FO371-46255 — Page 109

Page 109

Page 109

ANNEX

STATEMENT OF FORCES TAKING PART IN THE ACCEPTANCE OF JAPANESE SURRENDERS AND IN THE OCCUPATION OF JAPANESE AND LIBERATED TERRITORIES

JAP.N

99

1.

The British Naval Force under command of Admiral Fraser

in H.M.S. Duke of York, which took part in the official

acceptance of surrender in Tokyo Bay on the 2nd September,

consisted of:-

2 Battleships

1 Fleet Carrier

2 Escort Carriers

2 Cruisers (including 1 R.N.Z.N. 14 Destroyers (including 2 R....N.)

5 Escorts

4 R... Minesweepers.

With the exception of the Duke of York and two destroyers,

this force had carried out 55 days continuous steaming.

2.

The

Admiral Fraser drove to the British Embassy in Tokyo on

the 5th September and found it clean and in good order. pictures of Their Majesties The King and Queen were also

the untouched. The Admiral wrote his name in the book,

F

last entry being in September, 1941.

3. The composition and command of this force is still under consideration. The Prime Minister has made an approach to the Australian Prime Minister to accept a unified Commonwealth Force, suggesting that the inter-service Commander-in-Chief, who would also be a land force commander, should be an

Australian under control of and having direct access on

operational matters to, General MacArthur. This officer.

would report to the British and Australian Governments

through their respective Chiefs of Staff.

The Australians had previously requested that they

should provide an independent division of two brigades;

meanwhile, New Zealand and Indic have agreed to contribute

one brigade towards the Commonwealth Force.

Page 109

-6

!

Page 109

Page 109