European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 12, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 12 a the stars and stripes world tuesday january 12, j 993british blamed Daffodil troops for 1942 fall London a British officers accused australian troops of cowardice and desertion in the face of the japanese assault on Singapore in world War ii according to newly released documents. The daily Telegraph on monday quoted a report from a British officer who said Quot the australians were known As daffodils Beautiful to look at but yellow All  the daily Telegraph did not identify the author of the report. Another report quoted in the Independent newspaper said a an Effort was made to drive the japs Back into the sea. Three battalions were to Advance in line. But there was a battalion missing and the japs walked through the Gap. The missing battalion was an australian battalion. It reappeared in Singapore town preferring drink and rape to doing its  the author of that report also was not identified. The australian Imperial Force bore the Brunt of the first japanese Landing on Singapore on feb. 8,1942. Singapore was captured by japanese forces on feb. 15, inflicting one of Britain a most embarrassing defeats of the War. The daily Telegraph said the files were discovered by Peter Elphick author of a new Book of the fall of Singapore Quot these files refer to mass desertion looting rape and murder. They add up to a damning indictment of the australians. There is no doubt that some australians fought Well. But Overall they performed badly and there is substantial evidence in these files to prove it a the daily Telegraph quoted Elphick As saying. Gen. Archibald Wavell commander in chief of British forces in the Southwest Pacific during the War included some Praise for the australian forces in his report later in 1942 to British prime minister Winston Churchill and the War Cabinet. Australians showed Quot a refreshingly offensive spirit at a period when this was sorely needed to counter the effects on morale of constant withdrawal and defeat a the report said. It was Only after the australians had been mauled by the Superior numbers of japanese forces that a a rapid decline must have set in because signs of a break in morale were noticeable even before the japanese Landing in their sector a a for the fall of Singapore itself the australians Are held responsible while their presence in the town in disproportionately Large numbers during the last Days with the escape of Large numbers on ships and in boats has aroused great indignation Quot Wavell a report said. A Large numbers of if stragglers were seen in the town Many undoubtedly took the Opportunity to desert in boats to Sumatra. Finally the events of the night 8th/9th february seem to have destroyed almost completely their discipline and  the report ended a in Justice however it must be recorded that they were subject in that night to a bombardment which judged by the Standard of any theater of War can Only be described As very heavy in addition they had been under Only a slightly less heavy pounding for at least 24 hours. A the Independent also reported that sir Thomas Shenton the governor of Singapore had warned in july 1940 that Singapore was vulnerable without considerably More air cover. Stop cheetah a cambodian boy gets the scare of his life after agreeing to ride in a cart pulled by a trained Monkey saturday at a Public Market in phenom penh. An enter prising. Cambodian trying to promote his products used the Monkey to attract customers. The boy plucked from the audience was Given 100 riels 4 cents to . Helps turks seize tons of heroin Ankara Turkey apr tipped by . Narcotics agents turkish warships seized a Panama flagged freighter carrying 14 tons of heroin in International Waters near the Suez canal Interior minister Ismet see Gin said monday. A police official said turkish and . Anti drug agencies had cooperated in the operation which Sezgin said yielded a record haul for Turkey. The Istanbul daily newspaper Sabah reported monday that the ship was being towed to a turkish Navy base near the Mediterranean resort town of mar Maris. It was not known exactly when the ship was seized. The Anatolia news Agency quoted Istanbul police chief Necdet Menhir As saying a the ship was under constant observation from . Satellites As it was loaded in Karachi a Pakistan and . Narcotic agents maintained close surveillance until they saw it through the Suez canal and turned it Over to  a first special underwater commando teams stormed the ship to detain the Crew then our narcotic agents and special anti terrorist teams boarded the vessel a the Agency quoted the police chief As saying. The police chief said the panamanian government s permission for the seizure had been granted. Last month a ship carrying three tons of heroin also from Karachi had been sunk by its Crew near Cyprus when it was stopped by turkish warships. A 20-year-old woman who is said to have inherited a drug business from her slain father a year ago  in that incident. Japanese areas hit by 25 earthquakes Toky i up a a flurry of tremors hit Central Japan and the Eastern Izu Peninsula about 95 Miles Southwest of Tokyo on monday. The tremors prompted worried officials from the meteorological Agency to Send an observation team to investigate. By noon 25 quakes that could be Felt were counted by the Agency following nearly 1,300 undersea tremors that were imperceptible officials said. It was the largest number of quakes to hit the Eastern coast of the Peninsula for is months. The strongest however smacked the Tokai and Hok Riku districts in Central Japan registering 5.0 on the Richter scale. No injuries or damage were reported Austria s right Wing catholics near showdown Vienna Austria up Austria moved a step closer sunday to a showdown on foreigners As the Catholic Church handed out 650,000 fliers Ureina greater sympathy and the right Wing Freedom party kicked off a Campaign to further tighten immigration Laws. 0 Catholic priests nationwide called on churchgoers to choose a Fife a with each other Quot rather than one against each other a As they started a Campaign of Rock concerts candlelight demonstrations and Public discussions designed to defuse growing xenophobia. Catholic action Austria or Kao the churches social action group handed out pamphlets after mass on sunday throughout the country presenting 10 arguments thought to counterbalance the 12 demands of the Freedom party a anti foreigner a Austria first Campaign. At the opening event of its Campaign Freedom parly on  Haider called on austrians to support to pro s 12 demands by signing the a Austria first Quot Pel Tion. A people who always stood for this land. They a the right to decide also in future who to which ext i May immigrate and Settle in this country a Haider to an enthusiastic crowd packed sunday into a conferee Hall in Graz 120 Miles South of Vienna. A a this is our Basic right of Home which we will d tend with this Campaign Quot he said. Haider criticized austrian president Thomas jest Sayigh should not always listen to the political left. Kies til earlier this month said anybody who Delibe lately promoted fear in the discussion of foreign6, acted against the interests of Austria and its citizens. Worries about a flood of foreigners from the put it or it countries of once communist Eastern Europe a forced the Issue to the top of the political Agenda