Ashton Hall, 118 Bonney Avenue, Clayfield, Queensland, in Australia during WW2

ASHTON HALL
118 BONNEY AVENUE, CLAYFIELD
BRISBANE, QLD
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WWII

Ashton Hall, a two storied brick house owned by Mrs. F. R. Sharpe at 118 Bonney Avenue, Clayfield, was used as quarters for many overseas War Correspondents based in Brisbane during WWII. They put up a sign outside the property that said "War Correspondents Convalescent Home". One of the neighbours took it seriously and brought them a large pot of soup.

Photo:- Mary Metcalfe

Ashton Hall, 118 Bonney Avenue, Clayfield

General Ralph Royce relocated to Brisbane from Melbourne in a Lockheed aircraft on 17 August 1942 with Martin "Marty" Barnett Paramount News (cameraman), Phil Garnett, Major Ray T. Elsmore and Ft. Lt. Joseph Pierre DeVerteuil (RAAF). On arrival in Brisbane, General Royce first visited GHQ, SWPA in the AMP building, followed by catch up with Colonel John K. Gowan Jr. at his house Braelands and finally to Ashton Hall at 118 Bonney Ave., Clayfield for dinner with a number of War Correspondents. Colonel John K. Gowan Jr., Kennedy, General George C. Kenney and his aide Major William Benn accompanied General Royce to Ashton Hall. The War Correspondents at the dinner were as follows:-

Martin "Marty" Barnett, Paramount [Staff Cameraman, Chicago]
Byron "Barney" Darnton, NY Times, 32nd Division veteran from WWI
[Carleton] Kent, Chicago Times
Jack Turcott, NY Daily News
Joseph E. Dearing, Photographer INS International News Service
Al Noderer, Chicago Tribune
Earle Crotchett - Paramount News (shown as Crockett, Acme in General Royce's diary)

Byron "Barney" Darnton was killed in a strafing attack on a ship off New Guinea on 21 October 1942.

General Eichelberger also visited Ashton Hall while General Douglas MacArthur had him waiting in Brisbane. The War Correspondents had requested a press conference with him. Eichelberger said he would hold a conference but he would be the one asking the questions as they knew more about conditions in Australia than he would as he had only just arrived in the country. Byron "Barney" Darnton, of the New York Times, and the unofficial "leader" of the war correspondents, organised the unusual press conference which was held after dinner at the press house at Ashton Hall.

An article in the Brisbane Sunday Mail of 10 December 1944 shows Ashton Hall, a Mothercraft Hostel, hosting a children's Christmas Party. The Mothercraft Hostel, previously at Jordan Terrace, Bowen Hills had moved into Ashton Hall on 9 March 1944 after it was purchased from Mrs. F. R. Sharpe. It was officially opened on 29 April 1944.

The War Correspondents would have moved north to report on the successful war efforts prior to MacArthur moving his headquarters from Brisbane to Hollandia in August 1944.

In 1958 Ashton Hall was being used by the Presbyterian Church as accommodation for 54 Protestant business girls and students in dormitories. Mrs. M. Douglas was the Matron at Ashton Hall at that time.

Mary Metcalfe lodged at Ashton Hall in Bonney Avenue while a student at Stotts’ Business College in company with several student teachers. Mary was surprised to learn from this web page that Ashton Hall was part of the WWII effort. In a strange twist of fate, her own mother spent three weeks in Ashton Hall in 1955 when it was a Maternal & Child Welfare home for new mothers who needed extra care. Mary commented to me that the high rise unit block now on that site does very little for the area.

REFERENCES

"Our Jungle Road to Tokyo" by Lieutenant General Robert L. Eichelberger

"Mothercraft moves into larger home", Courier Mail (Brisbane) Friday 10 March 1944

"Mothers' Hostel opening today", Courier Mail Saturday 29 April 1944

"160 Pounds raised at party", Sunday Mail Sunday 10 December 1944

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Mary Metcalfe and Karen Nunan for their assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more in formation?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products