US NAVY GUNNERY SCHOOL
WELLINGTON POINT, NEAR BRISBANE, QLD
DURING WW2

The US Navy established a Gunnery School at Wellington Point near Brisbane during WW2. It was located at the end of Wellington Point in the Reserve area during 1943 and 1944. Also known as the Wellington Point Gunnery School, A.A.T.C. (Navy).

The War Diary Commander Service Force, Seventh Fleet had the following entry on 13 May 1943:-

ANTI-AIRCRAFT TRAINING CENTER (BRISBANE)

Six (6) 20 mm and four (4) 50 caliber guns were removed to WELLINGTON POINT and made ready for use. Ten (10) men from the YP-233 were given preliminary instruction. After four (4) runs, the GRUMAN Amphibian plane being used as a tow plane made a forced landing off the POINT in a sinking condition. This was caused by the fact that the man in the pontoon of the plane did not have sufficient time to completely dog down the hatch in the bottom of the pontoon, through which the sleeve and cable are paid out, The personnel of this activity rented a small fishing craft, proceeded to the plane, took it in tow and beached it on the POINT with the aid of six (6) trucks borrowed from the Mobile Explosive Investigation Unit. The plane was undamaged, but some of the gear was soaked. It developed later that the towing reel was jammed and new gears had to be fabricated on the U.S.S. FULTON.

And this entry dated 29 May 1943:-

ANTI-AIRCRAFT TRAINING CENTER (BRISBANE)

To date some two-hundred fifty (250) men have been given training on the care and upkeep of the guns, the operation and technique of tracking high speed targets and actual firing at a sleeve.

And this entry dated 20 July 1943:-

ANTI-AIRCRAFT TRAINING CENTER (WELLINGTON POINT)

This unit, with Lieutenant G.W. ARMIJO, USNR, as Commanding Officer, gave training to three (3) officers and fifty-three (53) men on various guns. This training was afforded to thirty-one (31) officers and four hundred and fourteen (414) men during the month,

Aircraft (possibly flying boats) from Archerfield airfield would fly over The Redlands area with a large silk target attached via a very long thin stainless steel wire attached to the rear of the aircraft.

In May 1944, the following personnel were part of Aircraft, Seventh Fleet, US Navy based in Brisbane. Perhaps they had something to do with the US Navy Gunnery School at Wellington Point.

FLAG UTILITY UNIT, AIRCRAFT, SEVENTH FLEET
Lt. Smith                            OIC Archerfield
Lt. Engel                             OIC Tow Targets
Lt. (jg) Minshall                    Asst. Tow Targets

In May 1944, the following personnel were part of US Naval Base Headquarters, Navy 134:-

NAVAL BASE ACTIVITIES:
    Air & Surface Craft Recognition School:
        Officer in Charge:
            Lt. (jg) Stander, O.B.
    Anti-aircraft Training Center:
        Commanding Officer:
            Lt. Ferguson, J.F.

In October 1944, Detachment "A" for Able, of Marine Utility Squadron Two, based at Archerfield Airfield in Brisbane conducted routine flights consisting of tracking and tow flights carried out daily for AATC (Navy) at Wellington Point. Detachment "A"'s aircraft were as follows:-

1 only J2F-5
1 only TBF-1
2 only SBD-5

U.S. Navy Anti-Aircraft Training Center - Merchant Marine at Wellington Point
Can anyone confirm if this is the same gunnery school?
I believe it is.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 14 June 2002

This page last updated 09 February 2024