FIRE STATION AT ASCOT PARK, BRISBANE
COMMANDEERED BY THE MILITARY
DURING WW2 

Part of Australia's version of Bletchley Park

The old Fire Station at Ascot Park near Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane

General Douglas MacArthur had an Intelligence unit called Central Bureau which was responsible for the interception and cryptanalyzing of Japanese intelligence. 

Central Bureau had banks of IBM Tabulators, the forerunner of computers, which were used by the cryptanalysts to sort and strip away ciphers which concealed the original text. These IBM Tabulators were initially located in the garage at the rear of large house at 21 Henry Street, Ascot. The IBM machines were later moved from the garage at 21 Henry Street to the Fire Station at Ascot Park. 

This may have been the IBM Tape Operated Equipment at the Fire Station

You can see the punch tape

The old Fire Station at 77 Kitchener Road, Ascot is now used by the Kitchener Road TAFE Children's Centre.

	WAAAF and RAAF personnel at Ascot Park in 1944 or 1945
	Foundation stone for the Fire Station
	Plaque regarding the WW2 involvement of the Fire Station
	Kitchener Road TAFE Children's Centre sign above the WW2 plaque

Central Bureau re-union at 21 Henry Street on 1 May 1988 
Organised by Central Bureau Intelligence Corps Association

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 29 June 2002

This page last updated 18 October 2021