ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WW2

President Roosevelt's wife, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt visited American troops based in camps, hostels and hospitals in Australia during September 1943.

Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt greeted by Mrs Jean MacArthur
at Archerfield airfield on the south side of Brisbane on 13 September 1943

Close-up of the above photograph. Note the American Red Cross (ARC)
badge on  Eleanor Roosevelt's collar. Also note USA-2, Mrs. Jean 
MacArthur's staff car parked in the background.

Is that Technical Sgt. Clarence E. "Red" Hensley just to the left of Eleanor?

Curtin University Library File ID JCPML00409/10

Prime Minister John Curtin and Eleanor Roosevelt at Canberra airfield on 4 September 1943

Image Number 104975 - State Library of Queensland

Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt visiting Brisbane.

State Library of Queensland - Image number: 102789

Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt was welcomed to Rockhampton by the Army
Minister, Mr Forde and attended by Lieut.-General Robert Eichelberger.

The 336th Service Squadron arrived in Townsville in north Queensland on 8 September 1943. After two days in uncomfortable days at Armstrong's Paddock they started work at No. 2 US Air Depot near Mount Louisa where they set up camp. While at Townsville, the men were visited by Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the President of the USA, Franklin D. Roosevelt. This visit was apparently on the first day that the men of the 336th Service Squadron worked on the "line" at the Townsville Air Depot. In the following month they had a visit from Lieutenant General George C. Kenney, the Commander of the Fifth Air Force.

Itinerary for Eleanor Roosevelt's visit to Brisbane on 13 September 1943.
She left Brisbane the next morning from Archerfield Airfield headed for Noumea.

Eleanor Roosevelt visited the Doctor Carver Club at South Brisbane in Brisbane on 13 September 1943 for about 20 minutes. She made the following comment after her visit to the Club on 13 September 1943:-

"It is well run and very attractive, and the men seemed to be having a good time, but here, too, they are looking for more space. This city (Brisbane) is much overcrowded, and for all of our men hotel accommodation and food are difficult to find."

Photo:- Herb Jacobs

Eleanor Roosevelt visiting troops at the
4th General Hospital in Melbourne in 1943.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Herb Jacobs for his assistance with this web page. Herb was a Technical Sergeant with the 4th General Hospital in Melbourne.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page last updated 15 January 2020