United States of America Air Force Aerodrome, Torrens Creek

Torrens Creek Airfield

Airfield
Central-West

Flinders Highway, Torrens Creek 4816

Construction of a dispersed bomber field between Hughenden and Charters Towers was called for early in 1942 and a suitable site was selected at Torrens Creek on the Townsville-Mount Isa railway, where work began in March 1942. Personnel of the US 46th Engineer General Service Regiment cleared and levelled the Torrens Creek runways each 7000 feet (2133 metres) in length for the use of heavy bombers. On the main runway, running parallel with the railway, a pieced steel plank (PSP) mat was placed over the middle section to ensure the airfield was capable of all-weather use. This use of PSP appears to be the first of importance in the South-West Pacific Area. The matting was removed as the war effort moved on. Torrens Creek airfield was visited by US congressman, and future American president, Lyndon Johnson, in June 1942, while on a brief tour of the South-West Pacific Area. Johnson noted that the main runway was made of steel mat. While returning from Port Moresby, a faulty compass adjustment caused the congressional party’s aircraft to make an unscheduled landing at Carisbrooke station south of Winton.

History

During mid March 1942, the United States 46th Engineers and men and equipment of the Main Roads Commission commenced construction of US combat airfields at Woodstock, Reid River and Torrens Creek, west of Townsville. The 46th Engineers arrived at Torrens Creek on 22 March and began work immediately clearing and grubbing three runways and blowing up stumps with gelignite. The PSP mat arrived within days and was quickly installed on the main east-west runway, although probably not needed as the airfield was on hard sandy soil. A section 2500 feet (762 metres) long was laid ready for use in five days, setting a new record for US Army engineers laying pieced steel plank. A total of 4000 feet (1219 metres) of steel mat, 100 feet (30 metres) in width, was eventually laid. With the confrontation building in the Coral Sea, the steel mat underlined the importance of Torrens Creek to US Forces in Australia, as an all-weather bomber strip and a reserve ordnance depot.

By late May 1942, Torrens Creek was complete except for sealing and camouflage works. The 46th Engineers pulled out in June to take up airfield construction at Iron Range and the Main Roads Commission completed a number of works still outstanding.

Elements of the USAAF 43rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) with B-17 Flying Fortress bombers and full combat crews were posted to Torrens Creek in the latter half of August 1942. They included the 63rd and 65th Squadrons and ground crews, but within weeks most of the 63rd Squadron had been posted to Townsville and Mareeba to train with the 19th Bombardment Group.

During September 1942 the US Command in Australia requisitioned for construction of additional buildings at Torrens Creek. However, with the departure of the 43rd Bombardment Group, operation of the airfield was scaled back considerably. During early 1943 the large ordnance dump 16 kilometres south of the airfield was transferred to the US Kangaroo Ordnance Depot, at Kurukan north of Townsville. By mid 1944, Torrens Creek airfield was unoccupied, the steel mat had been removed and all buildings and facilities had been dismantled for reuse by US Forces.

During September 1942 the US Command in Australia requisitioned for construction of additional buildings at Torrens Creek. However, with the departure of the 43rd Bombardment Group, operation of the airfield was scaled back considerably. During early 1943 the large ordnance dump 16 kilometres south of the airfield was transferred to the US Kangaroo Ordnance Depot, at Kurukan north of Townsville. By mid 1944, Torrens Creek airfield was unoccupied, the steel mat had been removed and all buildings and facilities had been dismantled for reuse by US Forces.

Source/comments

Pearce, Howard (contributing author).

Allied Works Council (Queensland), AWC Minutes 1942–1945, BP1/1, National Archives of Australia, Canberra.

Main Roads Commission, The History of the Queensland Main Roads Commission during World War II 1939–1945, Government Printer, Brisbane, 1949.

Roger Marks, Queensland Airfields WW2: 50 years on, Brisbane, 1994.

Peter Nielsen. Diary of WWII North Queensland, Nielsen Publishing, Gordonvale, 1993.

Howard Pearce. WWII: NQ: A cultural heritage overview of significant places in the defence of north Queensland during World War II. Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane, 2009.