Please convey the following message urgently to the President from
the Prime Minister-

'Dear President Roosevelt,
I have received your communication of 2nd December regarding the
return of the 9th Division to Australia [2], and I am grateful for
your kind message of congratulations on the part played by the 9th
Division in the recent victory in the Middle East.

2. I am very glad that you are agreeable to the return of the 9th
Division to Australia at the earliest date practicable and I note
your obl servations as to the factors which you think should
govern the fixation of this date.

3. After the magnificent advance through the most difficult
terrain of the Owen Stanley Range, the final stages of clearing
the Japanese from this part of New Guinea have proved most
difficult. The brigades that went over the mountain track are now
so depleted that they are being withdrawn and replaced by other
Australian forces.

4. Experience has proved that the wastage in tropical warfare in
undeveloped areas is immense. For example, at least one-third of
our force at Milne Bay is already infected with malaria. The Buna
area is an equally evil one for this disease. [3] Our battle
wastage is fairly considerable. The two together may soon place us
in what may be a very precarious position. The Japanese have shown
a degree of stubbornness in the defence of Buna and Gona which
would indicate that they are not going to take their reverses in
this area without making the greatest effort to hold on and to
come back later. [4]

5. The 6th and 7th Australian Divisions after the Buna operations
are completed must have a prolonged rest out of action. They both
have a very large number of reinforcements to absorb and a great
number of sick to return. There is therefore a pressing need for
the services of the 9th Division in this area. It is also required
for the subsequent phases of the campaign to drive the Japanese
from New Guinea and the adjacent islands.

6. You will recall that in my message of 17th October to Mr.

Churchill, which was repeated to you [5], it was explained that
the man-power position necessitated the reduction of the strength
of the Australian Army by one division. The Government has since
been advised that the demands of warfare in the tropics have made
it perfectly clear that we cannot maintain the reduced strength in
the field, and the reduction of another division, making two in
all, is proposed.

7. Speaking in terms of divisions, our present distribution is as
follows, though we have reduced the brigades in several cases from
three to two battalions:-

3 divisions in New Guinea (less one brigade); 1 division North
Queensland;

1 division Darwin;

1 divisions (less one brigade) and 1 armoured division in Western
Australia;

I greatly reduced division and 1 armoured division (now
completing) in New South Wales;

I reduced division and 1 armoured division (now completing) in
South Queensland.

Practically all these forces are distributed around our perimeter
with a very small reserve force in Australia.

8. I feel that you should be aware of the foregoing
considerations, which show clearly the pressing need for the
services of the 9th Division in the South-West Pacific Area. I
note that the movement of the 25th United States Division to the
Australian area will be completed before the first of the year. I
am very grateful for this. I wish you to know that we shall co-
operate in the plan that you have outlined, which, as we see it,
does not envisage the utilisation of the 9th Division for any
further operations in the Middle East or adjacent areas. We look
forward, therefore, to the fulfilment of the understanding that
the 9th Division shall be returned to Australia as early as
possible in the New Year.

9. We regret that, owing to other demands on shipping, you are
unable to arrange for the return of the equipment of the 9th
Division. There are certain minimum requirements to ensure the
effective employment of the 9th Division in the South-West Pacific
Area, and it is requested that arrangements be made for the return
of the following:-

(a) All personal equipment.

(b) Weapons: Rifles, pistols, anti-tank rifles, Bren guns, mortars
2-inch and associated stores.

(c) Engineer stores: Hand tools, compressors, pumping sets,
electric welding plant complete with trailers required. No
bridging equipment required.

(d) Signal Stores: Generating sets and charging sets only.

(e) Workshop equipment: Complete equipment including hand tools.

(Major portion is included with technical vehicles referred to in
(f).)
(f) Vehicles: Breakdown trucks........ 46
Garage trucks 31
Machinery trucks . 29
Workshop engineers' trucks 2

Trailers, laundry. . 10
All complete with equipment.

I am informed that all of the above items, except vehicles and
equipment carried in them, could be stowed in personnel ships. It
is estimated that approximately 3,500 tons of shipping space
additional to that available in personnel ships will be necessary.

My advisers suggest that the 3,500 tons could be lifted in
shipping from Middle East regularly proceeding to Australia, and I
should be glad if arrangements could be made for this to be done.

[6]

10. I have also forwarded a message to Mr. Churchill informing him
of the substance of this message to you. [7]

Yours sincerely,

JOHN CURTIN.'

EVATT