Allied Forces Recreation Centre

Ravenswood Imperial Hotel

Recreation/community
North-West

23 Macrossan Street, Ravenswood 4816

The Imperial Hotel in Ravenshoe was utilised by Allied Forces as a recreation camp. It was also a popular watering hole for troops based in, or passing through, the area.

History

The walls of the Imperial Hotel at Ravenswood contain the penciled 'graffiti' of numerous former patrons. Many are obscured by paint and difficult to view. However some are still clear enough to tell the story of the people and units that trained in the town during World War Two.

One of several names still visible is the following:
WM Pyle, QX23927 (service number), 3/2/42?. Born 12 December 1921, Mr William Donkin Pyle enlisted at Silkstone near Brisbane on 29 September 1941 and was a Gunner in the Australian 2/3 Field Regiment. He would have been twenty years old when he was training at Ravenswood. Mr Pyle survived the war and was discharged from the Army in April 1946.

Several other names with dates from the World War II period remain on the walls and include Australian Infantry Force numbers.

If you know of My Pyle or any other members of the Australian Forces station at Ravenswood during the war, please contact us at heritage@des.qld.gov.au.

Source/comments

Australian Army Nominal Roll: PYLE, William Donkin QX23927.

Ray Holyoak (contributing author).