CAMP FREEMAN
FREEMAN AVENUE, INALA
BRISBANE, QLD
DURING WW2
During World War 2 there was a large military camp (2,000 men) at Freeman Road in Inala called Camp Freeman which was part of Motor Command. Construction work on Camp Freeman commenced in December 1942. It housed a number of Negro (African-American) units.
On 20 February 1943 the 3452nd Quartermaster Truck Company began moving to the new camp at Freeman Avenue known as Camp Freeman. Facilities were excellent, electricity in all buildings and tents, wash racks for vehicles, maintenance shop with four stalls and adequate recreational facilities.
The May 1944 Military Phone Directory for Brisbane describes Camp Freeman as being on Freeman Avenue, which I have assumed is Freeman Road.
Camp Freeman can be seen at the
top right hand side of this photo. It was located
north of the north eastern corner of the
Darra Ordnance Ammunition Depot
Bill Bentson told me that it was near the site of the Oxley Golf Course. Investigations have revealed that the Golf Club celebrated its 75th year of operation in 2003. They have released a special 75th Anniversary book which may make mention of the war years. (Has anyone got a copy?)
Les Perry told Noel Wallis that Camp Freeman was on the corner of Freeman Road and Rosemary Street which is correct, see above photo. However Lido Vincenzi, who still lives on Archerfield Road does not remember a camp in that vicinity. He remembers an Australian Army Camp that was located at the end of Bullockhead Road.
Fred Boland told me that Camp Freeman was directly south (it was actually north) of the Darra Ordnance Ammunition Depot and on several occasions they were subjected to .50 calibre machine gun slugs whizzing through their tents.
Photo:- NARA
Camp Freeman
Believed to be Camp Freeman
Photo: Fred Boland
One of the buildings at Camp Freeman
Photo: Fred Boland
One of the buildings at Camp Freeman
Photo: Fred Boland
Captain Robert A. Smith,
Commanding Officer
of the
2052nd
QM Truck Co. (Avn).
Photo: Fred Boland
Captain Robert A. Smith,
Commanding Officer
of the
2052nd
QM Truck Co. (Avn).
Photo: Fred Boland
1st Lt. Frederick Boland,
2052nd
QM Truck Co. (Avn)
standing by a vehicle. It is believed that the building
in the background was the dispensary.
Photo: Fred Boland
Close-up of 1st Lt. Frederick Boland standing by a vehicle
Photo: Fred Boland
1st Lt. Frederick Boland and Capt.
Smith with U.S. Army Nurse Martha Drage
in cemetery in Manila, P.I.. The cemetery had been looted by Japanese
soldiers looking for gold teeth and other valuables in the crypts
Photo: Fred Boland
Close-up of 1st Lt. Frederick Boland and Capt. Smith with U.S. Army Nurse Martha Drage.
In October 1943, the 5203rd Quartermaster Truck Battalion (5203rd Q.M. Truck Bn.) and the 48th Quartermaster Truck Regiment, 3rd Battalion (48th Q.M. Truck Reg., Third Bn.) were based at Camp Freeman. These units may have been involved in working at the nearby Darra Ordnance Depot.
The October 1943 Brisbane Military Telephone Directory has the following entries:-
BASE SECTION THREE
COLUMBIA CAMP
5203rd QM TRUCK. BN. (Camp Freeman):
Commanding Officer:
Lt. Col. Birkness, R.T.
Adjutant:
W/O Omachinski, J.J.
48th QM TRUCK REG. (Third Bn.) Camp Freeman:
Commanding Officer:
Lt. Col. Jameson, L.H.
Adjutant:
Lt. Taylor, P.F.
Dispatcher
The May 1944 Brisbane Military Telephone Directory has an entry on page 113 as follows:-
BASE SECTION THREE
MOTOR COMMAND
CAMP FREEMAN (Freeman Avenue:)
Commanding Officer:
Capt. McFadden, V.G.
Dispatcher
Dispensary
Officer's Club
2052nd QM Truck Co. (Avn)
2053rd QM Truck Co. (Avn)
2058th QM Truck Co. (Avn)
The U.S. Negroes were permitted to drink at a Hotel at Redbank to the exclusion of other U.S. servicemen. There used to be two pubs near the Redbank Railway Station.
After the Americans moved out, Secret Intelligence Australia (SIA) used Camp Freeman to take care of special operations training. SIA was also known as Section "B" of the Allied Intelligence Bureau (AIB).
Honour
Stone at Homestead Park, Forest Lake
To commemorate the presence of US
troops and other Allied forces at
Camp Columbia,
Camp Freeman and the Darra Ordnance Ammunition Depot
Can anyone help me with some more information on Camp Freeman?
REFERENCE BOOKS
"War by Stealth - Australians and the Allied
Intelligence Bureau 1942 -1945"
by Alan Powell
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I'd like to thank Michael Berceanu, Bill Bentson, Fred Boland, Vicki Mynott and Noel Wallis for their assistance with this home page.
Can anyone help me with more information?
"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products
© Peter Dunn OAM 2020 |
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This page first produced 7 August 2000
This page last updated 12 July 2021