NEGRO CAMP NEXT TO THE LABORATORY
AT THE OONOONBA OONOONBA ANIMAL HEALTH STATION,
TOWNSVILLE, QLD
DURING WW2

Some American Negro soldiers camped next to the laboratory at the Oonoonba Animal Health Station (now called Oonoonba Veterinary Laboratory) at Oonoonba, in Townsville for some time during WW2. Before they arrived another (white) US Army unit camped in the paddock behind the foremen's house in the Oonoonba Animal Health Station. They established an Ammunition Dump in the china apple trees behind the house. The Negro unit would have worked in the Ammunition Dump.

John Musson was the foreman at the Oonoonba Animal Health Station and lived in the Foreman's house with his wife Florence and seven children. The Negro soldiers would often give lollies, fruit drinks and various gifts to the Musson children.

The 48th Quartermaster Truck Regiment (a Negro unit) also had a camp in the trees behind the nearby Cluden Racetrack. I wonder if they were associated with the group that camped in the paddock at the Oonoonba Animal Health Station?

Military Camps/Units at Oonoonba
(previously Fairfield) during WW2

REFERENCE BOOKS

"Fairfield and her Folk 1868 1995"
"Oonoonba State School, 1920 - 1995"
Editor Denyse Bonney

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 1 July 2004

This page last updated 25 January 2020