[?]-H-Bomb Activities In

[?]iggest [?]h Bang

Australia And Christmas Is.

Although the Pacific Islands have now more or less :epted the fact that a British H-bomb (or bombs) will be ploded around Christmas Island sometime this year, Aust ian newspapers are just now becoming warmed up to the ;nt.

j pink Melbourne Argus, bas g its facts on a “freelance Fiji ‘wspaperman” feels that the B drawing near for the big bang states, in capitals, that the may be taken to Christmas IUSTRALIA. Also in capitals, s on to voice the fear that

Omb Might Already Be

>Uth Australia,

n before the reader has had ent time to mentally quite ' the bomb, sizz-ing away where in South Australia,” aper wails: OUR FEDERAL

Jrnment —As Usual—Has

I Us Nothing.

"the whole operation from mas has been shrouded in, at quite ridiculous mystery, it ikely that anyone is going to down sufficiently at this to tell the Argus anything, we understand it, Christmas be the base from which wnbs will be flown out over icific and exploded. A release the UK Ministry of Supply idon in mid-December stated 15 miles of roads have been ucted, a 7,000-ft airstrip built, housands of tons of heavy nent and stores landed. One ties accommodation for ific and technical personnel so been built. is unlikely, therefore, unless ne makes a bad mistake, that mas Is. will be “sunk by the nb.” as some enterprising sland journalist has it. re is also much activity at iirgh Airfield, South Australia, is the rear base of the iion, and where 300 personnel been gathered together—in g a RAF detachment equipped Canberra jet bombers which )e used in preliminary tests tristmas Is. The actual bomb »e dropped by a Valiant jet :r. tings aircraft begin a shuttle b between the South Aus a rear-base and Christmas Is. aruary, possibly via Nadi, Fiji.

B expected that the tests will in April and that the whole tmas H-Bomb operation will our months.