SECRET INTELLIGENCE AUSTRALIA TRAINING CAMP
POSSIBLY IN MOUNT GRAVATT SHOWGROUNDS
MOUNT GRAVATT, BRISBANE, QLD
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WW2

LAC Ira Berkley "Dick" Withers RAAF 423273 of Secret Intelligence Australia, described his memory of Lieutenant McKenzie, New Zealand Army at the SIA Mount Gravatt Camp:-

Lieut. McKenzie NZ Army
The first night I spent in Mt. Gravatt camp he was in the next bed. He had a brew of homebrew under his bed so we both sat up and drank it. It was not too good and had only just started to ferment. He and I had Malay lessons together. He was a signaller, and I have the idea that he ended up at the radio station at Caboolture where most of the personnel were Canadians.

Whilst I have no conclusive evidence at this stage, I believe the SIA Mount Gravatt Camp may have been in the Mount Gravatt Showgrounds.

LAC Ira Berkley "Dick" Withers RAAF 423273 described SIA W/T facilities as follows:-

CABOOLTURE: The Principal W/T Headquarters, working stations at Craigroyston, Melbourne, Snake Bay, London (United Kingdom), New Delhi and on occasions, Mount Gravatt, Tennant Creek, our small station at Southport and in November/December 1945, Batavia.

Future native intelligence agents were trained in the art of Wireless Telegraphy and SIA Procedures at the Mount Gravatt Camp.

When stationed at Craigroyston, Mount Gravatt or
Caboolture this form was issued in lieu of a Leave Pass.

Leave for the natives based at the Mount Gravatt Camp was very restricted and when they were allowed out of camp to go to Brisbane, they were dressed in U.S. Army Army uniforms, but no badges or any identification of their origin was allowed on the uniforms. One of the natives, Abdullah Bugis, used to go missing on some evenings. Dick Withers used to cover for him on several occasions. Dick Withers said the following:-

Told Pearce the usual brand of untruths, such as, 'Bugis is out on the perimeter preparing a site for a night exercise'. Finally I confronted Bugis as to these nocturnal disappearances, then he suggested I join him one evening and he would reveal all. We departed from the camp through a small hole he had cut in the security fence to a house situated approximately three quarters a mile away. Bugis has a girl-friend! We enjoyed a wonderful meal that evening and later I returned to camp while Bugis remained with his girl-friend till the early hours of the morning before following me back. Next day I questioned him and during the interrogation said "Bugis, you sneaky old man, the meal was very nice, but couldn't you find a better looking woman?' She was as ugly as sin; Bugis was no oil-painting either. The reply was 'Ah yes, Tuan, plenty ugly, no others want her, but oh boy, oh boy, plenty puki!'

Captain James Pearce AIF, arrived at Mount Gravatt Camp towards the end of 1944 and replaced Lt. Leonard Kearney Morse AIF VX80684 as Commanding Officer. Lt. Morse was posted to Snake Bay.

All European personnel in SIA Camps at Mount Gravatt, Caboolture and Snake Bay slept on canvas and wooden stretchers; no paliases or bed-boards.

REFERENCE BOOKS

Professor Alan Powell's Research Notes.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 24 September 2023

This page last updated 24 September 2023