FRIGATE; LINE FIRED FROM SHIP TO SHIP; LINES BEING PULLED ACROSS; SAILORS PULLING ROPE; MAN ON BOSUN'S CHAIR; FRIGATE MOVES AWAY; AIRCRAFT TAXIING; SOLDIERS CLEARING CUSTOMS; KUKRI PAN TO GURKHA; GURKHAS CLIMBING INTO TRUCK.




Initials JH/VS/PW/PF



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Background: SHIPS FROM BRITAIN, AUSTRALIA, AND NEW ZEALAND RECENTLY TOOK PART IN A MAJOR EXERCISE OFF AUSTRALIA'S NORTH-EAST COAST. CODE-NAMED EXERCISE CORAL SANDS, THE MANOEUVRES ALSO INVOLVED THOUSANDS OF TROOPS IN A LAND-BASED MOCK ATTACK WHICH TOOK PLACE IN CENTRAL QUEENSLAND.

AT SEA, AFTER A 30-HOUR MOCK SEA BATTLE BETWEEN TWO OPPOSING FLEETS CONSISTING OF A FORCE FROM AUSTRALIA LED BY THE TRANSPORT CARRIER H.M.A.S. SYDNEY AND A BRITISH TASK FORCE LED BY THE H.M.S. HERMES, AN ATTACK CARRIER, THE SYDNEY THEN TOOK PART IN REFUELLING OPERATIONS. THE AUSTRALIAN DESTROYER ESCORT, H.M.A.S. QUEENBOROUGH, WHICH SPENT THE ACTION GUARDING A SEA PASSAGE OFF NEW BRITAIN IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS TOOK ON FUEL SUPPLIES FROM THE SYDNEY.

THE SYDNEY IS THE FLAGSHIP OF THE FLEET COMMANDED BY REAR ADMIRAL G.J. CRABBE AND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REFUELLING OF ESCORT SHIPS. THE SEAS WERE RELATIVELY CALM AND THE REFUELLING OPERATIONS WERE CARRIED OUT AS PLANNED.

AT THE SAME TIME AS THE SEA BATTLE WAS TAKING PLACE, BRITISH ARMY GURKHA TROOPS BEGAN ARRIVING AT ROCKHAMPTON, IN CENTRAL QUEENSLAND, FOR THE LAND PHASE OF EXERCISE CORAL SANDS. MORE THAN 500 OF THE SINGAPORE - BASED TROOPS TOOK PART IN THE OPERATION, PLAYING THE PART OF AN OPPOSING FORCE WHICH HAS INVADED AUSTRALIA. THE GURKHAS ARRIVED IN HERCULES AIRCRAFT DIRECT FROM SINGAPORE.

CUSTOMS OFFICERS CHECKED THE GURKHAS THROUGH ROCKHAMPTON AIRPORT BEFORE THEY LEFT FOR THE BATTLE ZONE ABOUT 50 MILES (80 KMS.) NORTH. THE NEXT DAY, MORE THAN 2,000 BRITISH MARINES MOVED AGAINST THEM.

EXERCISE CORAL SANDS IS STILL UNDERWAY.