Richlands, at the time of the arrival of the Americans, was a small ‘pocket of farms to the south of Darra, with about seventy-five homes and farms, many empty blocks, and only one access road—Archerfield Road to Darra. I was one of the first babies born in Richlands Estate, and I was five when war […]
Fred Clark – memories of WWII in Richlands Read More »
I was born in November 1931 at Lady Bowen Hospital in Brisbane, the first of four children. My parents were living in Woolloongabba (Balaclava St) then, and they saw the ads for cheap land at Richlands Estate in the local Agent’s window. So, I was just twelve months old when we moved to our bush
Beryl Bull (nee Clark) – WWII stories from Richlands Read More »
My father was born in Italy in 1898. (We have a photo of him at the family house in his village. When it was demolished, it was found to be 300 years old). When Pilede turned seventeen, he was conscripted into the army. (In 1915, Italy joined the Allies in WWI). He fought for two
Carmen Formigoni (née Cantoni) – Italian migrants during WWII Read More »
The Camp Columbia Heritage Association has received the permission to reproduce the articles from the book: World War II Stories from Brisbane’s South West – written by Vicki Mynott. Foreword, Acknowledgements, Introduction, Timeline – World War II, Reading List RICHLANDS DARRA WACOL GOODNA OXLEY / CORINDA Other stories After the War Other information from the
World War II Stories from Brisbane’s South West Read More »
WORLD WAR IIStories from Brisbane’s South WestRichlands, Darra, Wacol, Goodna and Oxley Vicki MynottProject Support: Angela Naumann Richlands Inala & Suburbs History Group Inc Foreword The vision held by members of the Richlands, Inala & Suburbs History Group, from which this story results, was to recognize and celebrate in a local way, the 60th Anniversary
Foreword, Acknowledgements, Introduction,Timeline – World War II, Reading List Read More »
My parents were both immigrants. My mother was English, born in 1897 west of London; she arrived in Australia in 1915. My father was born in 1906 in Switzerland, and he came to Australia in 1929-1930. They met and married here and moved to Richlands in 1931. I was born in 1932, at Lady Bowen
Alex Borgeaud – WWII stories from Richlands Read More »
The following is a set of unique pictures received from Peter Dunn, who took the photographs from the exhibits at NARA’s College Park library near Washington DC. They were taken in Brisbane after the US Army had taken over the hospital ship from the Dutch. The original text is published below the pictures. For more
The WWII Rocklea Munition Factory played significant role during WWII. It was one of Queensland’s largest construction projects during World War II, serving as Australia’s most northerly ammunition manufacturing plant. Its importance increased once Gneral Douglas MacArthur established its headquarters in Brisbane and the Allied forces started to make progress. particularly after fighting reached New
Australian Rocklea Munitions Factories – critical for the war effort in the Pacific Read More »
Lloyd Gehrke, received these artefacts. His uncle Archie Mann and his wife Grace (the sister of Lloyd’s mother)had a horse-riding business in Kalinga, Brisbane. This city was, after General Douglas MacArthur established his WWII head office here in 1942, an important military centre. The horse riding business mentioned above attracted lots of Australian and Allied
Mark Gehrke’s WWII artefacts from Brisbane Read More »
Christiaan Vincent Gradwell (Chris) van Oosterzee, born on March 20, 1922, in Weltevreden (Batavia), and died on April 18, 1989, in Amsterdam, was a significant figure during and after World War II. His life included notable interactions with Australia during his military service. Early Life and Military Involvement Chris van Oosterzee was a member of
Engelandvaarder Chris van Oosterzee – trained at Camp Columbia Read More »
In May 1942, amidst the backdrop of World War II, the Gailes Emergency Landing Ground (ELG) was constructed for the American military. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) subsequently assumed control of the site, categorizing it as a B-1 type airfield, characterised by a single runway exceeding 800 yards. Intended primarily as a crash strip,
Gailes Emergency Landing Ground – WWII Read More »
The Night of Disappearance On the evening of Friday, May 9, 1986, at around 8:00 PM, Sharron Phillips was reported missing to the Goodna police by her mother, Dawn Phillips. Sharron, a vibrant 20-year-old, had vanished without a trace. Earlier that day, her father and brother had discovered Sharron’s yellow Datsun Bluebird Sedan, registration 463-PKH,
The Mysterious Disappearance of Sharron Phillips near Camp Wacol (1986) Read More »
During World War II, the Central Bureau was established in 1942 to support General Douglas MacArthur’s South-West Pacific Area Command. This unit brought together intelligence personnel from various countries, including Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand. Concurrently, the Fleet Radio Unit Melbourne (FRUMEL) was formed to assist the United States
Central Bureau-Ascot: WWII Codebreakers in the Pacific Read More »
During World War II, the United States Sixth Army played a pivotal role in the Pacific Theater, particularly in the campaigns to isolate and neutralise Japanese strongholds. Initially activated in Brisbane- headquartered in Camp Columbia – in January 1943 under the command of Lieutenant General Walter Krueger, the Sixth Army, known as “Alamo Force,” spearheaded
The American Sixth Army established at Camp Columbia Read More »
The jungles and rugged mountains of New Guinea became a grueling battleground during World War II, witnessing some of the most arduous and harrowing combat faced by Allied forces. Far from the spotlight of Europe, the New Guinea Campaign was a protracted struggle against a tenacious Japanese enemy and the unforgiving tropical environment. At the
Brisbane: Strategic Heart of the Brutal New Guinea Campaign Read More »
The Digulists This story is about the Digulists – prisoners of war who were captured after the Indonesian uprising of 1926/27. These political prisoners were transported to a specially established concentration camp in Tanah Merah on the Digul River in Dutch New Guinea. By the start of WWII, a large number of these political prisoners
The Digulists who brought a Gamelan with them to Australia Read More »
This story is written by Maria Douwes and published in her book: Back to Australia The Douwes family was one of the last families to move from Amsterdam to Australia for a hundred guilders. Both the Australian and Dutch governments sponsored this trip. On December 9, 1960, Maria Douwes emigrated to Australia with her parents, five brothers and
Dutch migrant family Douwes settles from Wacol in Inala, Brisbane – 1961 Read More »
General Douglas MacArthur stands among the most prominent and controversial military figures in American history. His career, spanning both World Wars and the Korean War, was marked by extraordinary tactical genius, political theatre, and a polarising personality that drew both admiration and disdain. Early brilliance and World War I heroism Born in 1880 to a
General Douglas MacArthur – General SWAPA commander in Brisbane 1942-1944 Read More »
It may be striking to contemplate Brisbane’s origins as a prison colony. The history we delve into pertains to Camp Columbia in Wacol, and there is a link back to the beginnings of the City. As its military facilities gradually disappeared, the vast terrain once utilised by Camp Columbia found new purposes. Presently, the area
From Camp Columbia HQ to Brisbane Correctional Centre Read More »
Gunther Bonnin form Oregon in the USA was stationed as an intelligent officer in Brisbane during WWII. In this capacity he was commissioned to the Netherlands Forces Intelligence Service (NEFIS). He apparently wrote a paper on Sukarno as part of his intelligence work. He was probably also a translator. After the war Gunther married in
