BCOF Pictorial – A Pictorial History of Australians who Served in the Armed Forces with the BCOF

Description

Title: BCOF Pictorial – A Pictorial History of Australians who Served in the Armed Forces with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan, 1945-1952

Author: Howes, Keith

Condition: Very Good

Edition: 7th Edition

Publication Date: 1999

ISBN: 0646361104

Cover: Hard Cover without Dust Jacket – 324 pages

Comments: The pictorial history of the Australian units that were part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force – Japan (BCOF) during the late 1940s. This edition is limited to 10 copies only.

The British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF), was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952. At its peak, BCOF comprised about 40,000 personnel, equal to about 25% of the number of US military personnel in Japan.

While US forces were responsible for military government, BCOF was responsible for supervising demilitarisation and the disposal of Japan’s war industries. BCOF was also responsible for occupation of the western prefectures of Shimane, Yamaguchi, Tottori, Okayama, Hiroshima and Shikoku Island. They were also supported by the Women’s Auxiliary Service (Burma). BCOF headquarters was at Kure.

For most of the occupation period Australia contributed the majority of the BCOF’s personnel. The initial BCOF presence included the Australian 34th Infantry Brigade, British 5th Infantry Brigade, Indian 268th Brigade and the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (in J-Force). The position of commanding officer was always filled by Australians: Lt Gen. John Northcott, February to June 1946; Lt Gen. Horace Robertson, June 1946 to November 1951, and; Lt Gen. William Bridgeford from November 1951 until the end of the occupation.