HQs Anti-aircraft Group (North Queensland), later HQs Townsville Anti-aircraft Group, then HQs 9th Australian Anti-aircraft Group, in Australia during WW2

HEADQUARTERS ANTI-AIRCRAFT GROUP (NORTH QUEENSLAND)
LATER HEADQUARTERS TOWNSVILLE ANTI-AIRCRAFT GROUP
THEN HEADQUARTERS 9TH AUSTRALIAN ANTI-AIRCRAFT GROUP
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WWII

Prior to September 1942, there were very few Australian Army anti-aircraft units in north Queensland and those that were there were under the command of various US Army AA Units.

In September 1942, Headquarters Anti-aircraft Group (North Queensland) was formed in Townsville which was in command of the Anti-aircraft Operations Room (Townsville) and 16th Anti-aircraft Battery in Townsville. It also had administrative control over the following Australian Army Units which stayed under US Army operational command:-

In February 1943, the 35th Anti-aircraft Battery moved to Cairns from Cape York and 76th Anti-aircraft Searchlight Company 76 AASL Coy arrived in Mareeba.

In May 1943, the Anti-aircraft Units in Townsville along with Townsville Fixed Defences Heavy Artillery came under the control of the newly formed Headquarters Townsville Fortress and the Anti-aircraft units in Cairns and Mareeba came under Headquarters Cairns Fortress.

All Anti-aircraft Units were restructured in August 1943 which saw Headquarters Anti-aircraft Group (North Queensland) renamed to Headquarters Townsville Anti-aircraft Group with its role limited to the Townsville area as the US Army units were starting to move further north. 16th Anti-aircraft Battery became 16th Heavy Anti-aircraft Battery (Static) and shared its gun stations with Headquarters 7th Heavy Anti-aircraft Battery (Static) which had arrived from the Sydney area and the 607th Light Anti-aircraft Troop (Static) which arrived to take over the low level defence role in the Townsville area.

In October 1943, the 75th Mobile Searchlight Battery arrived in Townsville. By December 1943, US Army Anti-aircraft troops had withdrawn from the Townsville area leading to the arrival of the 556th Light Anti-aircraft Battery (Static) and the 79th Searchlight Battery (Mixed). The 52nd Searchlight Battery (Mixed) arrived in January 1944 whilst the 75th Mobile Searchlight Battery departed for the Northern Territory.

Headquarters Townsville Anti-aircraft Group was renamed to Headquarters 9th Anti-aircraft Group in May 1944 and the Townsville Anti-aircraft Operations Room became the 9th Anti-aircraft Operations Room.

In May 1944 the 16th Volunteer Defence Corps 16 VDC started Anti-aircraft training in Townsville. In July 1944 VDC training in Light Anti-aircraft and Searchlights was discontinued as the war was moving further beyond New Guinea. Part of the 16th Volunteer Defence Corps was stood down into reserve and the rest of the unit became the 7th Heavy Antiaircraft Battery (VDC) which took over the Heavy Anti-aircraft guns in the Townsville area and the AMF units were reduced to the 7th Heavy Anti-aircraft (LE).

The 79th Searchlight Battery (Mixed) was disbanded in August 1944 and the 52nd Searchlight Battery (Mixed) was reduced to two Troops with one of them fully manned by VDC soldiers.

Headquarters 9th Anti-aircraft Group and the 556th Light Anti-aircraft Battery (Static) were disbanded in September 1944 which left the 7th Heavy Anti-aircraft Battery (LE) to control the Anti-aircraft defences in the Townsville area while the 16th Heavy Anti-aircraft Battery (Static) was reorganised for its future role in Darwin in the Northern Territory.

I'd like to thank Graham R. McKenzie-Smith AM for his assistance with this web page.

"The Unit Guide Volume 3 - The Australian Army 1939 - 1945" by Graham R. McKenzie-Smith AM, page 3:234

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