11th Brigade Headquarters

Requisitioned building

Headquarters
Townsville

Wills Street (cnr Walker Street), Townsville 4810

The inter-war style house on the corner of Denham and Wills streets that was used by the 11th Brigade as Army Head Quarters (c 2010).

History

In 1943 Z Force Commando Sam Carey and his unit conducted a mock raid on Townsville harbour at night. Dummy limpet mines were placed on shipping as part of a secretive training exercise. This was essentially a practice for a raid on Japanese held at Rabaul that did not eventuate. Unfortunately for Carey, the authorities were not informed and a ship that had been unloading had risen higher in the water revealing the mines. Other ships were checked and every ship in the port, including those outside were found to be mined in what was a glaring security breach. Carey was found by Military Police sleeping at the Queen’s Hotel and arrested for this 'stunt'.

Former AWAS (Australian Women’s Army Service) stenographer Norma Smith (nee Freeman) recalled seeing Captain Carey marched by Military Police into this 11th Brigade HQ (Head Quarters) address (also known as Army HQ) building to report to the Townsville Commander, Colonel North.

Source/comments

Townsville Bulletin Weekend Extra, 7 August 2010.