STUART SIGNALS CAMP AREA
TOWNSVILLE, QLD
DURING WW2

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While this was known as the Signals Camp Area, Stuart, I believe it was probably the Army Signals camp associated with the Army Signals Bunker at Roseneath, near Townsville. It was more likely to have been located at Roseneath not far from this Army Signals Bunker. The Stuart Signals Camp Area was designed by the Allied Works Council.

The camp was adjacent to an American Army Stores Dump.  Perhaps this was Brookhill.

The Camp contained:-

AWAS Sleeping Huts (surrounded by a barbed wire fence)
Officers and Sergeants Sleeping Hut
Tentage area
Orderly Room
Officers Showers
Kitchen
Officers Mess
AWAS Mess
Sergeants Mess
Canteen
A new well
Pump
Latrines
Wireless aerial/Antenna Farm
Transmitter Station
Maintenance building
A disused windpump
Tank Stand
Store
Cow Shed
Dairy

AWAS Dorothy Joan Gray (QF272082) spent time at Stewart Creek area outside of Townsville during WWII. Her granddaughter Donna Thompson sent me some of her grandmother's photos (see below) one of which may possibly be a photo of the Stuart Signals Camp Area.

Some of Dorothy Joan Gray's Postings were as follows. Can anyone help me with where these units were posted at the dates shown below:-

DATE FROM WHO RECEIVED  
23 May 1944 HQ 2 Coy. Adv LHQ Sigs T.O.S. from 2 Aust. Sig Tg? Bn (AWAS) transferred to 3 Coy. Adv. LHQ Sigs
30 May 1944 84 Op. Sect. T.O.S. from HQ 2 Coy, Adv. LHQ Sigs Transferred to 90 Aust. Tele. Op. Sect
11 July 1944 84 Op. Sect. Transferred to 90 Aust. Tele. Op. Sect
11 July 1944 90 Tele. Op. Sect T.O.S. from 84 Aust. Op. Sect.
3 December 1944 90 Tele. Op. Sect Graded T.6.11 Signalwoman
28 January 1945 90 Tele. Op. Sect Transferred to 56 Aust. Op. Sect.
23 January 1945 56 Op. Sect. T.O.S. from 90 Aust. Tele. Op. Sect.
21 June 1945   M/O to Vic L of C Area

56 Australian Operating Section was established in April 1943 at Stuart. 56 Aust Op Sec relocated to Melbourne in June 1945.

84 Operating Section had been established at Stuart just outside of Townsville in January 1944 and remained in the Townsville area until the end of the war. 

90 Australian Telegraph Operating Section was established at Stuart in October 1943. In February 1945 it became 1 Australian Submarine Cable Telegraph Operating Section (1 Sub Cable Tgh Op Sec).

 


Photo:- Dorothy Joan Gray

Photo of an AWAS Signals Camp that AWAS Dorothy Joan Gray (QF272082) lived
and worked in for some time during WWII. Believed to be at Stuart, outside of Townsville.

 


Photo:- Dorothy Joan Gray

Close-up of the sign near the entrance to the Camp

 


Photo:- Dorothy Joan Gray

Telegraph Operating Section Room Location unknown, possibly Townsville.
AWAS Dorothy Joan Gray (QF272082) is closest to the camera in the photo.

 


Photo:- Dorothy Joan Gray

Close-up of lady at left of above photo. The word
"Atherton" can be seen on a sign in the background.

 


Photo:- Dorothy Joan Gray

The blackboard at the top right of photo includes the following words:-

CHANNEL LAG BOARD
CHANNEL
Landforces
Atherton
Cairns
?
?
?
W/T

 

 stuartsignalscamparea01.jpg (511210 bytes)

Plan for the Signals Camp Area
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thanks Donna Thompson for her assistance with this web page.

I'd like to thank Graham McKenzie-Smith for his assistance identifying the units in the above table and their locations.

 

Can anyone help me with more information?

 

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©  Peter Dunn 2015

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This page first produced 20 November 2003

This page last updated 15 February 2023