2/4th Australian Field Ambulance
From Our Contribution
 Oct 1942 Uberi, Papua AWM P02424.020 | |
 3 Aug 1945 Balikpapan AWM 112809 | |
Brief History
The 4th Australian Field Ambulance was one of three Field Ambulances raised during May 1940, with the 2/4th being formed at Ingleburn in NSW. In August they were runing the Camp Hospital at Bathurst before leaving for the Middle East in October 1940. In November they had set up at Kilo 89 in Palestine before moving to Mersa Matruh in Egypt during February 1941.
Sheduled to move to Greece, the rapid German advance in both north Africa and Greece saw them remain in Egypt until the situation normalised. They then moved to Er Rama in northern Palestine during May 1941 to prepare for the invasion of Syria. Their next move was to Metulla and then to the coast at Qasmiya. Following the Armisice they moved to Tripoli, and then consolidated at Khassa in Palestine during January 1942 before returning to Adelaide in Australia in March 1942.
Assembled at Woodside, they moved to Casino in northern NSW during April 1942, and then to Caboolture in May. In August the units they servedwere rushed to New Guinea, and the Field AMbulance moved to Port Moresby in September. They established a Main Dressing Station at Ilolo before advancing to Myolo, then Alola, anf Kokoda as the Australians pushed the Japanese back up the track. They reached Soputa in November before being withdrawn for a rest.
In July they returned to Port Moresby before being airlifted to Nadzab in September to support the units attacking Lae. In October they moved to Dumpu, and in January 1944 back to Port Moresby. In Februiary they accompanied the 25th Australian Infantry Brigade Group back to Strathpine in Queensland for six months before moving to Kiara in north Quensland in September 1944.
In June 1945 The Field Ambulance moved to Morotai where they prepared for the invasion of Borneo, with their unit assigned to support the troops landing at Balikpapan to capture the oilfields. They landed at Balikpapan in July and advanced along the Milford Highway until the end of the war.
Unit Personnel
Balikpapan, Borneo
- Marvin Redvers Cuthbert Barge 4 Sep 1945 - 27 Jan 1946
Patients
Tripoli, Syria
- Cyril John Dunnell 9 - 17 Dec 1941
Notes
Content has come from The Unit Guide - Volume 4 - The Australian Army 1939-1945, pages 4.082 & 4.083 - Graham R McKenzie-Smith - Big Sky Publishing - 2018