ALLIED WORKS COUNCIL
IN AUSTRALIA
DURING WWII
On 17 February 1942 the Australian Federal Cabinet placed Australia on a complete war basis as regards manpower and economic, industrial, and finance resources. The Cabinet also established the Allied Works Council AWC with Mr. E. G. Theodore, formerly the Federal Treasurer, as its Director-General, Mr. L. J. Sverdup of the Allied Forces and Mr. C. A. Hoy was appointed the Director of Works, in the Department of the Interior.
The Allied Works Council AWC set up their office in Melbourne in early 1942 in "Monterey" a block of flats at 12 Queen’s Road, South Melbourne, in early 1942. Its staff at the time consisted of three clerks, two typists, and a messenger boy, but by 30 June 1943, it had 4,609 on its administrative and technical staffs, a gross enrolment in the Civil Construction Corps of 66,274, and 2,521 in the Civil Aliens Corps
The Allied Works Council moved from "Monterey" at 12 Queens Rd to the National Bank Building, at 271 Collins Street, Melbourne around 30 June 1942. The AWC moved out of "Monterey" to allow Fleet Radio Unit Melbourne FRUMEL to take over the building.
The Allied Works Council had a camp between Murphy Rd, Ellison Rd, Newman Rd and Hamilton Rd at Chermside in Brisbane, Queensland (UBD Map 120).
On 9 January 1944 there were 235 men of the Allied Works Council camped near the 3rd Portable Surgical Hospital which was located at Iron Range on the Cape York Peninsula near Portland Roads about seventeen miles from the Port in one direction and five miles from the Gordon Air Strip in the other direction.
The 43rd Engineer General Services Regiment started to construct Manbullo airfield in the Northern Territory in April 1942. They had gravelled 915meters of the eventual 1,981 meter long runway by 19 May 1942. The Allied Works Council (AWC) then bitumened the runways and taxiways.
The Allied Works Council built two 29.3 metre long span timber hangars at Garbutt airfield in Townsville.
The Allied Works Council developed the Wallangarra Logistic Support Area from March of 1942 until 1945, and ‘Dredge and Hodge’ of Toowoomba won the contract to construct the Ordnance Depot there.
The Stuart Signals Camp Area near Townsville in north Queensland was designed by the Allied Works Council.
The Allied Works Council built a 29.3 metre long span timber aircraft hangar at Maylands airfield in Perth, Western Australia.
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LIST OF CONSTRUCTING
AUTHORITIES ENGAGED ON ALLIED WORKS COUNCIL AS AT 1 FEBRUARY 1943 |
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A. COMMONWEALTH DEPARTMENTS: 1. The Works Director 1A. Superintending Engineer, Department of Interior, Townsville 2. Ministry of Munitions 3. N.S.W. Dept. of Main Roads, Clermont 4. U.S.A.S.O.S 5. Assistant Director of Personnel 6. Deputy Director of Medical Services (Queensland)
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B. STATE DEPARTMENTS: 1. Main Roads Commission 2. Queensland Government Railways. 3. Department of Public Works 4. Department of Harbours and Marine 5. Department of Local Authority Affairs 6. Supervising Engineer, Bridge Board 7. Department of Irrigation and Water Supply 8. Sub-Department of Forestry |
| C. LOCAL AUTHORITIES: 1. Brisbane City Council 2. Atherton Shire Council 3. Cardwell Shire Council 4. Ayr Shire Council 5. Townsville City Council 6. Rockhampton City Council 7. Toowoomba City Council 8. Warwick City Council |
D. OTHER AUTHORITIES: 1. Queensland Wheat Board 2. Queensland Meat Industry Board 3. Cairns Harbour Board 4. Barron Falls Hydro Electricity Board 5. Mackay Harbour Board 6. Commonwealth Central Wool Control Committee 7. Sydney Metropolitan Water Board, Whinstanes
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I'd like to thank Col Lewis for his assistance with this web page.
Can anyone help me with more information?
"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products
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© Peter Dunn 2015 |
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This page first produced 3 March 2007
This page last updated 24 March 2022
