1 AUSTRALIAN PARACHUTE TRAINING DEPOT (ARMY WING)
1 AUSTRALIAN PARACHUTE TRAINING CENTRE (ARMY WING)
AKA 1 AUSTRALIAN PARACHUTE TRAINING UNIT
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WWII

In November 1942, 1 Australian Parachute Training Depot was formed at RAAF Base Tocumwal in New South Wales as a joint Australian Army / RAAF unit. The role of 1 Australian Parachute Training Depot was to train aircrew, paratroops and soldiers involved in parachute based supply drops.

The RAAF wing of this unit, known as the Paratroop Training Unit, was formed initially at Laverton on 3 November 1942. Its Commanding Officer C. P. Glasscock arrived on 11 February 1942. The RAAF Wing relocated to Tocumwal by train on 16 February 1942.

In April 1943, 1 Australian Parachute Training Depot relocated to RAAF Base at Richmond in New South Wales where they were co-located with 1 Parachute Battalion (Australian Army) which had commenced its formation in May 1943. 1 Parachute Battalion moved to Scheyville in September 1943.

Captain Sam Carey of Z Special Unit, after encountering difficulties in using submarines to insert Z personnel behind enemy lines, decided to look for an alternative method of entry and retrieval for their men. He proposed that Z operatives be trained as paratroops, which was strongly supported by Major Holland. The proposal was subsequently adopted by Colonel Chapman Walker. In early September 1943 Captain Carey and Sergeant MacKenzie visited 1 Australian Parachute Training Depot at Richmond where the 1 Parachute Battalion was training. Carey, MacKenzie and their newly appointed Medical Officer and padre completed the full paratroop training course.

Whilst at Richmond Captain Carey also did some experimental work. He linked together with sixty feet of one-inch manilla rope store-packages, each with its separate parachute, to see how daisy chains of parachuting stores would behave.

1 Australian Parachute Training Depot at Richmond was renamed as 1 Australian Parachute Training Centre in January 1944. The unit continued to train parachutists until the end of the war. Those trained included:-

In April 1944, Wing Commander A. G. Rawlinson was the commanding officer of the RAAF wing of 1 Australian Parachute Training Centre at Richmond.

After 1 Parachute Battalion relocated to Mareeba, 1 Australian Parachute Training Centre included a Holding Company for 1 Parachute Battalion and a Trials Unit which developed new parachute delivery techniques for men and supplies.

A separate Parachute Training Unit was established at Leyburn Airfield in Queensland for "Z" Special Unit in May 1945. They worked in conjunction with 200 Flight RAAF which operated B-24 Liberators.

I'd like to thank Graham R. McKenzie-Smith OA and Harley Carey for their assistance with this web page.

"The Unit Guide - The Australian Army 1939 - 1945" by Graham R. McKenzie-Smith OA

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