US Army Base Section Two, Signal Office, Townsville, Queensland during WW2

The Signal Office of Base Section Two in the Townsville area comprised various sections of Signals Communications such as Radio, Signal Centre, Telephone, Supply and Air Courier sections. The function of Signal Communications is to enable a Commander to send and receive information and orders. The following agencies are means of Signal Communications:-

The Signal Officer is trained in tactics and technique of Signal Communications and is charged with the exercise of tactical supervision of Signal Communications.

The Signal Office officially began operation at Base Section 2 on 16 March 1942. Lieutenant Elmer R. Sims, was the Base Signal Officer, who operated a Message Centre at Headquarters Base Section 2. Initially the radio, code and teletype were operated in conjunction with the RAAF.

On 7 May 1942, the Signal Office was established on the third floor of Beak House at 336 Flinders St., Townsville, occupying three rooms in the rear of the building. They later took over two additional rooms for the Message Centre and Administration. Two weeks later the Base Chemical Officer also moved into Beak House. When I took the photo below of Beak House it was the site of the Metro Pharmacy.

In September 1942, Sub-Section One, Cairns and Sub-Section Two, Horn Island, later redesignated to Iron Range, were established. Also in September 1942, an Advanced Signal Section was established in Townsville for the purpose of supervising and co-ordinating Signal Communication matters between Base Section Two and Base Section Three (Brisbane) and between Base Section Two and New Guinea. Lieutenant Colonel Roy B. Arnold was assigned Signal Officer for the Advanced Signal Section which comprised approximately 4 officers and 8 enlisted men.

In May 1943, the First Radio Station Section was assigned to the Signal Office for duty and training. The Section comprised 1 officer and 19 enlisted men. On 11 November 1943, the Signal Office began operating under the newly organised Base Service Command.

Signal Office moved to the concrete Igloo as it known to the Americans at Ramsay St, Garbutt

The term Signal Centre applies to the Code, Teletype and Message Centre. Prior to July 1942 the Signal Centre was referred to as the Message Centre. The name change was to avoid confusion with the Adjutant General Message Centre.

Not long after the Message Centre (later Signal Centre) was opened, a majority of the men were either hospitalised or placed on the sick list due to dengue fever.

T/Sgt. Phil Wilhelm, Memphis, Tenn., and Pvt. Harold O'Shea, Minn., Minn., both of
the 832nd Signal Service Co. working in the Message Centre - 30 March 1944

The duties assigned to the Signal Centre were not entirely Signal Centre work. There were extra duties for everyone including the officers, which included:-

They worked initially in conjunction with the Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). When the Signal Office opened in Beak House on 7 May 1942, base communications and transportation arrangements were poor. Transportation varied and included bicycle, motorcycle, jeep and quite often by the old reliable feet.

On 1 June 1942, Lieutenant Linsey C. Lewis was assigned as the Signal Centre Officer and with him came 4 additional clerks. With no central control of the switchboards at that time, the Signal Centre was furnishing operators for the training of operators on these individual switchboards.

Some of the men assigned to the Signal Centre were found to be lacking in training, and there were some who had never been given the basic training of Signal Centre work. As a result the men with training became instructors to the lesser trained men. This put a strain on the men who had to instruct and at the same time carry on with their normal work of good communications.

There was an Emergency Operations Room in the basement of Beak House which was used on occasions. The change over to this Emergency Operations Room never caused a disruption of communications for more than five minutes.

The 9th Radio Team, 10th Radio Team and 11th Radio Team were assigned to the Signal Centre for training only to be followed by the 60th Signal Battalion also for training. This constituted a huge workload for the Signal Centre. More difficulties and problems arose when the 6th Army assigned a Detachment of men, the 1st Radio Team for work and training. The 1st Radio Team used different procedures in the Signal Centre which caused confusion until they were finally transferred.

On 8 September 1943, Tec 5 Harold A.Gleb was killed in an accident when he was driving a Jeep with passenger Private Clarence Blahnic on their way to the Victoria Park, Motor Pool at South Townsville. Private Blahnic was seriously injured. Their Jeep collided with an Australian Army truck driven by Corporal Robert Alick Law (QX35474) of the 127 General Transport Company at the corner of Perkins and Morey Streets. The Coroner's Inquest gave the following findings:-

In March 1942, a Detachment of the 832nd Signal Service Company, then known as Radio Team "G" with the exception of their Radio Section, arrived in Townsville and was stationed at Garbutt Airfield and billeted at Buchanan's Hotel. No Teletype Section was formed by this team, with all the men being in either the Signal Centre or the Code Section.

On 20 March 1942, Tec 4 Ambrozik and Tec 5 Wilhelm were assigned to operate Teletype machines. As there were no US Army teletype circuits at that time, they operated in conjunction with the RAAF. Lieutenant K. Kennedy was appointed the Teletype Officer.

On 7 May 1942, the first US Army Teletype circuit was installed and made operational. This circuit was connected to an Australian Teleprinter at the Teletype Office located at Beak House and to a Teleprinter in RAAF Headquarters. By June 1942 there were a total of six Teletype operators.

Miss J. Stewart was the first civilian employed in the Teletype Section on 10 April 1943. More civilians were later employed in the section. In June 1943, the first telegraph central switchboard (TC-3) was installed and made operational. By that time six circuits and four local machines were connected to that switchboard. A second telegraph central switchboard was installed in November 1943.

Like the other sections of the Signal Office, the Teletype Section moved to Headquarters Base Section Two and later to the Igloo Building at 3 Ramsay Street, Garbutt. A subsection of the Teletype Section was the Teletype Repair Section which maintained and serviced all the Teletype equipment.

The Code Section started operations on 16 March 1942. The Cryptographic personnel of Radio Team "G" together with one Code man for Radio Team "F" began working with the RAAF Cipher Section at North East Area (NEA) Headquarters in Sturt Street. Lieutenant Elmer R. Sims assumed the duties of Cryptographic Security Officer. The systems used at that time were all manual and most of the traffic handled was in Australian codes.

At the end of June 1942 the first code machine was placed into service at Base Section Two. In November 1942, the Code Room was expanded due to an increase in traffic. Personnel were lost to forward areas and to attend Officer Candidate School at Camp Columbia near Brisbane. In May 1943, the first Teletype equipment was installed in the Code Room.

On 5 June 1943, a Code school was opened in three large rooms on the second floor of Beak House to train 21 men of the 9th Radio Team, 10 Radio Team and 11th Radio Team. The manual code was conducted by Tec 4 Frederick Hughes and the machine code by S/Sgt Anthony Schultz. The school was inspected and approved by the Base S-3 Officer.

The Code Room operated 24 hours a day. Over 150 men were trained in Cryptographic work. In February 1944, Lieutenant Ellis M. Chisholm took over as the Cryptographic Security Officer. There were 6 men in the Code Section.

The Air Courier Service was officially established on 30 October 1942. A Courier Service was initiated between Townsville and Port Moresby and between Townsville and Brisbane. The Air Courier Service operated 24 hours a day in all types of weather. On November 1942. Lieutenant Lee Rodgers, whilst on a job to Port Moresby, was forced to shelter in a slit trench at Ward's Airfield because of a Japanese air raid on the airfield. On another courier flight, the Courier had to show the pilot the location of the airfield. There were delays due to bombing raids, bad weather, defective parts and equipment, and vehicle engine troubles. There were also delays due to wreckage on airfields, inability to locate passengers, landing priority of other aircraft, alerts and accidents.

On 26 November 1943, Courier Browne was involved in a fatal aircraft crash about 5 miles from Ward's Airfield in New Guinea. Lieutenant Jack W. Frederickson and Ensign Stanley M. Patten were two of the Couriers attached to the Air Courier Service.

The Radio Section, comprising 6 men, started on 1 May 1942 at the North East Area Headquarters in Sturt Street. Radio communications were established with Melbourne and Mount Isa. GHQ SWPA was located in Melbourne at that point in time. Lieutenant Elmer R. Sims was assigned as the Radio Officer. The radio call sign for Townsville was WVJL. These radio links were part of the Army Command and Administrative Network (ACAN).

Their equipment comprised one Federal, two channel 400 watt Transmitter which was temporarily installed at the RAAF 1 Transmitting Station at Belgian Gardens. It was operated by remote control from the NEA Headquarters building in Sturt Street. Receiving equipment consisted of one BC-342 Receiver which was installed in the operating room at NEA Headquarters. A RAAF double antennae located on the top of the building was used for receiving. The frequency checking equipment consisted of two Australian frequency meters, one of which received only on the fundamental frequency. The power at the RAAF Station consisted of a commercial 240 volt, 3 phase, diesel operated motor generator set.

New remote Transmitter and Receiver sites were completed by July 1942. The Radio Operation Room moved from the NEA Headquarters building to the third floor of Beak House. In September 1942, 5 emergency keying lines were installed between the Transmitter Station and the Remote Receiver Station. These emergency lines were used during the rainy season which rendered their cables useless at various times. From time to time various other installations were made and put into operations and others discontinued in accordance with the need at that time. Considerable trouble was experienced in all their circuits in December 1942 due to severe electrical storms which rendered communication impossible at times.

By the end of 1943, the Base Radio installations comprised of a central Operating Room located in the Signal Office in Beak House, and a Transmitter Station and a Receiver Station approximated three quarters of a mile from each other and separated by Ross River at Aitkenvale. The two Stations were operated remotely by the Radio Room in the Signal Office. The Receiver Station and Transmitter Station were converted farmhouses used to house personnel and equipment. The two buildings were completely camouflaged from aerial view.

The following is a description of the Aitkenvale Remote Receiving Station from the back of a NARA photograph which unfortunately I do not have:-

The following is a description of the Aitkenvale Transmitter building from the back of a NARA photograph which unfortunately I do not have:-

A Harbour Boat Transmitting Station was commissioned on 22 March 1944 and the Receiver was installed in Beak House.

The Receiver and Transmitter Stations were disbanded in June 1944 as they were need urgently in forward areas.

Small Ships operating position at the Remote Receiving Station at Aitkenvale. The Radio
set is being operated by T/Sgt. Donald Betts, Rock Island, Illinois on 3 September 1943.

The Telephone Section was formed on 5 June 1942 by Lieutenant K. Kennedy who was the Telephone Officer and PFC Fred Ehmoke, the Telephone Maintenance man. More men joined the section shortly later though they never seemed to have enough personnel. The men worked day and night to meet the service requirements of the military installations. Their work included:-

During January 1943, two Western Electric Company 550C 80 line switchboards were installed in the Quartermaster Building on the corner of Sturt Street and Stanley Street to centralise telephone communications and eliminate the separate switchboards operated by various sections. When the new switchboard was installed 20 civilian operators were employed which later increased to as man as 90 civilian operators.

Fourteen new men arrived in March 1943 and were assigned to the Telephone Section as linemen, repairmen, switchboard and maintenance men however their first few weeks were spent working on the 5th AACS Region (Army Airways Communication System) Project. The 5th AACS Region was later redesignated as the 68th AACS Group

On 15 December 1943, the Telephone Section were busy when a fire broke out in the power panel at the US Army Headquarters switchboard room located in the Quartermaster Building. The fire was caused by an insulation breakdown in the power room. The Chief Switchboard Operator quickly disconnected the main feeder cable from the power panel preventing any further damage.

Two men assigned to the Telephone Section were awarded the Legion of Merit for action in New Guinea. They were Tec 5 Joseph Jaromin and Tec 5 Moses Bryan.

Men of the 253rd ? US Army, using a Bulldozer to dig in an underground cable into Bohle River

The Signal Repair Depot section comprising 6 officers and 127 enlisted men arrived in Townsville in November 1942 with Captain Ernest R. Schward as its Commanding Officer. Detachments were located at Port Moresby, Amberley Airfield, and Charters Towers. Radio Sections and Wire Sections were attached to the 4th Air Depot Group at Depot No. 2 at Mount Louisa.

The Signal Repair Depot held their first dance at the Golf Club in September 1943. There was a gradual depletion of company strength during 1944 largely due to the transfer of men to other organisations and other braches of the service.

The Signal Supply Depot was established in October 1942 by 9 men from the 201st Signal Depot who arrived from Tocumwal in New South Wales along with the 176th Signal Detachment. Lieutenant Fullwood was in charge. They went into camp at Mount Louisa. They handled supplies from the Beak and Buchanan warehouses.

In November 1942, all supplies and equipment were moved to the partially completed new Signal Depot store room located about half a mile west of Aitkenvale. The large Signal Depot Store Room was not finished until 1943. It was a hangar type building 200 feet by 100 feet with wood girders covered with corrugated iron and a cement floor. It was located in an area bounded by the Bruce Highway to the west, Arthur Street to the south, Alfred Street to the north and a line half way between Beatrice Street and Pope Street to the east. See the aerial photo below.

A new office building 80 feet by 20 feet, was completed and occupied in June 1943. It was located in front of the large building and was used to store electrical equipment and offices. During June 1943, a building to store pole line equipment and supplies was erected to the rear of the large building. An insulated building for the storage of batteries was also erected.

In June 1943, 32 trucks were operated and maintained for the Receiving and Shipping Departments of the Signal depot. Ordnance vehicles with Signal equipment were parked in the Motor Pool area where all were under continuous supervision and ready to be moved at any time.

On 5 January 1944, the Signal Corps Store Room on the Quartermaster Storage area located half a mile north of Aitkenvale was completed and opened for storing Signal supplies and equipment. The building was 300 feet by 88 feet.

The Signal Supply Depot became inactive in April 1944 and most of the men were transferred to forward areas. Base Signal Supply was then maintained at the Igloo Building at 3 Ramsay Street, Garbutt.

Signal Supply also maintained a Film and Equipment Exchange for the distribution of projectors and film for the training and amusement of all servicemen at Base Section Two.

SIGNAL OFFICER:
    Capt. W.E. Nieman
ADMINISTRATION SECTION:
    Administrative Officer:
        Capt. J.R. Komoroski
    Chief Clerk:
        M/Sgt. K.R. Oakley
RADIO SECTION:
    Radio Officer:
        Lt. A.W. Borgia
    Radio Room:
        Sgt. E.M. Messer
SAFEHAND COURIER SERVICE:
    Officer in Charge:
        Lt. L.W. Rodgers
SIGNAL CENTER:
    Message Center Officer & Cryptographic Security Officer:
        Lt. E.M. Chishold
    Duty Officer (24 House)
    Signal Duty Officer:
        Lt. E.A. Kurtenbach
TELEGRAPH OFFICE
TELEPHONE SECTION:
    Telephone Officer:
        Lt. W. Flood
    Chief Operator:
        Miss O'Sullican
    Directory Information:
        Miss M. Adams
    Switchboard Maintenance:
        Corp. L.J. Christiansen
    Wire Chief
TELETYPE SECTION:
    Teletype Officer:
        Lt. A.W.Borgia
    Teletype Room:
        Sgt. I. Wilhelm
    Repair Service:
        Sgt. L.P. Cline
201ST SIGNAL DEPOT CO.:
    Commanding Officer:
        Lt. L.M. Burgett
    Administrative Officer:
        W/O K.C. Olds
        Orderly Room
    Section Supply Officer:
        Lt. L.M. Burgett

    Asst. Section Supply Officer:
        Lt. G.L. Moritz
    Chief Clerk:
        Sgt. C.W. Moulder
    Stock Record Section:
        Sgt. R.C. Hartstall
    Shipping Section:
        Sgt. J.P. Makara
    Receiving Section:
        Sgt. C.F. Widin
    Administrative Section (Depot):
        Lt. L.M. Burgett
        Sgt. N. Dorazio
        Sgt. H. Highton
    Repair Section:
        Sgt. G. Sawyer
DET. 832ND SIGNAL SERVICE CO.:
    Commanding Officer:
        Capt. J.R. Komcroski
    1st Sgt. - Signal Office:
        Sgt. G.W. Church, Jr.
    Supply Sgt. - Signal Office:
        Sgt. A.W. Meuer
    Orderly Room - Camp Area
    Officer's Quarters

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