Special Operations Australia (SOA), Section "A" of Allied Intelligence Bureau, operated under the cover name of Inter Allied Services Department (IASD or ISD), later became Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD)

SPECIAL OPERATIONS AUSTRALIA (SOA)
SECTION "A" OF ALLIED INTELLIGENCE BUREAU
OPERATED UNDER THE COVER NAME OF
INTER ALLIED SERVICES DEPARTMENT (IASD OR ISD)
LATER BECAME SERVICES RECONNAISSANCE DEPARTMENT (SRD)

visits since 7 August 2001

In March 1942, General Douglas MacArthur approved the establishment of an offshoot of the British Special Operation Executive (SOE) in Australia. This idea had been proposed by General Blamey. In London the new organisation was known as Special Operation Australia (SOA) but it was given a cover name in Australia, where it was known as Inter Allied Services Department (IASD). This acronym was usually shortened to ISD.

SOA was staffed with saboteurs, commandos and spies whose job it was to:-

- harass enemy lines of communications

- attack enemy shipping and small craft in harbours and rivers

- organise resistance by local inhabitants

- establish secret communications

- disseminate propaganda against the Japanese and Germans

- direct sabotage, subversion and fifth-column activity

Some SOE British Officers who had escaped to Australia from Singapore, formed the nucleus of ISD at its headquarters in Melbourne. In June 1942, the Australian service personnel in ISD were administered by a holding company known as "Z" Special Operations.

Lt. Col. G.E. Mott was the Commanding Officer of ISD.

"Airlie", located on the corner of Punt Road and Domain Road in Melbourne, was commandeered by the military during WW2 for use as the Headquarters for Special Operations.

The Americans were not keen on the existence of an intelligence unit in their theatre of war that had been set up by the British. They also had similar problems with some independent Dutch Intelligence units. In an endeavour to bring these "foreign" units into line, the Americans established the Allied Intelligence Bureau (AIB) in June 1942. An American Officer, Lt. Col. Allison W. Ind, was appointed as the Finance Officer in AIB. This was apparently a strategy to starve the British and Dutch Intelligence units of funds to stifle their "errant ways".

Special Operations Australia was the "dirty tricks" department of the Allied Intelligence Bureau (AIB).

In March 1943, relationships with AIB were so bad that SOA was restructured. The British Commanding Officer of ISD was replaced by AIB with another SOE officer from London and the group became known as Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD). Lt. Col. P.J .F. Chapman-Walker was appointed Director of SRD and given the temporary rank of Colonel. He had his offices at 39 Ackland Street, South Yarra.

In December 2002, the one surviving member of the SRD Directorate was Sir John Holland, who post WW2 formed John Holland Constructions.

A Naval Intelligence Officer acted as Liaison Officer between SRD and the Director of Naval Intelligence, and certain other Naval personnel were included in the organisation as operatives.

SRD PROVISIONAL WAR COMPLEMENT

1    Commander
1    Lieutenant Commander
2    Lieutenant Commanders or Lieutenants
45 Lieutenants or Sub. Lieutenants
1    Chief Petty Officer
2    Chief Petty Officers or Petty Officers
26 Petty Officers (Mostly N.A.P. Mates)
19 Leading Seamen
84 Able Seamen or Ordinary Seamen
4    Telegraphists
37 Motor Mechanics (Include 2 Senior M.M.'s)
2    Leading Stokers
26 Stokers
2    Shipwrights
1    Leading Writer
2    Cook (s)

255 Total

MELBOURNE HEADQUARTERS

1    Commander        Department of the Navy
1    Lieutenant or Sub. Lieutenant    Assistant Staff Officer
1    Lieutenant or Sub' Lieutenant    N.I.O.
1    Leading Writer

4 Total

S.R.D. CAMP AT FRASER COMMANDO SCHOOL

1    Lieutenant or Sub. Lieutenant
1    Chief Petty Officer
1    Shipwright

3 Total

NAVAL OFFICER-IN-CHARGE, HORNBILL

1 Lieutenant

FREMANTLE BASE

1    Lieutenant Commander
1    Shipwright
1    Motor Mechanic
1    Leading Seaman

4 Total

DARWIN BASE

1 Lieutenant

The Naval Section of SRD was established in January 1944. Initially, the Naval Section had only two vessels:-