01)Cablegram (24) 25 Jan '43 - to Secretary of State for Domionion
Affairs, London - Anticipate hospital ship "Centaur" will be in
commission 1 March 43, request following particulars be passed on to
enemy powers...
02)Cablegram (27?) 28 Jan '43 - to Secretary of State for Domionion
Affairs - number issued to hospital ship Centaur.
03)Cablegram (88) 21 Apr. '43 - from Secretary of State for Domionion
Affairs, London - Italian authorities have asked for more detailed
characteristics of ship...
04)Cablegram (104) 30 Apr. '43 - to Secretary of State for Domionion
Affairs, London - Your telegram 88 Details concerning Centaur as
follows. Crosses on hull ...
05)Copy of teleprinter messages to the Prime Minister's Department
from Dept. of Defence -16 May '43 - Message No. 1: 15 May '43 (ref.
031811) Mugford picked up...; Message No. 2: 15 May '43 (ref 031812)
report of sinking received from Naval Authorities ar Brisbane....
Makes mention of a Col. English A.A.M.C. list of survivors not
transmitted.
06)Inward teleprinter message (ref. m.2010. 1340.) 17 May '43 - To
Prime Minister from Shedden - Request Gen. MacArthur delay
announcement of loss... - basis for consideration of a protest to
Japanese Government being formulated. v07)Cablegram (120) 17 May '43
- to Secretary of State for Domionion Affairs, London - Ref. 24 of 25
Jan '43, Centaur sunk...furnish as most immediate actual date of
notification to Japan of Centaur coming into commission as a hospital
ship.
08)Cablegram (109)17 May '43 (recd 18 May '43) - from Secretary of
State for Domionion Affairs, London - Ref. 120 17 May '43 Swiss
communicated with Japanese on 5 Feb. 43.
09)Inward teleprinter message (ref. m.2019. ) 22h00 17 May '43 - To
Prime Minister from Shedden - Not all next of kin notified - enemy
powers were notified - draft press statement being sent - Request
Gen. MacArthur delay announcement of loss.
10)Inward teleprinter message (ref. m.2020. ) 22h22 17 May '43 - To
Prime Minister from Shedden - Draft press statement...to be released
concurrently with the announcement in General HQ communique.
11)Inward teleprinter message (ref. m.2021. ) 17 May '43 - To Col.
Hodgson from Shedden - copies of 2019 amd 2020.concurrently with the
announcement in General HQ communique.
12)Through teleprinter message (ref. BXM.363. ) 09h25 18May '43 - To
Prime Minister Curtin from Ge. MacArthur - official commique to be
made by G.H.Q. at 12 noon Tuesday - Mr. Beasley announced loss in
Sydney..censors to suppress all press stories until then.
13)Through teleprinter message (ref. MAB.250 ) 10h52 18 May '43 - To
Defence Secretariat, Brisbane from Secretary, Dept. of Defence -
Admiralty and Australian Commonwealth Naval Board Chiefs advised by
First Sea Lord at Washington that as a temporary measure every means
to suppress publication of (Centaur sinking) should be taken.
14)Inward teleprinter message (ref. m.2026. ) 10h56 18 May '43 - To
Prime Minister from Shedden - contents of MAB. 250 with ref. to
BXM.363
15)Inward teleprinter message (ref. BXM.367 ) 11h41 18 May '43 - To
Secretary, Dept. of Defence from Defence Secretariat, Brisbane - Ref.
MAB.250. MacArthur informs Curtin that it is too late to suppress
news as Sydney press (via. Mr. Beasley) know about this news.
16)Inward teleprinter message(ref. 2027) 11h07 18 May '43 - To Col.
Hodgson from Shedden - Ref. 962; BXM.363;MAB.250 & M.2026 in
connection with protest Army supplies 257 embarked, 31rescued, 226
lost.
17)Draft Telegram to High Commissioner, London 18 May '43 - Draft of
protest with edits.
18)Draft Telegram to High Commissioner, London 18 May '43 - Draft of
protest with edits - approved by Prime Minister.
19)Teleprinter No. 962 18 May '43 - To Shedden from Col. Hodgson
preparing protest and amended press statement refers to survivor
numbers
20)Teleprinter No. 967 18 May '43 - To Shedden from Col. Hodgson
still some confusion over numbers carried on Centau .
21)Teleprinter message (ref. D.1430) 17h59 18 May '43 - To Col.
Hodgson from Shedden - Ref. to 967 Total on board 332 (72 crew; 65
Medical Staff; 192 2/12 AFAmb; & 1 Torres Strait Pilot).
22)Draft Statement By The Prime Minister - 18 May '43 - 2 pages
23)Message from Lieut.-Commander Blankey 18 May '43 - Chiefs of Staff
are of the opinion that every means should be taken to supprress
publication of this as a temporary measure.
24)Inward teleprinter message (ref. MAB.251 ) 18h45 18 May '43 - To
Defence Secretariat, Brisbane from Secretary, Dept. of Defenc - Text
of Prime Ministers statement made by him earlier in the day
transmitted to Gen. MacArthur.
25)Cablegram (73)18 May '43 - From Prime Ministers Dept. to
Commonwealth Government Accredited Representative, London. - protests
sinking and demands those responsible for the attack should be
punished immediately.
26)Inward teleprinter message (ref. BXM.374 ) 12h04 19 May '43 - To
Secretary, Dept. of Defence from Defence Secretariat, Brisbane - Gen.
MacArthur notifies Curtin that MAB. 251 figure of 332 will be taken
as official record and the communique of that day will make the
public correction.
27)Cablegram (301) 17h00 20 May '43 recd. 21 May '43 - From Secretary
of State for Dominion Affairs, London. Protest received by the Swiss
from the Japanese concerning attacks on six Japanese hospital ships -
ARABAI MARU; AMERICA MARU; MANILA MARU; URAL MARU; HUSO MARU; BUENOS
AIRES MARU.
28)Cablegram (110)18 May '43 recd. 19 May '43 - From Secretary of
State for Dominion Affairs, London. Sympathy over sinking of
Centaur.
29)Cablegram (S.103) 21 May '43 recd. 22 May '43 - From Mr. Bruce,
Commonwealth Govt. Accredited Representative, London to Prime
Minister Curtin - As Japanese did not deman punishment re attacks on
Japanese hospital ships maybe we should withdraw demand for this in
protest over Centaur. Inclusion of the demand may result in Japanese
taking reprisals against prisoners in their hands.
30)Memorandum for the Prime Minister 22 May '43. Ref. to S.103 PM
advised to agree with the omission of the words mentioned.
31)Extract from Dept. of Information Background dated 17 May '43.
(General source G.H.Q. Brisbane) - assumed attcks in retaliation for
Allied attck on a Japanese hospital ship at Kaviang.
32)Cablegram (77) 22 May '43 - From Prime Minister Curtin to Mr.
Bruce, Commonwealth Govt. Accredited Representative, London - Agree
with omission of words mentioned in s.103 of 21 May '43.
33)Cablegram (244; 51612) 25 Dec. '43 recd. 26 Dec. '43 - From Mr.
Bruce The High Commissioners Office, London to Prime Minister -
Japanese response to telegram 73 of 18 May '43- ...thorough enquiry
by the Japanese Government has revealed no facts justifying the
Australian allegation....TAKASAGO MARU; MURA MARU and MIZUHO MARU
added to list of Japanese hospital ships allegedly attacked by
Allies.
34)Memorandum 12 Jan. '44 - To The Secretary, Dept. of the Army -
concerning Cablegram (244; 51612) ...Department has no observations
which it is desirous of making...