AMERICAN RED CROSS (AMCROSS
OR ARC)
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WW2
The American Red Cross (Amcross) in Australia during WW2 became the largest hotel and restaurant chain in Australia at the time. Amcross was headed by Norman H. Davis with its headquarters in Sydney, NSW.
General George Marshall officially recognised Amcross "as the non military agency to operate with our expeditionary forces during the war."
Mrs
Eleanor Roosevelt greeted by Mrs Jean MacArthur
at Archerfield airfield on the south side of
Brisbane in 1944
Closeup of the above photograph.
Note the American Red Cross (ARC)
badge on Eleanor Roosevelt's collar. Also not USA-2, Mrs. MacArthur's
staff car parked in the background.
Eleanor Roosevelt visiting the North American Service Club in Townsville. Photo from Gordon Heup of the 48th Quartermaster Truck Regiment who camped near the Cluden Race Track and then at Railway Estate |
Four American women led by Miss Helen Hall arrived in Australia in about late August 1942 to take charge of American Red Cross Service Personnel and to establish new American Red Cross centres and to extend existing centres. Miss Hall was the administrative assistant to the delegate in charge of American Red Cross Service Clubs and Leave Areas in Australia. The other three women were Miss Hannah More Frazer, who was appointed Director of the American Red Cross Service Club in Melbourne in about September 1942; Miss Florice Langley who opened an ARC Service Club in Cairns, in far north Queensland; and Mrs. Anita Woodworth who opened an ARC Service Club in Charters Towers in north Queensland.
SYDNEY
There were many American Red Cross Centres in Sydney during WWII.
Headquarters
South Pacific and Southwest Pacific Area Headquarters, 2nd Floor, Grace Building, corner King & York Streets
Hospitality Bureaus
American Red Cross Service Bureau, Mark Foy's Buildings, corner Elizabeth & Liverpool Streets
American Red Cross Service Bureau, Barrack Street (David Jones' Store)
Officer's Clubs
American Red Cross Officers' Leave Club "Cheverells", 2 Elizabeth Bay Road, Elizabeth Bay
American Red Cross Officers' Leave Club, "Bernly", 15 Springfield Avenue, Kings Cross
American Red Cross Officers' Leave Club, 128 Ramsgate Avenue, Bondi
American Red Cross Officers' Leave Club, Bronte
NCO's Clubs
American Red Cross Service Club, 165 Phillip Street (NSW Leagues Club)
American Red Cross Service Club, 351 Pitt Street
American Red Cross Service Club Addison Street, "Kensington" (later converted to Officers' Club)
American Red Cross Booker T. Washington, Surry Hills for African American soldiers
Women Officers' Clubs
American Red Cross Club, Tusculum
American Red Cross Club, St. Anthony's, Kings Cross
Nurses' Clubs
American Red Cross Nurses' Leave Club, 79 Macleay Street
The American Red Cross Service Club in Sydney at 165 Phillip Street, in Sydney was open 24 hours a day and had 232 beds which cost 9 pence per night. Breakfast costs 9 pence and lunch and dinner were listed at various prices. Showers were free. There was a barber on site seven days a week and clothes pressing, billiards, table games, reading and writing facilities were available.
NEWCASTLE
American Red Cross Officers' Club, Tudor Street, Hamilton
MELBOURNE
American Red Cross Service Club, Centenary House, corner Exhibition & Little Collins Streets
There were other Red Cross Centres in Melbourne. I'd welcome any assistance identifying them.
BRISBANE
American Red Cross Brisbane Service Club, "Terrica House", corner Adelaide and Creek Streets
American Red Cross, Riverview Leave Area, 2 Edward Street
American Red Cross Doctor Carver Club, 100 Grey Street, South Brisbane
American Red Cross Scarborough Club (near Redcliffe)
American Red Cross Baysmear Nurses' Home
American red Cross Amberley Field Canteen
On 26 May 1943 the Brisbane Courier Mail reported that Miss Sally Howe, was a member of a small group of American Red Cross workers who had recently arrived in Brisbane to assist Miss Mary K. Browne, the Director of the American Red Cross Service Club. Sally Howe's special department was the arrangement of entertainments for Allied servicemen. Sally lived in Yale Apartments at Upper Edward Street in the city which is now known as Acacia Inner City Inn at 413 Upper Edward Street, Spring Hill.
An article in the Brisbane Telegraph on 15 December 1943 showed a photo of Miss Sally Howe, Assistant Program Director of the American Red Cross, assisting two soldiers to decorate a Christmas Tree for the children at the Montrose Crippled Children's Home at the American Red Cross Service Club on the corner of Adelaide Street and Creek Street. Voluntary workers at the Club made toys for the Christmas Tree and servicemen donated money to purchase toys and books for the children to use in the Montrose Library.
A large farewell party for employees of the American Red Cross Service Club in Brisbane was held on the evening of 16 November 1945 at the club. Approximately 200 people attended and guests were all personally welcomed by Miss Sally Howe, who was by then the Director of the American Red Cross in Brisbane. Mr. H. L. Trites, the Australian Director of the American Red Cross, travelled from Sydney for the farewell party. All the guests received a special card autographed by the staff. The Brisbane Club was the last ARC Club to remain open in Australia.
NORTH COAST (Now Sunshine Coast)
American Red Cross ARC operated the "Strathallan" Guest House at Lower Gay Terrace at Caloundra on today's Sunshine Coast to receive refugees from the Netherlands East Indies and the Philippines. Some of the refugees had escaped their countries via American submarines.
SOUTH COAST (Now Gold Coast)
American Red Cross Officers' Club, "Sans Souci", Hotel Sans Souci
American Red Cross Coolangatta Leave & Rest Area (Coolangatta Hotel)
American Red Cross Surfers' Paradise Leave & Rest Area
TOWNSVILLE
American Red Cross Office, Queen's Hotel, The Strand
American Red Cross Service Club Headquarters, Denham Street
American Red Cross Nurses' Club, 73 The Strand
American Red Cross Recreation Centre, 33 Flinders Street
American Red Cross North American Services Club, 380 Flinders Street West
American Red Cross, Warehouse, Vacuum Bond, Perkins Street, South Townsville
American
Red Cross Guide to Brisbane and Suburbs
issued to American service personnel
Sans Souci Officer's Club, Southport
American Red Cross
American Red Cross Centre
Coolangatta,
Coolangatta Hotel, Coolangatta
"Strathallan"
Guest House
at Lower Gay Terrace, Caloundra
BOOK REFERENCES
"Yanks down Under 1941-45, The
American Impact on Australia"
By E. Daniel Potts & Annette Potts
"Will Plan Army Entertainment" - Brisbane Courier Mail 26 May 1943
"Xmas Tree for Crippled Children" - Brisbane Telegraph 15 Dec 1943
"US Red Cross Farewell Party" - Brisbane Courier Mail 17 Nov 1945
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I'd like to thank Rob Gordon for his assistance with this web page. His mother Sally Howe was the Director of the American Red Cross in Brisbane during WWII.
Can anyone help me with more information?
"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products
© Peter Dunn 2015 |
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This page first produced 29 August 2004
This page last updated 06 February 2024