Military Equipment buried in Rasey Park, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland during WW2

MILITARY EQUIPMENT BURIED
IN RASEY PARK, HERSTON,
BRISBANE, QLD
DURING WW2

On 3 April 2008 I received information from Gayle Hinckfuss via Daniel Hultgren that the Brisbane City Council were excavating the grounds at Rasey Park at near the Royal Brisbane Hospital and they were finding equipment buried during WWII.

Unfortunately I only heard about this work in the last few days and have therefore missed an opportunity to see the work in its early stages. When I eventually did visit the site, I ran into a local resident who told me that he was there to see what was going on, as he had seen many truck loads of stuff coming out of the park for a number of weeks.

The earth works uncovered a number of rusty small engines, and various bits of rusty steel, some pieces of Marston matting, a twisted piece of aluminium possibly from an aircraft and various other pieces of rusted military rubbish. One of the interesting items found was a handle-less white glass mug. Probably a US Navy issue mug. The Brisbane City Council team donated the mug to the Maritime Museum. The mug had the name Corning on it and words to say it was "Made in USA". Some research by Gayle Hinckfuss reveals that Corning made tableware for the US Navy during the war. It was probably a US Navy Military Watch Mug. Apparently the concept for having no handles was to keep your hands warm during your watch on the cold deck of your ship. These Watch Mugs are typically thick and heavy, weighing approximately one pound. They are usually about 3 1/2" tall by 3 3/4" diameter and 1/4" thick.

A typical US Navy Watch Mug

Base of a typical US Navy Watch Mug

Photo:- Peter Dunn 5 Apr 08

Historical Sign at Rasey Park

Rasey Park is located at the bottom of this photo. The road running diagonally near top of the photo is Newmarket
Road. The buildings on southern side of Newmarket Road 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. It is also rumoured that much Military Equipment is buried under Downey Park. The two white
roofed buildings on other side of Breakfast Creek near Rasey Park was the Swan Hill US Navy Stores Depot

Photo:- Peter Dunn 5 Apr 08

Brisbane Women's Hockey Association Clubhouse and Canteen Facility Rasey Park

Photo:- Peter Dunn 5 Apr 08

Other side of Brisbane Women's Hockey Association Clubhouse and Canteen Facility Rasey Park

Photo:- Peter Dunn 5 Apr 08

Looking west towards Fagan Road. I found two lumps of twisted
WW2 Marston matting (PSP) at left of picture at far end of the park.

Photo:- Peter Dunn 5 Apr 08

Piece of Marston Mat

Photo:- Peter Dunn 5 Apr 08

Another Piece of Marston Mat

Photo:- Peter Dunn 5 Apr 08

Same piece of Marston Mat

Photo:- Peter Dunn 5 Apr 08

Twisted piece of polished aluminium or stainless steel found on far edge of the park on the Gould Road side of the park

OTHER BITS AND PIECES OBSERVED AT RASEY PARK

By the way, for the benefit of those "Treasure Hunters" out there, it was all rubbish when it was first buried over 60 years
ago and it will now be just a lot of rusted crumpled and useless junk. See the following photos of junk found on site.