ROSS RIVER DOG KENNELS
BASE QUARTERMASTER, BASE SECTION 2
TOWNSVILLE, QLD
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WWII

Five acres of land near the Hangar at the Ross River Airfield were procured by the Base Quartermaster of Base Section 2, US Army as a site for dog kennels in May 1943. I believe the dog kennels were located on the vacant Crown Land shown on the plan below, just to the east of the hangar across the other side of Stuart Drive (the road to Charters Towers) from the Ross River Meatworks.

Two Enlisted Men, graduates of the War Dog Training School, were placed in charge of the dog kennels. Their duties were to train the dogs as watch dogs for the various Quartermaster warehouses located around Townsville. The brand numbers assigned to Base Section 2 for the registration of all dogs purchased was the following block of numbers - 7 x 00 to 7 x 499.

Scrap meats from Armstrongs Paddock and the 12th Station Hospital at Aitkenvale were saved to feed the dogs at the Ross River Kennels.

It eventually became apparent that the guarding of warehouses using watch dogs had proved unsatisfactory in many instances. When the dogs were locked inside the warehouses, that prevented personnel from entering the buildings. Access for these personnel was essential as they had to work at night time. The delays experienced waiting for dog handlers to arrive were unacceptable. It was eventually decided in about February/March 1944 to abandon the dog kennels.

All of the dogs were disposed of to the Base Veterinarian who turned the dogs over to the Australian health authorities for the removal of heart worms. These worms were then used in the preparation of diagnostic tests for the detection of filiariasis among the troops. No additional guards were required to replace the former duties carried out by the watch dogs.

Plan:- NAA

Plan of Ross River Airfield dated 8 Nov 1943

Plan:- NAA

I believe the Base QM Dog Kennels were located on the Crown Land to the east of the hangar

The Hangar at Ross River Airfield can be seen in this July 1941 aerial photo

Photo:- Nick Shailer 31 May 2023

Two dog tags found whilst clearing a house

Nick Shailer was given the above two Dog Tags on 31 May 2023. They were found while clearing a relative's house. Nick thinks these would have been on military dog collars. They are stamped US 7X014 and US 7X017, PROPERTY OF U.S. ARMY, BASE SEC 2 Q.M., ROSS RIVER KENNELS. These registration numbers fall within the block of numbers assigned to the dogs at the Base Quartermaster Base Section 2, Ross River Dog Kennels as listed above.

REFERENCE BOOKS

"Base Two - The Bayonet of Australia"

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Nick Shailer for his assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 1 June 2023

This page last updated 02 June 2023