WWII MILITARY EQUIPMENT
BURIED UNDER DOWNEY PARK,
WINDSOR, BRISBANE
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WWII

 

Downey Park at Windsor in Brisbane, like a number of other parks in Brisbane, was used to bury unwanted WWII Military equipment at the end of WWII.

Paul Raadschelders advised that what appeared to be American wartime surplus equipment was located under Downey Park at the far end of Noble St, Windsor, Brisbane. After the 1974 flood, the Brisbane City Council had the creek cleaned out using a drag line. Paul watched, as bucket after bucket of rusted, decaying artifacts were removed from the creek's banks. Paul clearly remembered seeing jeep tyres, helmets, rifles and steel boxes. Paul has no doubt that there are many more remains of wartime activities in that area. Paul owned the lawnmower shop at the beginning of Noble St.

David Teague told me that a lady told him that after the US Forces dumped vehicles etc there in the old course of Breakfast Creek, they poured acid over everything causing huge clouds of fumes. In fact they ended up tarnishing the silverware in the surrounding houses. David said that the same would have applied on the opposite side of the creek at Rasey Park, which was also created on a bypass of the creek.

 

The road running diagonally near top of the photo is Newmarket Rd. The
buildings on southern side of Newmarket Rd was the Newmarket US Naval
Stores Depot during WW2 which later became Bretts Hardware. Equipment
of some sort can be seen stored or stacked below the old USN Stores
Depot which is now covered by Downey Park. Rasey Park is located at
the bottom of this photo.  The 2 large whiteroofed buildings on northern side of
Breakfast Ck. at bottom right of photo was the Swan Hill US Navy Stores Depot

 

George Patterson was based at Compo Road (now Evans Road) during WWII with the British Navy in a Machine Shop preparing new aircraft engines, mostly American, for service with the British Fleet Air Arm. Serviceable Aircraft were dispatched to British Aircraft Carriers off the Queensland Coast. At the conclusion of hostilities, the Royal Navy was instructed to 'Dump' these brand new U.S. aircraft. Most were dumped seaward off Moreton Island, from the Fleet Carrier H.M.S Unicorn, and the odd one or two, plus spare parts were buried in the muddy creek at the rear of the General Hospital, in an area which is now Downey Park. They were dismantled for road transport. They were Hellcats and Corsairs.

Tony Richardson told me that he used to work as a mechanic at Newmarket, and he worked with an old (since deceased) mechanic named Joe (he had a hair lip and was a little hard to understand). Joe lived in Newmarket during the war and explained to Tony that he witnessed the Yanks (as he referred to them) dumping and burying all sorts of things in what is now Downey Park. He thought it was some sort of spare parts dumping area because he did not recall seeing anything that was complete except for the odd jeep.

George Dudek told me about the massive dump of war goods e.g. weapons, vehicles, aircraft engines etc buried under Downey Park. George also said that there were aircraft bits as well just across the creek at Rasey Park behind Royal Brisbane Hospital.

George said the dozer drivers had to fit extension pipes to their exhausts so that they did not suffer carbon monoxide poisoning. George said that the old local residents know all about it and years ago when George worked for the Brisbane City Council, he spoke with an old employee, who was at the time in charge of the dump. He almost lost his life trying to grab a brace of colt .45s pistols from the back of a truck which was being tipped into Breakfast Creek, when his shirt got caught on the truck. He was saved by some Yanks who pulled him back. He told George that armed guards had to be placed in situ because at night the area was lit up like a fairyland at night by people sneaking in with cutting torches.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Paul Raadschelders, George Dudek, Tony Richardson, George Patterson and David Teague for their assistance with this web page.

 

Can anyone help me with more information?

 

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This page first produced 22 December 2016

This page last updated 15 January 2020