Brisbane and World War II

Brisbane History Group

Brisbane and World War II is the Brisbane History Group’s twenty-fourth volume of papers. It comprises the majority of papers presented at the seminar, ‘Brisbane’s Second World War’ held on 27 August 2011.

For continuity and thematic reasons, the volume is divided into three sections. The first focuses predominantly on the home front, the second on front line activity and the third on various ways in which the war is recorded and remembered.

The first section considers:
• the heightened activities on the Brisbane River during World War II
• the operations of the Advanced Land Headquarters in and around the
University of Queensland
• the significance of indicator loop technology as a defensive strategy against
submarines
• the US construction of an ordnance storage facility on Mount Coot-tha
• the upgrading and strategic importance of Fort Lytton
• the military and civilian roles undertaken by women
Section two examines:
• the exploits of the US submarines based in Brisbane
• the valiant and dogged defence of Tobruk by the 2/15th Battalion during the
Easter Battle in 1941
• the trials, torments and triumphs of the men of the 61st Battalion who finally
halted the advance of the Japanese army at the Battle of Milne Bay
• the achievements of Kenneth Fraser, who was responsible for effectively
organising the treatment of casualties from the Middle East campaigns
Finally, the third section relates:
• the story of the creation of a war memorial for the 2/9th Battalion and its
two dramatis personae, a Czech sculptor and his subject, an Aussie digger
• the struggle to obtain heritage listing for Eagle Farm’s Hangar 7, a significant
World War II facility
• the importance of researching the military archives of the US in order to
gain a better understanding of Brisbane during World War II.

Written by amateurs, professionals and academics, the book presents a fascinating insight into Brisbane’s contribution during and after the tumultuous years of World War II.