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The South-West Pacific Area (SWPA) Advanced Land Headquarters was a military headquarters established in Brisbane, Australia in August 1942. The headquarters was led by Australian General Thomas Blamey, who was Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Military Forces (AMF) and also had the role of Commander, Allied Land Forces. The purpose of the SWPA Advanced Land Headquarters […]

MORE than 5000 Dutch soldiers will migrate to Australia soon after demobilization in Java. Their entry will be under a mutual agreement between the two countries, to be concluded soon. It is understood that the Australian Government stipulated in the agreement that the men should be single and under 30. The Government’s objective is to

Ludolph Hendrik van Oyen was a distinguished Dutch military officer who played a vital role in the defence and rebuilding of Dutch forces during World War II. Early Military Career: Ludolph Hendrik van Oyen embarked on his military journey at the cadet school in Alkmaar in 1906. From 1906 to 1911, he further honed his

From Camp Columbia in Brisbane to Camp G in Hollandia After the Battle of Hollandia (see below) General Douglas MacArthur moved his staging camp from Camp Columbia in Brisbane to Hollandia in Netherlands New Guinea (present-day Jayapura in West Papua). Already in In early 1944, MacArthur determined that the area on north of Netherlands New

At the outbreak of WWII the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) was largely deployed in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. After the Japanese Navy’s attacks on the Allies in December 1941, the RAN redeployed its larger ships to home waters to protect the Australian mainland from Japanese attack, while several smaller ships remained in the

Christiaan Philip Karel (Flip) Winckel (Batavia (Nederlands-Indië), April 16, 1919 – Wassenaar, September 18, 2009) was a Dutch “Engelandvaarder” (soldiers who escaped to England during World War II) and a jurist. When World War II broke out, he was studying at Leiden University. Winckel belonged to the Winckel family listed in the Dutch Patriciate. Flip

Camp Columbia Heritage Association organised a successful event at the ANZAC Square & Memorial Galleries, Brisbane. Together with the Galleries CCHA hosted Dutch WWII historian Bas Kreuger. We had a full house with 60 delegates. Before the presentation Bas together with our special guests placed poppies under the plaque at Galleries commemorating the Dutch Military.

The monument commemorates the men and women of the Netherlands who joined in the defence of Australia from 1941 to 1945 during World War Two. On Friday 3 November 2017, the monument was rededicated at Memorial Corner in Roma Street Parkland.  It was relocated from its former location at Queen’s Place (corner Alice and George

Bernice Volz who, in the 1950s, lived in one of the huts in the former Camp Columbia – Camp Area No. 1 recalls that it was hut No. C1 that was allocated to her family when they arrived at the Wacol Migration Centre. More information on this hut and its occupants, as well as on

The construction of Camp Muckley was the second’ job done by the U.S. Army. in this Brisbane area, practically simultaneously with the first section of Camp Columbia. Designed as a 1, 000 man staging camp and included mess halls,14 man-barracks, bathhouses, latrines, and water-borne sewerage to septic tanks. Works performed by private contract. Total cost

In the aftermath of the devastating Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941, Rear Admiral Chester W. Nimitz swiftly rose to prominence. Appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt just ten days later, Nimitz became the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT). The symbolic change of command took place on the submarine Grayling, an

Camp Freeman, part of the larger American WWII military Camp Columbia complex World War II, played a significant role in the context of racial segregation and the presence of African American troops. The camp’s history is closely tied to the broader dynamics of the time, as well as its physical location. This integrated account aims

JIM GRINDLE’s home near Wacol Station was one. It became a Communications Centre for the United States Army, and the family moved in with the Grindles at Wolston House. WILLIAM DYNE purchased 100 acres on the southern side of Ipswich Road at Wacol and settled there with his wife and family in 1917. The property

Camp Cable was like Camp Columbia a similar large size military complex however, this one was situated in the bush, 50 kms south of Brisbane near Logan Village. The Camp and its units didn’t directly fall under the Southwest Pacific Area Command of General Douglas MacArthur, in charge of the war in the South Pacific.

Sultan Muhammad Jabir Syah (4 March 1902 – 4 July 1975) was the 47th ruler of Ternate from 1929 to 1975 and the last Ternatan Sultan with executive powers. In 1944, during World War II, the Western Allies began liberating parts of eastern Netherlands East indies. They contacted Sultan Jabir, who had moved to the

Admiral William D. Leahy, often referred to as “Bill” Leahy, was a prominent figure in the United States Navy during World War II. He served as the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) from 1937 to 1939 and later held the position of Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the United States Army

With several military hospitals in and around Camp Columbia looking after people wounded in the Pacific War Theatre, obviously a large number died. These soldiers were buried at the USAF Military Cemetery in Ipswich. In all 1206 of them were buried here. In 1947 the bodies were exhumed and brought to the USA. Most burials

Pauleen Lillian Badke was born at Booval in Ipswich in 1925. Her father’s name was ‘Wilhelm’ but he was known to everyone as ‘Bill’ – her mother’s name was Lillian. She had one brother, Keith. Bill was well known in Ipswich and surrounds as a building contractor, and for his love of harness racing –

Earlier this month, I had the honour of addressing the Richlands, Inala and Suburbs History Group at the Inala Library. I was tasked with introducing the Camp Columbia Heritage Association (CCHA) to the history group and sharing insights into the Australian, American, and Dutch history of Camp Columbia. Additionally, I explored its connection to the

State Library of Queensland  – Audio cassette tapes containing interviews with migrant women at Wacol Migrant Camp. Christine (Christa) Braun, nee Klein Five cassette tapes, two typed interview logs, one document containing personal background, details and interview summaries, four black and white photographs. Christa is German. She migrated to Australia in the 1950s with her