DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE
ALLIED AIR FORCE
GHQ SWPA, BRISBANE, QLD
DURING WWII

Commodore Joseph Eric Hewitt was appointed as Director of Intelligence, Allied Air Force Headquarters in May 1942. On 14 February 1943 Joe Hewitt was posted to be Air Officer Commanding No. 9 Operational Group which had its headquarters at Port Moresby. The unit then became the Directorate of Intelligence, Allied Air Force under General Kenney. Air Commodore Joe Hewitt later returned to his previous role as Director of Intelligence in the Directorate of Intelligence, Allied Air Force in December 1943.

The Directorate of Intelligence, Allied Air Force, ran the Brisbane Air Force War Room. It was located in General Douglas MacArthur's General Headquarters for the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) in the AMP Building in Queen Street, Brisbane.

The Directorate of Intelligence, Allied Air Force, obtained the latest information from the combat areas on the strength, locations and movements of Japanese land, sea and air forces. In addition they received intelligence to indicate the enemy's possible intentions.

A large map of the Pacific theatre of war from China to Hawaii was positioned on the floor with a raised platform with seating for the various commanders and top ranking staff officers from GHQ, the Air Force, Navy and the Australian Land Forces to attend the daily briefings that were held each day at noon.

The October 1943 Military Telephone Directory for Brisbane shows the following:-

ALLIED AIR FORCE

DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE

    Director:
        Wing Commander Charlton, A.D.    Room 413 AMP

     RAAF Executive Officer:
         S/Ldr Wreford, R.H.    Room 420 AMP

     Assistant Director:
         Lt. Col. Cain, B.B.                Room 413 AMP

     Fifth Air Force Executive:
         Major McCoy, Jr., F.T.         Room 209 AMP
         Capt. Gilbert, L.                  Room 209 AMP

    ALLIED AIR INTELLIGENCE CENTRE:   (all in Room 420 AMP)
        S/Ldr. Dawson, J.H.        
        F/Lt. Lonie, P.M.
        Capt. Dabrenchuck, G.
        Capt. Minahan, J.C.
        Capt. Boot, W.F.
        F/Lt. Bernays, P.C.
        Lt. Sudduth, G.M.
        Lt. Crowley, F.J.
        Lt. Fowler, L.W.R.
        Lt. Conant, D.
        Flt./O Heard, S.F.
        S/O Hohnen, G
        S/O Bloch, M.E.
        A/S/O Whittingham, M.D.C.

    CENTRAL INTERPRETATION UNIT (Old Courier Building):
        Major Owen, E.W.             Room 7 Old Courier Bldg.
        F/Lt. Vroland, R.N.            Room 7 Old Courier Bldg.

    Photo Interpretation Section:
        Capt. Simmons                 Room 24 Old Courier Bldg
        Capt. Hyslop, A.J.             Room 24 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Fowlkes, T.                  Room 24 Old Courier Bldg
        F/O Pettifer, H.C.              Room 24 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Axelrod, D.I.                Room 24 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Thompson, H.D.          Room 24 Old Courier Bldg
        F/O Smith, T.L.                Room 25 Old Courier Bldg
        F/O Mackay, C.               Room 24 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Benson, R.G.              Room 31 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Anderson, R.E.           Room  7 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Page, G.M.                 Room  7 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Peacock, J.H.             Room 31 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Putman, D.L.              Room  7 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Giebelhaus, W.           Room 31 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Sprague, J.S.              Room 31 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Murphy, D.                  Room 24 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Wright, R.M.               Room 24 Old Courier Bldg
        S/O Naylor, A.                 Room 31 Old Courier Bldg

    Objective Data Section:
        F/O Weir, A.H.                 Room 36 Old Courier Bldg
        F/O Williams, H.M.           Room 36 Old Courier Bldg
        F/O Fairbridge, R.W.         Room 36 Old Courier Bldg
        F/O De Verteuil, P.           Room 24 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Cheney, W.D.              Room  7 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Walker, H.H.                Room  7 Old Courier Bldg
        Flt/O Colvin, M.                 Room 39 Old Courier Bldg
        S/O Cook, M.                   Room  7 Old Courier Bldg

    Intelligence Map Section:
        F/Lt Burr, I.L.                   Room 29 Old Courier Bldg
        F/O Furneaux, W.J.          Room 29 Old Courier Bldg
        F/O Barrass, C.               Room 29 Old Courier Bldg
        F/O Moir, J.                     Room 29 Old Courier Bldg
        Capt. Fraser, H.E.            Room 29 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Crofts, F.M.                Room 24 Old Courier Bldg
        Lt. Marshall, W.               Room 29 Old Courier Bldg
        S/O Aldritt, C.                  Room 29 Old Courier Bldg
        A/S/O Elvins, N.E.           Room 29 Old Courier Bldg

    Liaison Officer:
        Major Ankeny, J.C.          Room  7 Old Courier Bldg

    Enemy Appreciation:
        S/Ldr Feltham, P.            Room 420 AMP
        F/Lt Dryhurst, G.R.          Room 420 AMP
        Lt. Priceman, M.             Room 420 AMP

    Evaluation:
        S/Ldr Davoren, T.A.F.       Room 206 AMP
        F/Lt. Sheldon, W.S.         Room 206 AMP
        Lt. Zyskind, H.                 Room 206 AMP

    Japanese Information:
        F/Lt. Heyting, W.J.           Room 208 AMP
        F/Lt Tindale, N.B.             Room 208 AMP
        Capt. Macfarlane, D.L.M.  Room 207 AMP
        F/O Ritchard, G.F.           Room 208 AMP
        P/O Wiadroski, M.A.A.    Room 208 AMP
        S/O Taylor, P.                 Room 208 AMP

    Message Center                  Room 215 AMP

    Operational Intelligence Section:
        Major Deverall, G.G.        Room 414 AMP
        Capt. Amsden, S.C.        Room 414 AMP

    Production & Distribution:
        F/Lt. Leicester, K.M.        Room  4 Old Courier Bldg
        Clerk                              Room  4 Old Courier Bldg

    Technical Intelligence Unit:
        Major McCoy, Jr., F.T.     Room 209 AMP
        F/O Millar, N.                  Room 211 AMP
        Lt. Mahoney, C.A.           Room 211 AMP
        Lt. Fournet, Jr., D.J.         Room 211 AMP

    Technical Intelligence Unit (Eagle Farm):
        Lt. Gessel, C.D.              Hangar No. 7

The May 1944 Military Telephone Directory for Brisbane shows the following:-

ALLIED AIR FORCE

DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE

    Director:
        Air Commodore Hewitt, J.E.     Room 413 AMP
    Assistant Director:
        Col. Cain B.B.                        Room 413 AMP
    USAAF Executives:
        Lt. Col. McCoy, Jr. F.T.          Room 414 AMP
        Major Gilbert, L.                     Room 414 AMP
        Major Lehe, R.B.                    Room 414 AMP
    RAAF Executive Officer:
        S/Ldr. Wreford, R.H.              Room 209 AMP
 

ALLIED AIR INTELLIGENCE CENTER:
        S/Ldr. Davoren, T.A.F.          Room 420 AMP
        Capt. Dobrenchuck, G.G.      Room 420 AMP
        Capt. Fowler, R.L.W.             Room 420 AMP
        Capt. Minahan, J.C.              Room 420, AMP
        F/Lt. Jeffrey, G.                    Room 420 AMP
        Flt/O. Heard, S.F.                  Room 420 AMP
        Lt. Austin, J.P.                      Room 420 AMP
        Lt. Conant, D.                       Room 420 AMP
        Lt. Grant, C.L.                       Room 420 AMP
        Lt. O'Malley, T.P.                   Room 420 AMP
        F/O Lay, H.K.                        Room 420 AMP
        F/O Unkenstein, O.G.             Room 420 AMP
        S/O Bloch, M.E.                    Room 420 AMP
        S/O Hohnen, G.                    Room 420 AMP
        S/O Whittingham, M.D.G.      Room 420 AMP
        A/S/O Foote, E.M.                 Room 420 AMP
    Dutch Liaison Officer:
        Capt. Boot, W.F.                   Room 420 AMP
 

AIR TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT:
    Administrative & Information Office:
        Lt. Col. McCoy, Jr., F.T.       Eagle Farm

        S/Lrd. Clappison, N.O.         Eagle Farm
        Capt. Beesley, B.H.             Eagle Farm
        Capt. Hepford, S.F.             Eagle Farm
        Capt. Van Aken, W.D.         Eagle Farm
        Lt. Fournet, D.J.                  Eagle Farm
        Lt. Mahoney, A                    Eagle Farm
        Mr. Perrier                          Eagle Farm
    Engineering Office:
        Capt. Gessel, C.D.               Eagle Farm
        Lt. Heaton, J.A.                    Eagle Farm
    Armament Laboratory:
        Capt. Britton, L.C.                Eagle Farm
    Photo Laboratory:
        P/O Sellwood, E.H.              Eagle Farm
    Radio Laboratory:
        Lt. Finger, C.J.                   Eagle Farm
    Fifth Air Force Laboratory:
        Mr. Hodgson, O.                 75 Eagle St.

AIRIND:
        F/Lt Tindale, N.H.                Room 208 AMP
        Lt. Graustein, A.R.              Room 208 AMP
        Clerks                                Room 208 AMP

CENTRAL INTERPRETATION UNIT:
    Officer in Charge:
        Major Owen, E.W.             Old Courier Building
    2nd In Charge:
        S/Ldr Vroland, R.N.           Old Courier Building
    Executive:
        Major Bower, D.L.              Old Courier Building
    Photo Officer:
        Lt (j.g.) Peacock, J.H.        Old Courier Building
    Collation & Files:
        Flt/O, Colvin, M                  Old Courier Building
    Intelligence Map Section:
        F/Lt. Burr, I.L.                    Old Courier Building
        Capt. Burd, H.A.                 Old Courier Building
        Capt. Fraser, H.E.              Old Courier Building
        F/O. Moir, J.                      Old Courier Building
        P/O. Berry, H.P.                Old Courier Building
        S/O. Aldritt, C                    Old Courier Building
        S/O. Elvins, N.E.                Old Courier Building
    Report Section:
        F/Lt. Weir, A.H.                 Old Courier Building
        Capt. Baker, D.R.              Old Courier Building
        F/O. Fairbridge, R.            Old Courier Building
    Photo Interpretation Air Force Section:
        Capt. Axelrod, D.I.            Old Courier Building
        Capt. Huddleston, W.L.     Old Courier Building
        F/Lt. DeVerteuil, J.P.        Old Courier Building
        F/Lt. Hayler, G.C.             Old Courier Building
        Flt/O. Nayler, A.                Old Courier Building
        Lt. Allen, C.H.                   Old Courier Building
        Lt. Goshorn, J.L.               Old Courier Building
        Lt. Smith, R.E.                  Old Courier Building
        Lt. Walker, H.H.                Old Courier Building
        Lt. (j.g.) Benish, R.L.         Old Courier Building
        Lt. (j.g.) Gray, R.A.            Old Courier Building
        Lt. (j.g.) Murphy, D.           Old Courier Building
        F/O. Devery, P.J.              Old Courier Building
        F/O. Smith, C.                   Old Courier Building
        P/O. Chisolm, J.A.             Old Courier Building
        P/O. Granger, G.K.            Old Courier Building
        P/O. Hansford, W.B.          Old Courier Building
        P/O. Tuttle, A.J.                 Old Courier Building
    Photo Interpretation - Naval Section:
        Lt. (j.g.) Page, G.M.            Old Courier Building
        Lt. (j.g.) Anderson, R.E.      Old Courier Building
        Lt. (j.g.) Boring, M.O.          Old Courier Building
        Lt. (j.g.) Evans, D.M.           Old Courier Building
        Lt. (j.g.) Gebelhaus, W.E.    Old Courier Building
        Lt. (j.g.) McCracken, W.H.   Old Courier Building
        Lt. (j.g.) McKenna, H.D.       Old Courier Building
        Lt. (j.g.) Simons, S.S.          Old Courier Building
    Flakintel Section:
        Major Braun, I.W.               Old Courier Building
        Capt. Morrah, P.B.              Old Courier Building
        Lt. Ryan, D.L.                     Old Courier Building
    Map Officer:
        Lt. Crofts, F.M.                   Old Courier Building

ENEMY APPRECIATION:
        S/Ldr. Feltham, P.V.           Room 209 AMP
        Capt. Macfarlane, D.L.M.    Room 209 AMP
        F/Lt. Dryhurst, C.R.            Room 211 AMP
        F/Lt. Lonie, F.H.                 Room 211 AMP
        F/Lt. Ritchard, G.F.             Room 206 AMP
        Lt. Marshall, W.N.               Room 206 AMP
        Lt. McMillan, C.                   Room 211 AMP
        Lt. Priceman, M.                 Room 211 AMP
        F/O. King S.E.                    Room 206 AMP

EVALUATION:
        F/Lt. Sheldon, W.S.            Room 420 AMP
        Capt. Zyskind, H.                Room 420 AMP
        Lt. Roth, B.A.                      Room 420 AMP

MESSAGE CENTER:
        Chief Clerk                         Room 215 AMP
        Clerks                                Room 215 AMP

MIS-X:
        Major Kraus, P.S.               Perry House
        Capt. Osterweis, H.L.          Perry House
        Capt. Rosenquist, H.A.        Perry House
        Lt. Ellis, W.J.                     Perry House

PUBLICATIONS OFFICER:
        F/O. Furneaux, W.J.           Old Courier Building

DUTY OFFICER: (24 hours)        Room 314 AMP

Signal Intelligence Units in Australia during WW2

Did you work in the Allied Air Force, Directorate of Intelligence during WWII?

If you did I'd like to hear from you.

REFERENCE BOOKS

Kenney, George C., "General Kenney Reports - A Personal History of the Pacific War", Duell, Sloan and Pearce, New York, 1949.

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"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 3 December 2000

This page last updated 09 October 2020