▁took ▁the ▁lead ▁in ▁organ izing ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁British ▁Commonwealth ▁Air ▁Training ▁Plan , ▁the ▁cent rep ie ce ▁of ▁Canada ' s ▁early ▁war ▁effort . ▁This ▁gesture ▁of ▁Commonwealth ▁solid ar ity , ▁under ▁which ▁some ▁ 9 , 4 0 0 ▁Australian ▁air men ▁trained ▁in ▁Canada , ▁did ▁not ▁go ▁un app reci ated . ▁" The ▁possibility ▁of ▁prom oting ▁better ▁relations ▁and ▁more ▁co operation ... is ▁much ▁better ▁now ▁than ▁it ▁was ▁two ▁years ▁ago ," ▁Canada ' s ▁first ▁high ▁commission er ▁to ▁Australia , ▁Charles ▁B urch ell , ▁reported ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁B urch ell ' s ▁optim ism ▁was ▁prem ature . ▁Japan ' s ▁entry ▁into ▁the ▁war ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁created ▁w ides p read ▁fear ▁in ▁Australia ▁that ▁the ▁country ▁might ▁be ▁over run . ▁Canada ' s ▁apparent ▁lack ▁of ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁War ▁drew ▁considerable ▁criticism ▁in ▁the ▁Australian ▁press . ▁Mis led ▁by ▁B urch ell ' s ▁in ex per ien ced ▁successor , ▁Major - General ▁Victor ▁Od l um , ▁into ▁bel ieving ▁that ▁Canada ▁was ▁ready ▁to ▁assist ▁Australia ▁with ▁men ▁and ▁m un itions , ▁the ▁Australian ▁Minister ▁of ▁External ▁Affairs , ▁Herbert ▁Ev att , ▁submitted ▁an ▁anxious ▁request ▁for ▁help . ▁Con stra ined ▁by ▁its ▁war ▁effort ▁in ▁Europe , ▁Ott awa ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁respond ▁posit ively . ▁Und eter red , ▁the ▁minister ▁renew ed