Pine Rivers SHSSchoolHistorySpitfires & Soldiers

Spitfires & Soldiers

World War 2 generated considerable activity in the Pine Rivers area. Australian and US troops were staged in camps in the area numbering in their thousands in 1943 and 1944. There were 15,000 US soldiers of the 1st Cavalry alone. The camps were located on the western fringes of Strathpine. French's Forrest  Estate at Petrie was used as an Artillery Range. The Showgrounds at Lawnton became a camp for the RAAF pilots while station at the Strathpine airstrips.

Of particular interest to Pine Rivers State High School is the Strathpine A2 airstrip. The schools eastern boundary follows the line of the former airstrip. The site is now covered by residential housing with Spitfire Avenue now running the length of the site. The cross streets similarly carry names of wartime aircraft. Other airstrips operating at the same were Petrie A1 locate at the end of Bells Pocket Rd and Strathpine A3 adjacent to South Pine Rd in Brendale.

Teachers at Pine Rivers Districts High School recall the airstrip in the mid 1960's. 

"First I went to search for a school that was part of an old wartime airfield - Spitfire avenue was the airstrip. It was amusing to see houses actually built on the edges of the airstrip with their neat little fences and their bitumen front lawns." - Rick Royce

Reference: 

1. Dunn, P. "Australia @ War - Camp Strathpine"  http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/ozatwar/campstrathpine.htm [24/09/2001] (Selected passages reproduced with permission.)
2. Ed. N. Biggs, L. Hunter, C. Burton, J. Thompson, D. Simpson. "Pine River State High School Silver Jubilee 1964 - 1989"   Pine Rivers SHS. 1989

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RAF Spitfire Squadrons 548 and 549

One of the most important events which occurred in the Pine Rivers region during World War 2 was the formation of the 548 and 549 Spitfire Squadrons at the Strathpine A1 and A2 airstrips. These squadrons were formed in 1943 under an agreement between the Australian and British Governments with the aim of increasing the fighter units that were able to defend the coastline of Australia. The squadrons had a mix of Australian and British personnel with approximately 180 men in each.

While camped at Strathpine, 548 Squadron lost two men in a terrible Spitfire crash on 19 April 1944. Squadron Leader Henry Wright and Sergeant Alan Chandler were killed instantly when their planes were involved in a mid air collision near Youngs Crossing. Both men were buried in Lutwyche Cemetery and a memorial has been placed near the site of the crash.

In June 1944, both squadrons were posted to Darwin to commence taking a more active role in the aerial defence of Australia. Although the focus of the war had moved further to the north and Darwin was no longer being directly threatened by the Japanese, the squadrons were involved in a number of successful operations in the islands to the north of Australia.

Commemorative sign at the southern end of the Strathpine A2 airstrip site.	Strathpine street map illustrating the location of Strathpine A2 air strip in relation to Pine Rivers SHS	Directorate of Works and Buildings site plans for additions to Strathpine A2 air strip. The planned extension never took place.	Aerial photo of Strathpine A2 air strip while operational. View is looking north taken from a RAAF Vultee Vengeance Dive Bomber from 12 Squadron.	11 June 1943. Boomerang A46-100 (MH-T) of 83 Squadron after a belly landing on Strathpine A2 strip. The aircraft was repaired and flew again.
Photo PRSHS	Map R Hammond	Photo Australia@War	Photo PRSHS	Photo Australia@War

References: 

1. Barter, L. "Shire History - RAF Spitfire Squadrons 548 and 549"  Pine Rivers Shire. http://www.prsc.qld.gov.au/yourShire/History/RAFSpitFireSquad.htm [28/09/01]
2. Dunn, P. "Australia @ War - Petrie, Strathpine Airfields"  http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/petrie.htm [24/09/2001]

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Camp Strathpine

Camp Strathpine was divided into six main areas:

Area 1 - Divisional Headquarters ( Joyner, bordered by One Mile Creek, Swift Drive or Samsonvale Road and Pershing Drive.)

Area 2 - 1st Infantry Regiment. 

• Military Police Platoon (prison stockade area)
• 302nd Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanised)
• 7th Reconnaissance Squadron
• 603rd Medium Tank Company (formerly the light Tank Company prior to 3 Dec 43)
• 16th Quartermaster Squadron

Area 3 - Regimental Camp

• 1st Cavalry Brigade HHT
• 5th Cavalry Regiment
• 12th Cavalry Regiment

Area 4 - Regimental Camp

• 2nd Cavalry Brigade HHT
• 7th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry)
• 8th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry)

Area 5 - Artillery Area ( French's Forrest Estate at Petrie.)

• 1st Cavalry Division Artillery HBB
• 61st Field Artillery Battalion (75mm)
• 82nd Field Artillery Battalion (75mm)
• 99th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm)
• 271st Field Artillery Battalion (105mm)

Area 6 - Water pumping station at Young's Crossing and quarters for the Civil Construction Corps workers.

Photo Australia@War

The 1st Cavalry Division, United States Army arrived at Camp Strathpine in July 1943. After some jungle and amphibious training at Toorbul Point north of Brisbane and Port Stephens in northern New South Wales they left Camp Strathpine for New Guinea in December 1943. The 1st Cavalry Division comprised 15,000 men so the tiny locality of Pine Rivers which comprised a population of approximately 4,800 people was totally overwhelmed by the arrival of the Americans. The Australian 7th Division, 2nd AIF also camped at Camp Strathpine during WW2.

The 1st Cavalry Division's artillery units did live firing on a firing range at Flinders on Clear Mountain. Much unexploded Ordnance (UXO) has been found in these areas over the years, particularly as the land is developed for housing estates. Two live practice grenade ranges were located at Cashmere, one to the east of Four Mile Creek next to Area 3 and the other to the north of Winn Road. Two mortar ranges were located at Cashmere, one range being near One Mile Creek, just to the south of today's Ira Buckby Road West and the other across both sides of Winn Road. The target area was immediately to the south of the firing ranges. Both 60mm and 81mm mortars were used.

There were two infantry assault courses in the area, one being near the intersection of Forrest Road and Howze Road west of Area 4. General Infantry training and compass exercises were carried out near Samsonvale township and as far away as Samford, Whiteside and to the north of Petrie.

Reference:

1. Dunn, P. "Australia @ War - Camp Strathpine"  http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/ozatwar/campstrathpine.htm [24/09/2001] (Selected passages reproduced with permission.)

7th December 2007