2nd Australian Field Ambulance

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Brief History

In December 1941 the unit was in camp at Mt Martha in Victoria attached to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Group Its role was t defend the Mornington Peninsular and the eastern approaches to Melbourne. One company was forward at Red Hill with an Advanced Dressing Station near Flinders. With the return of troops from the Middle East, the unit moved to Melville in April 1942 and then Bellevue in May. In August they moved to the Geraldton area, remaining there until they moved to the Northern Territory in September 1943 to service 2nd Brigade units at the Southern Brigade Camp some 65 miles (109 km) south of Darwin.

During August 1944 the unit was brought up to strength with reinforcements from other nearby medical units and it then accompanied the 13th Infantry brigade group to the 51 Mile Camp in September and Jacquinot Bay on New Britain in November 1944. When the 13th brigade moved forward to continue the advance on Rabaul, in April 1945, the 2nd Australian Field Ambulance was based at the Tol Plantation to be able to service the forward units. After the Japanese surrender the unit moved to Rabaul.

Ambulance Personnel

• Herbert Patrick Carter 13 - 14 May 1945
• Percival Norman (Percy) Buckingham 11 - 19 Feb 1946 Discharged in New Guinea.

Patients

Geraldton

• Leo Gibbs 12 - 16 Dec 1942

Jacquinot Bay, New Britain

• Robert Neil Anderson 12 - 15 Dec 1944
• Herbert Andrew Thomas Alexander 12 Feb - 6 Mar 1945
• Alexander James Harris 1 - 22 Mar 1945 & 26 - 29 May 1945
• Cecil Sydney Fahey 1 - 21 Jun 1945
• Herbert Andrew Thomas Alexander 21 Jun - 4 Jul 1945
• Thomas Donald Neilson 30 Jul - 18 Aug 1945

Rabaul, New Britain

• Robert Neil Anderson 1 - 5 Dec 1945