2/12 FIELD AMBULANCE
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WW2

The 2/12 Field Ambulance was formed by Lieutenant Colonel N.D. Barton in Sydney, New South Wales in late 1940. It was an additional field ambulance unit for the Australian 2nd AIF.

The 2/12th Field Ambulance carried out their basic training at Cowra in New South Wales where they were in support of the 23rd Australian Infantry Brigade. The 2/12th relocated with the 23rd Australian Infantry Brigade from Cowra to a camp at Winnellie just south of the RAAF Darwin airfield in the Northern Territory in March 1941. 

While camped at Winnellie, small support groups of approximately 40 men were sent to Timor and Ambon to support "Sparrow" and "Gull" forces. More support groups accompanied reinforcements for "Sparrow" and "Gull" forces after many of the earlier parties had been captured by the Japanese. The reinforcements were forced to return to Darwin after their convoy came under heavy Japanese bombing attacks.

The 2/12 Field Ambulance were camped at Winnellie near Darwin during the numerous Japanese bombing attacks on Darwin during the first half of 1942. In 1943, the 2/12th relocated to a camp at Reidtown near Wollongong in New South Wales.

Three Companies of the 2/12 Field Ambulance and their attached personnel relocated by train to Sydney to board the Hospital Ship A.H.S. HMS Centaur. There was a total of 11 officers, 3 warrant officers, 14 sergeants and 192 other ranks, a total of 220 personnel. At about 5 pm on 11 May 1943, the 2/12th, led by their Commanding Officer, Lt.-Col. Leslie McDonald Outridge, marched on the the wharf at No. 1 Darling Harbour.

Most of the personnel of the 2/12th in the photographs below were killed on the Hospital Ship A.H.S. HMS Centaur, which was sunk by Japanese Submarine I-177 on 14 May 1943 off the Queensland coast, roughly east of Brisbane.

Plaque commemorating the fate of
members of the 2/12 Field Ambulance
on the hospital ship A.H.S. Centaur

The following photos were taken by Private E. Laurie Ravenscroft

	Cover of E. Laurie Ravenscroft's Photo Album, showing a map of Australia and the routes travelled by 2/12 Field Ambulance
	2/12 Field Ambulance Camp at Cowra in New South Wales
	2/12 Field Ambulance Camp at Cowra in New South Wales (hand coloured my Mrs Ravenscroft)
	Cowra
	Cowra Camp
	Cowra Hospital
	Cowra Sports Day
	In a trench at Cowra, NSW
	Cowra
	Cowra - Moving day
	Leaving Cowra
	Bendigo, NSW
	Copley
	Noske Bros Pty. Ltd, Murray Bridge
	Murray Bridge
	Lake Hyde, Terowie
	Sergeants at Adelaide, South Australia
	Unknown Sergeant at Sydney Show Grounds
	E. Laurie Ravenscroft at Sydney Show Grounds
	Queen Mary, Sydney Harbour
	Young
	Terowie
	On the move, somewhere in Victoria
	Railway at Alice Springs, NT
	Alice Springs, NT
	Alice Springs, NT
	Alice Springs, NT
	Alice Springs
	Camp, Alice Springs
	D-O-M-F Camp, Alice Springs The Darwin Overland Maintenance Force (DOMF) was an Australian Army unit responsible for the supply of food, medical, sanitary and signal services to the gangs building the North - South road in the Northern Territory and any military personnel camped along the road such as the overnight camps at Banka Banka, Powell's Creek, Elliot, Bore 6A, etc.  When they built the road from Mount Isa, a similar force was created, called Mt Isa Maintenance Force (MIMF).
	Hawkers at Alice Springs
	War Memorial, Alice Springs. NT
	Transport Lines, Alice Springs, NT
	Mac taking a phot, at Alice Springs. Note the fly protection over his hat.
	Emily's Gap, Alice Springs
	Emily's Gap, Alice Springs, NT
	Emily's Gap, Alice Springs, NT
	Emily's Gap, Alice Springs, NT
	Quorn, South Australia
	Smoko, on the side of the road, somewhere in the Northern Territory
	Bonnie Wells
	Donkey, NT
	Elliott, NT
	Newcastle Waters, NT
	Newcastle Waters
	Newcastle Waters
	Newcastle Waters
	Tritree Wells
	Tritree Wells
	Tritree Wells
	Balancing Rock, Devils Marbles
	Devils Marbles
	Devils Marbles
	Main Street, Tennant Creek
	Mine entrance, Tennant Creek
	Mission House, Tennant Creek
	Tennant Creek, NT
	A mishap

The following photos were taken by Alan Dickson.

	Darwin Picture Show, Darwin in the 1940's.
	Darwin Post Office after the bombing February 1942
	2/12 Ambulance Unit, Darwin 1942
	2/12 ASC at Cowra 1942
	Old Darwin Hotel 1942
	Ambulances at Cowra, 1941
	Convoy crossing Newcastle Waters, Northern Territory, 1941
	Army Camp in Darwin, 1942
	AIF Camp, Alice Springs, 1941
	Alan Dickson, Darwin, 1942
	Army Convoy on way to Darwin, 1942
	AIF Sports Day, Darwin, 1942
	Most of the 2/12 A.A.S.C. boys at Darwin, Northern Territory, 1941
	Alice Springs 1942
	Washup area, Darwin 1942
	Cowra 1940's
	Army Camp, Darwin 1940's
	Railway Station Cowra 1940's
	Darwin Railway Station 1940's

Alan Dickson told me that  the last remaining survivor of the 2/12 (George McGrath) passed away on the 4th of January 2007.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Steven Ravenscroft whose father Private E. Laurie Ravenscroft was a member of the 2/12th Field Ambulance.

I'd like to thank Frank Dickson for his assistance with this web page. Frank's father Alan Dickson served in the 2/12th during WW2.

REFERENCE BOOKS

"Australian Hospital Ship Centaur - The Myth of Immunity"
by Christopher S. Milligan & John C.H. Foley

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 30 March 2003

This page last updated 23 January 2020