1st Australian Corps Salvage Unit

1941 Vichy French artillery being recovered from Syrian mountains

Brief History

This unit was raised at the Sydney Showground in June 1940 before moving to Liverpool in November 1940. In February 1941 they departed for the Middle East and in late March were at Barbara in Palestine. In June they moved to Ar Rama in Syria and then to Beirut in July with a detachment at Damascus, and from September one in Homs. In January 1942 they moved back to Kilo 89 in palestine before returning to Australia in February.

In March 1942 the unit gathered at Payneham near Adelaide, but soon after moved to Ipswich in Queensland. With the rapid Japanese advance they were sent to Port Moresby in August 1942. In January 1943 they moved to Dobodura, remaining there until May when they moved to Hariko before returning to Port Moresby in July and then returning to Australia for aleave. In September they regathered at Homebush in New South Wales.

In September 1943 they were renamed 1st Australian Infantry Division Salvage Unit, and in May 1944 moved to the 57 Mile camp in the Northern Territory with detachments with the brigades along the Stuart Highway, and salvage depots at Noonamah and Vesteys. As troop number sin the NT decreased, they were withdrawn to EAnoggera in Queensland during January 1945. In June 1945 the salvage unit moved to Jacquinot Bay on the south coast of New Britian, remaining there for the rest of the war befor emoving to Rabaul.

Unit Personnel

• Richard Barrett 21 Jan - 29 Apr 1942 and 10 - 19 May 1943

Notes

Content has come from The Unit Guide - Volume 6 - The Australian Army 1939-1945, pages 6.150 & 6.151 - Graham R McKenzie-Smith - Big Sky Publishing - 2018