[Lang]

Mike

I don't think it was as simple as that. Australia had a government purchasing commission in USA and deals were mainly done on a commercial basis.

As discussed in another thread unlike UK, Australia had relatively few Lend Lease acquisitions and bought most of its equipment or traded the value for goods and services provided to US forces in Australia.

Macarthur's people may have helped push Australian orders ahead in the queue for certain operational reasons. Remember that for well over a year the only combat troops in contact with the enemy Macarthur had on the ground were Australian units.

Lang