The British Commonwealth Occupation Force
By Nicholas Egan
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While Australians celebrated and rejoiced with relief at the Japanese surrender on the 2nd of September 1945, Australia’s involvement with the Second World War was not yet concluded. The British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan following the end of the war, and Australia’s involvement with this force, is probably one of the most misunderstood and forgotten periods of Australian service overseas.
Between the end of the war in September 1945 and April 1952 about 16,000 Australians served in Japan in several roles from dismantling military equipment, preventing smuggling, “general surveillance” of the population and even acting as election observers.[i]
By January 1946, the forces of the British Commonwealth countries who had personnel stationed in Japan were formally organised as the British Commonwealth Occupation Force consisting of 45,000, from Britain, India, New Zealand, and Australia. Contrary to the name, throughout the period of occupation, the majority of this force was always Australian.
Kure, Japan. 1947-12-07. BCOF personnel waiting the arrival of the Japanese Emperor Hirohito, who was visiting the area for the first time in twenty two years.
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The BCOF area of responsibility in Japan was designated as the western prefectures of Shimani, Yamaguchi, Tottori, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Shikoku Island. BCOF headquarters were located at Kure, not far from the ruins of Hiroshima, the army was encamped at Hiro, the Royal Australian Air Force at Iwakuni, and the naval shore establishment at the former Japanese naval base at Kure. At the peak of its involvement the Australian component of BCOF was responsible for over twenty million Japanese citizens and 57,000 square kilometres of country.
The primary objective of BCOF was to enforce the terms of the unconditional surrender that had ended the war in September 1945. The task of exercising military government over the entirety of Japan was the responsibility of the United States forces but other countries were assigned other tasks. BCOF was required to maintain military control and to supervise the demilitarisation and disposal of the remnants of Japan's war-making capacity. To this end, Australian Army and RAAF personnel were involved in locating and securing military stores and installations, so that they did not fall into the wrong hands.
Hiro, Honshu, Japan, 1948-11-29. Two members of the Intelligence Section, 67th Infantry Battalion serving with BCOF, examine a large 'General Situation Map' pinned up on a wall in a section office. The map is of Hiroshima and Okayama Prefectures.
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The intelligence sections of the Australian forces were given targets to investigate in the form of grid references for dumps of Japanese military equipment. Warlike materials were destroyed, and other equipment was either retained by BCOF or returned to the Japanese. The destruction or conversion to civilian use of military equipment was carried out by Japanese civilians under Australian supervision. Regular patrols and road reconnaissance missions were initiated and carried out in the Australian area of responsibility as part of BCOF's general surveillance duties.
Commander Yuzo Tanno hands over the keys of the Yokosuka Naval Base to Captain H. J. Buchanan, Royal Australian Navy on 30 August 1945.
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The Royal Australian Navy component of BCOF was responsible for patrolling the Inland Sea, to prevent smuggling and the illegal immigration of Koreans to Japan. It was assisted by the RAAF whose aircraft were also involved in tracking vessels suspected of smuggling or transporting illegal immigrants. RAAF squadrons also flew surveillance patrols over each of the prefectures in the BCOF zone in order to help locate leftover weapons and ordnance.
Another small interesting aspect of the work of BCOF was to act as “election scrutineers” during the first post-war Japanese election in 1946. These scrutineers made sure that the election was run in an open, democratic, and fair manner.
1946 'OFF DUTY WITH OUR OCCUPATION FORCES IN KURE...', The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982), 11 May, p. 18.
By early 1947 BCOF had begun to decline and, by the end of 1948, was composed entirely of Australians. The force was dismantled in 1952, as responsibilities in Japan were handed over to the British Commonwealth Forces Korea. Some personnel stayed on to serve in the Korean War. Members of No. 77 Squadron, for example, had their "going home" celebrations interrupted by the news they were to be sent immediately to Korea. Another unit that was sent from Japan to the Korean war was the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.
3RAR was deployed to Korea but unlike the RAAF, 3RAR fought its war on the ground in Korea as part of the British Commonwealth Brigade, distinguishing itself (and Australia) in several key actions including Kapyong and Maryang San. It remained in Korea for much of the conflict.
BCOF ceased to exist on 28 April 1952 when the Japanese Peace Treaty came into effect. From that point, full governmental responsibility was returned to the Japanese government.
Northcott, Robertson and Bridgeford.
During its years of operation, BCOF was commanded by Lieutenant General John Northcott from February to June 1946, Lieutenant General Sir Horace Robertson from June 1946 to November 1951 and Lieutenant General William Bridgeford from November 1951 to April 1952. They were all Australian.
In conclusion, the Australian contribution to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s was highly significant to the extent that in some ways the name is a misnomer. There were far more Australians involved than any other nation.
We will remember them.
References:
James Wood, The forgotten force: the Australian military contribution to the occupation of Japan 1945–1952, Allen and Unwin, 1998
Robin Gerster, Travels in Atomic Sunshine: Australia and the Occupation of Japan, 2008
British Commonwealth Occupation Force 1945–52". https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/atwar/bcof Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 5 December 2020.