nets, do First Aid, make bandages and splints or guerilla uniforms, or make sandbags, or dig trenches, or do camouflage work. And work or drill after hours, and at weekends and on holidays.
16. Every citizen will get busy at once - that is his first battle station and war duty.
17. And every citizen, having arranged these things will get his swag and tools, waterbag or water bottle, billy, identity disc and ration card ready to march in emergency with his mates in a Civil Collaboration Column.
Battle Orders for the Plain Citizen - (ii) In Business:
(i) Every stock and cattle owner -
(a) Will transfer his valuable stud stock to safe places outside possible danger zones in anticipation of emergency.
(b) Will plan his route of retreat for whatever of his stock and cattle can be transferred in emergency, either to secluded bush paddocks, or inland via prescribed travelling stock routes and watering places.
(c) Will plan to divert cattle to the military for use in exploding enemy mines &c.
(d) Will plan emergency destruction and/ or slaughtering of beasts remaining in paddocks readily accessible to the infiltrating enemy - and the diversion through butchers or directly of meat to retiring military or civil forces.
(e) Will plan to have his plough horses, and harness complete with traces or chains, ready in emergency to transfer to the retiring military or civil forces; also his saddle horses and saddles (no saddle horses must fall into enemy hands).
(f) Will select quiet cattle for use as led pack animals.
(g) Before leaving destroy huts etc., haystacks, all food and stores, dams, tanks and water supplies, wells, windmills, and homesteads which would serve as headquarters for the enemy.
(ii) Every butcher:
(a) Will keep in mild brine, the equivalent of one or two weeks’ sales of meat.
(b) Will plan to use his delivery carts for mobile supply in retreat, getting his meat from cattle to be destroyed.
(iii) Every baker -
(a) Will plan for flour and yeast supply in retreat and for bushoven baking and delivery to the military and civil forces - using his civil delivery equipment.
(iv) Every Wholesaler and Retailer: -
(a) Will consign surplus stores and luxury goods to inland places of safety, or to safe caches.
(b) Will reduce his purchases to essentials equal to a month’s turnover.
(c) Will sort out and rearrange his remaining stocks in two sections ready for emergency action:
(i) Essentials - to be removed in retreat, up to the capacity of his ordinary cartage equipment, including string, twine and bags.
(ii) Stores which can be given away to the needy in emergency.
(iii) Stores which must be destroyed in emergency rather than that they should fall to enemy use.
(v) Every druggist, optician, watchmaker -
(a) Will plan for safe removal or transfer to Medical Services, of (1) disinfectants, iodine, melasol7 and the like; drugs, babies’ foods, adhesive tape, gauze, lint, bandages, cotton wool, anaesthetics (ether, cocaine, morphia), surgical scissors, instruments &c., hypodermic syringes, hot water bags, sedatives, aperients &c., soaps &c.
(2) Optical lenses.
(3) Watches.
(vi) Every publican, wine and spirit vendor -
(a) Will plan his stocks in the knowledge that in emergency, he will be required to destroy all beer, light wines and aerated drinks; and load all spirits and fortified wines on his civil-delivery vehicles for transfer to the Medical Services, Civil Casualty Clearing Stations and hospitals behind the fighting front.
(b) Will arrange for his cooks and waitresses, with all available food supplies, knives, forks, spoons &c., to join up with Civilian Collaboration Column Commissariat.
(vii) Every leather merchant and bootmaker -
(a) Will be required to have his stocks ready for transfer for the use of the civil or military forces in emergency.
(viii) Every grocer, tobacconist, mercer and stationer -
(a) Will have ready to load and transfer emergency:
(i) Soaps, tobacco, mugs, panikins, knives and forks, matches, flints, tinned and dried foods, tea and sugar, salt, flour &c.
(ii) Dungarees; thick sox, shirts, oilskins, ground sheets, tennis nets (camouflage), dilly bags, onion bags.
(iii) Writing paper, pencils, pen and ink and envelopes - for messages.
(ix) Every fisherman and boat owner -
(b) Will be ready to remove, hide, or sink all small boats that the enemy might requisition for extension of landings coastwise; and put engines out of action.
(c) Recover and remove for camouflaging, all fishing nets.
(x) Every farmer -
(a) Will plan to destroy haystacks and all other feed.
(b) Will plan to harness horses to all available wheeled vehicles, load them with essential foods, and transport them to Civil Collaboration Column camps, along the route of retirement.
(c) Supply all possible milk to the military or Civil Collaboration Column.
(xi) Every blacksmith and plumber, tinsmith &c.
(a) Will plan to bury his forge out of reach of the enemy or destroy it.
(b) Will plan to make hand grenade containers.
(xii) Every garage and bowser proprietor -
(a) Will plan to make available to the military medical services, or Civil Collaboration Column, the motor vehicles in his garages, spare parts, mechanical equipment &c.
(b) Will see in emergency that none are left to the enemy, and if any have to be abandoned that the cylinder heads of motor vehicles are smashed and the rest destroyed.
(c) Will remain in emergency to fill all military and civil transport with petrol and oil &c., and before retirement, subject to military requirement will empty his tanks, make the petrol useless with sugar, linseed oil, or by other means, or burn them.
(d) Render themselves mobile and undertake repairs and services both for the fighting forces and the Civil Collaboration Column.
(xiii) Every Municipal or Shire Council, and water carrier -
(a) Will keep all availabl
e water carts filled for emergency.
(b) Will plan to make them available for firefighting, military or Civil Collaboration Column supply.
(c) Will retire with them in emergency, refilling at towns, wells, waterholes &c., replenishing horse-drawn water carts serving the retiring civil forces. (The horse drawn water carts should have small taps plugged into the cross-pipe at the rear, so that many water bottles can be filled simultaneously - the carts must be in charge of reliable persons who will distribute water to necessitous cases and allow only the minimum issue for drinking purposes)
(xiv) Every tractor owner -
(a) Will plan to drive his tractor in any retirement.
(xv) Every restaurant, cafe, teashop, ham & beef shop proprietor -
(a) Will pool resources of food, kitchen and service to establish a Civil Collaboration Column canteen service, render it mobile, and continue service in retreat.
(xvi) Every doctor, dentist, optician, X-ray operator -
(a) Will join the Civil Collaboration Column Medical Services.
(b) And stick to his job in retirement.
(xvii) Every railwayman -
(a) Will stick to his job to the last.
(b) Will organise for railway demolition to military requirement.
(c) Will provide First Aid.
(xviii) Every policeman -
(a) Knows his jobs.
(b) Plus dealing with looters, traitors, spies, enemy aliens &c.&c.
(xix) Every schoolteacher -
(a) Will co-operate with Parents & Citizens’ Association to organise the evacuation of children.
(b) Will take care of children other than those in parents care.
(xx) Every Boy Scout -
(a) Will learn to identify aeroplanes, particularly Japanese.
(b) Will learn to take cover, move under cover, estimate distances, and report all information to the police.
(c) Will practice throwing empty hand grenades.
(d) Will commandeer all unused or unclaimed bicycles.
(xxi) Every postmaster and postal official -
(a) Will stick to his job to the last.
(b) Demolish.
(c) Retire.
(xxii) Every sawmiller -
(a) Will accelerate his production and consignment of timber.
(b) Plan to retire on sawmills to the rear to provide another shift and to amalgamate, taking such essential parts and plant as he can transport.
(c) Report to the Forest Officer.
(xxiii) Every butter and cheese factory manager -
(a) Will plan amalgamations with other factories further back.
(b) Will demolish the factory closed.
(c) Report to the Agricultural Officer.
(xxiv) Every flourmill manager -
(a) Will plan to keep his stocks low.
(b) Will plan to remove remaining stocks to the rear.
(xxv) Every timber-getter and charcoal burner –
(a) Will stick to his job.
(b) Whilst moving back on other jobs.
(c) Will place himself under the direction of the Forest Officer for defence timber supply, firefighting &c.
(d) Will join the Forestry C.C.C.
(xxvi) Every carrier pigeon owner -
(a) Will place his knowledge and his birds at the disposal of the military or the C.C.C. for use in war.
(xxvii) Every painter, carpenter, builder, artist –
(a) Will engage in camouflaging.
(xxviii) Every unemployed or detached citizen -
(a) Will report to the National Service Office for duty in the Labor Corps or any C.C.C.
(b) Or in emergency will attach himself to any C.C.C. needing help - pending organisation at the base C.C.C. Camp.
(xxix) Every citizen concerned will plan that -
(a) All survey instruments are removed to the rear for the use of military and C.C.C.
(b) No map, even an ordinary tourist or advertising map is left to the enemy.
(c) Radios are destroyed.
(d) Cylinder heads of irremovable motor vehicles are destroyed.
(e) No wheel is left for enemy use.
(f) All axes, mattocks, shovels, picks, and other tools are removed for use behind the lines - or securely hidden from the enemy.
(g) No food is left to the enemy.
(h) No water remains in tanks.
(i) All garage equipment is removed or destroyed.
(j) All tennis nets, string and twine are commandeered for camouflage.
(k) All camp ovens are taken to the rear for C.C.C. camp and canteen use.
(l) All soap is commandeered and removed.
Battle Orders for the Plain Citizen - (iii) As Amateur Combatants, Guerillas &c.
“Civilians are combatants”, said the Prime Minister on Anniversary Day.8
Since they are the people who are carrying on the Battle of Production, they can join the Fighting Forces only part-time - as Amateur Combatants!
Nor are there arms for all.
But they can physically resent the presence of Japanese soldiers and gendarmerie in their streets and homes -
We can do no less than the Spaniards did9 -
And that was much!
We can go on strike - but that is not enough!
This is TOTAL war! There is little or no distinction between the civilian and the soldier - except that the former is unarmed, and must collaborate with improvisations -
Australians can improvise.
Let us defend our homes and civilian rights with home made weapons; in home made uniforms.
Or no uniforms at all (50% of the Japanese soldiers in Malaya wore no uniform).
Meantime let us practice and exercise in our homes, streets and parks.
1. Every citizen, after hours, will train in:
(i) A Volunteer Defence Corps.
or (ii) A Naval Auxiliary Patrol.
or (iii) An A.R.P.-N.E.S. organization.
or (iv) A Guerilla or Scouting Group.
or (v) A Boy Scouts or Girl Guide organisation.
or (vi) A Bushfire Brigade.
or (vii) An Ambulance or First Aid Group.
or (viii)
or (ix)
or practice individually or with his neighbours.
And learn how -
(a) To take cover.
(b) To move with as much use as possible of cover; or in the dark of night; to scout.
(c) To dig in lying down.
(d) To estimate distances - lying down - (of men at short and long distances, on levels and gradients, of buildings, of street widths, and so on).
(e) To make grenades; and to throw them so as to score bullseyes every time.
(f) To “trip” a tank with a crowbar from the doorways as it passes.
(g) To use weapons, particularly bayonets or pikes.
(h) To out-trick the enemy’s tricks.
These are the elements of guerilla warfare taken from Wintringham’s Penguin book - “New Ways of War”10 which is available to every Plain Citizen!
Street and forest fighting against infiltration parties and parachutists would be a feature of invasion operations. And the Australian has this initial advantage - he knows his streets; and he knows his bush and its water supplies.
And he has his Australian fighting qualities and initiative.
Volunteer bushmen who can make Molotov cocktails or hand grenades, cast them with accuracy, take cover and camouflage themselves on roadsides, and make a get-away through what may be burning forest.
- Constitute a measurably important anti-tank group.
Note: When a tank is closed down, it can’t see above it, or along the ground within 15 or so feet; or belly and straddle an obstacle 2'3"-2'6" high.
Tank traps can be made of wide ditches filled with logs and debris ready to light - or as a deep belt of hardwood stumps 5'-6' apart, 2'3"-2'6" high, so that the tank can’t straddle and must foul its belly -
- or as slanting pol
e-lined ditches on banked roadside to skid tanks over a declivity.
- or as banks of mill logs.
A wire stretched at 3 feet from the ground can break an enemy cyclist’s neck - or if slanted obliquely at the right angle may sheer him over a roadside declivity.
Boards with upturned nails will puncture tyres.
And so on.
Australians can improvise.
Roadside trees can be scarfed and sawn partly through to be felled at the military moment to block roads against enemy wheeled vehicles. Barking would make them slippery, so that even tanks might be momentarily delayed.
Abatis tank traps using felled hardwood trees can be arranged. (Mines would be harder to find amid a tangle of logs and debris than dug into plain earth) - and no doubt the military could add tear gas traps. A dose of stinging tree might sometimes be added to the enemy’s discomfort.
Boulder and logs rolled from a hillside can contribute - and there is barbed wire for use from our fences - and dingo traps from the farms.
The Australian is a good axeman and has good axes - they may serve much the same purposes as the bayonet or the Ghurka kubri or the Chinese broadsword at close quarters.
And an ironbark pike might do as much damage as a bayonet.
In the event of invasion, first operations will likely take place largely in the forests - the Japanese infiltrated from every point through the jungles of Malaya in continuous outflanking moves.
If in summer-time, the bush will go ablaze.
Progress will be via water supplies and these must be commanded or destroyed. The enemy must be left without water as far as possible.
Bushranger guerillas can deal with infiltrating enemy requisitioning parties and scouts; succor and remove our wounded; guide, scout, and render supply to our soldiers, separated from their main forces; hunt out tank harbors at night; salvage abandoned stores at night in enemy-occupied areas; sabotage enemy supplies and wreck railway lines.
They can help themselves to enemy weapons and do some bush camouflaging, set up dummy guns, pill boxes and booby traps.
They may sometimes have to live very hard, and sometimes sustain themselves aboriginally.
The Australian bush offers very slender fare but here are its emergency rations: