339 ENGINEER GENERAL SERVICE REGIMENT
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WWII

The 339 Engineer General Service Regiment was constituted as a Reserve unit in 1928.

The 339 Engineer General Service Regiment was activated in August 1942 and began training in the US in October 1942. Patrick Ridgely's father, S/Sgt Robert Ridgely, was in the Regiment at this time, as part of its medical detachment. The unit was shipped out from Camp Stoneman in California on 14 April 1943 aboard SS Willard A. Holbrook which left San Francisco at approximately 9:35am. They traveled without an escort and not part of a convoy. They were met by an Australian destroyer as they approached Brisbane and escorted into Brisbane.

They landed at Brisbane in south east Queensland, Australia on 2 May 1943, and went immediately to Camp Doomben which was a tented camp in an Australian racecourse. A  short history of the 339th states:-

"People spoke English, but with a humerous cockney accent; all transportation followed the left side of the road and their currency was different; and then the civilians themselves held a certain aloorness in contrast to the easy going Americans. Yes they drove Buicks, liked modern jazz wore the same clothes as the people in the States and 'put out' some beautiful girls. But to the wide awake Yanks they were still ten years behind times."

".... Though passes weren't given out every evening, the boys, now fascinated by the tempting 'come hither' look of Australian lovelies, would slip out through a large hole in the west gate of the former race track. So many went through this opening that it was affectionately know as 'The Burma Road' and was held in great esteem by all. At times it was so crowded that a MP would stand there and direct traffic. The nine days flew by quickly. During these days lectures were given on how to combat the dreaded malarial fever."

Some of the men of the 339th formed large crews to unload ships on the docks and others worked in the large warehouses along the busy waterfront.

On 11 May 1943, they embarked on the KPM liner SS Cremer, and disembarked at Townsville in north Queensland after dropping anchor at 11am on 16 May 1943. On the same day a small detachment from the 339 Engineer General Service Regiment and the 198th Engineer Truck Company left for New Guinea on the Liberty ship SS Allison.

The main body of the 339th Engineers embarked again on 17 May 1943 on the SS Cremer, and traveled with four other ships to Milne Bay, in New Guinea and dropped anchor on 18 May 1943 in Jock McMillan Bay, thirteen miles east of Gili Gili. Making up the four other ships were the Australian transport SS Taroona, a US Corvette, an Australian destroyer and a liberty ship.

They remained at Milne Bay until being split into two echelons for the Operation Reckless invasion in April 1944. One echelon (S/Sgt Robert Ridgely was in this one) landed with the US 24th Infantry Division at Tanahmerah Bay. The other echelon was attached to the US 41st Infantry Division and landed at Hollandia.

In August of 1944 the Regiment was reconstituted as a Battalion (still designated the 339th), and the balance of its members went to other engineering outfits. S/Sgt Robert Ridgely was part of the excess, and joined the 239th Engineer Combat Battalion.

The 339th Battalion participated in the Leyte invasion in October 1944 and then landed on Luzon in January 1945, serving there until the end of the war.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Patrick Ridgely for his assistance with this web page, His father, S/Sgt Robert Ridgely, was a member of the 339 Engineer General Service Regiment.

I'd also like to thank Bob Klocek who has shared his research on the 339th with both Patrick Ridgely and myself.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 9 December 2018

This page last updated 19 January 2020