This is possible the last remaining hut of the military barracks at Camp Columbia Wacol Station Road At the time Ed make the picture above, the site was visited by the local kangaroos. One of them is also visible on that picture. Any further information is very welcome. See also: Buildings and facilities during the […]
Last remaining hut of the military barracks at Camp Columbia Read More »
In the immediate post-War World years, refugees from war-torn Europe were resettled in different places across Australia. By 1949, it is estimated that one-tenth of the American/Dutch/Australian Army’s Camp Columbia area was acquired by the Department of Immigration and became the Wacol East Dependant Holding Camp for Displaced Persons. This was situated on the north
Wacol Migrant Centre Read More »
While there were strong voices for greater forms of independence for Indonesia, the conservative hard-line Dutch Government was only prepared to provide more participation of Indonesians in local government structures but it would still have to be under the final control of the Netherlands, they had no interest in discussing independence and were adamant to
The Black Armada in support Indonesian Independence Read More »
A large area in and around Wacol – which was nearly all bush land at that time – was selected as its major staging camp for the US Army in the South West Pacific. Here weapons, ammunition and equipment in transit were assembled or processed. A range of military facilities were build in the area
Staging Camp Columbia – 1942 Read More »
Officer Candidate School During 1942/1943 the Americans established the Officer Candidate School (OCS), on the other side of the railway in Wacol, in the area known as Camp area 3. They provided training for nine different army branches and was of the most comprehensive schools of its kind in the world. They provide training for:
African Americans at Camp Columbia Read More »
At the Yeronga Memorial Park in Brisbane the American WACS are also commemorated. There are still plans underway to also add a plaque to the Commemoration Wall at the Memorial for the Dutch and KNIL women (Royal Netherlands East Indies Army). However, there were objections as this memorial is just for Australian Forces. Since then
Acknowledging the Women Army Corps in operating from Brisbane in WWII Read More »
The Old Fellow’s War. Edmund Nyst 2007 These are abstracts from the book as researched by Ruby Todorovski for the Queensland University Archaeological Research Project Camp Columbia Wacol. P132 Born 1927. Father was Dutch consul in Marseilles. Mother was American. Lived in Marseilles until after German occupation in 1942. Joined the resistance and in September
Edmund Nyst – Dutch soldier at Camp Columbia Read More »
By her son David Hill. Joan McConachy was a secretary at Camp Columbia, Brisbane working for the Dutch Army as she later told her son David. Joan was born in 1924 at Winton (Central West QLD) and moved to Brisbane around 1943 from the then family home (Cattle Station), “Dotswood” at Charters Towers in Far
Joan McConachy – secretary at the Dutch Army at Camp Columbia Read More »
