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?

 

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©  Peter Dunn OAM 2020

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This page first produced 7 August 2000

This page last updated 12 July 2021