"NYRAMBLA", 21 HENRY STREET,
ASCOT, BRISBANE, QLD,
COMMANDEERED BY THE MILITARY DURING WW2

visits since 29 June 2002

"Nyrambla" 21 Henry Street in its early days
Note the verandahs are not enclosed
Photo taken from Yabba Street side

"Nyrambla" 21 Henry Street, Ascot
Photo taken from Henry Street side

A large two story house located at 21 Henry Street, Ascot in Brisbane was probably acquired by Hirings Section, No. 1 Lines of Communication (No. 1 L of C), Australian Army. 

The house at 21 Henry Street was used by:-

- Central Bureau   (Gen. MacArthur's own signals intelligence unit)

- No. 1 Wireless Unit trained by AIB

- No. 11 Australian Cypher Section, Royal Australian Corps of Signals

- 837th Signals Service Detachment 

Central Bureau had banks of IBM Tabulators, the forerunner of computers, which were used by the cryptanalysts to sort and strip away ciphers which concealed the original text. They were located in the garage at the rear of 21 Henry Street. The IBM machines were later moved from the garage to the Fire Station at Ascot Park. The garage was then occupied by No. 11 Australian Cypher Section. The garage was filled with Typex machines which were operated by some Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS) personnel. 

Central Bureau re-union at 21 Henry Street on 1 May 1988 
Organised by Central Bureau Intelligence Corps Association

	"Nyrambla" 21 Henry Street in its early days
	"Nyrambla" 21 Henry Street, Ascot
	The large house at 21 Henry Street, Ascot, Brisbane
	The wrought iron work on what is now the front of the house facing Henry Street
	Rear view of 21 Henry Street, Ascot
	The front entrance of 21 Henry Street. The front door  is actually located in the side yard off the driveway. The house was originally on a large 15 acre property which fronted on to Yabba Street.
	The front entrance of 21 Henry Street.
	The front door of 21 Henry Street taken from inside the house
	Looking into the entrance after passing through the front door
	One of the two signs  in the entrance area of 21 Henry Street. The sign covers Central Bureau's presence in "Nyrambla"
	The other sign covering the presence of No. 11 Australian Cypher Section, Royal Australian Corps of Signals
	The famous garage at 21 Henry Street
	The garage at 21 Henry Street
	Insulators and point of attachments for cables on the roof of the garage
	Inside the garage
	The Brisbane River side of the garage
	The other side of the garage
	Another view of the garage
	There was apparently a semi underground bomb shelter in the back yard. The lower half of this building is now used as a support wall for the area around the swimming pool

Central Bureau moved to a new location at 45 Eldernall Avenue, Hamilton on an unknown date.

Heaps of WW2 books available at Amazon.com

"Australia @ War"

This page first produced 29 June 2002

This page last updated 05 February 2005