ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE, NUDGEE JUNIOR,
INDOOROOPILLY, BRISBANE, QLD
COMMANDEERED BY THE MILITARY DURING WW2

visits since 23 June 2002

The US Army took over St. Joseph's College, Nudgee Junior at Indooroopilly for 2 years during WW2 to establish the 172nd Station Hospital.

For the 2 years of military occupation, the 5 Christian Brothers and 100 boys of the college lived and carried out their school duties in a hotel, 2 houses and a hut at Mount Tamborine.

While they occupied the College at Indooroopilly, the Americans managed to sink the college's motor boat when it caught fire during one of their night parties on the Brisbane River. The boat had been given to the college by Monsignor Owen Hayes.

At the end of 1943 the Americans moved out of St. Joseph's College. An American transport unit helped to relocate the school from Mt. Tamborine to Indooroopilly. The Americans repaired the damages to the school before the start of the 1944 school year. Several Negro prisoners were brought under guard from a military camp near the Indooroopilly Railway Station to carry out cleaning and repair work at the college. Brother J.K. O'Neill supervise the repair work and made sure the school was returned an excellent condition before the return of the students.

REFERENCE BOOKS

"And all this shall be added"
Catholic Education in Queensland - Volume VI
by Susan Mary Tobin

Heaps of WW2 books available at Amazon.com

"Australia @ War"

This page first produced 23 June 2002

This page last updated 05 August 2005