RED CROSS WORKER RAPED IN TOWNSVILLE
IN JANUARY 1944

In January 1944 a member of the American Rd Cross in Townsville was raped by 5 American Negro servicemen. The lady was pushed into a military truck while she was walking along Queens Road at Hermit Park. They drove her to Stuart where she was raped.

The 5 servicemen were Court Martialled and found guilty in March 1944. They were sentenced to death but this was later commuted to Life in Imprisonment.

During the war years, Morris Williams and Ian Roberts were the only two active solicitors operating in Townsville. Morris Williams is reported to have represented four American Negro soldiers (not five) who had been charged with the rape of an American Women's Army Corps member (WAC). They were found guilty and sentenced to death. Morris Williams made representations to President Roosevelt who eventually commuted the sentence to Life Imprisonment. I have assumed this is the same incident as described in the first two paragraphs above.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 2 December 2000

This page last updated 23 February 2020