Queens Park Bunker

Civil defence facility
Townsville

Paxton Street, Townsville 4810

Although no plans exist for a Queens Park “bunker” in Commonwealth records, a clue to what may have been there exists in Welch’s report. Details include the number of air raid shelters in the city and what type they were (pill box or slit trench). It also states that Townsville possessed a good level of protection for its citizens in case of air attack and that emergency orginisations were well prepared and trained. Lastly it states;

fifty covered trenches were constructed in various parks and along the bus routes which accommodated twenty persons.

History

The sporting fields adjacent to Queens Park accommodated several Australian and US encampments which included the 800th US MP stockade.

In June 1942 A W Welch, Acting Secretary for the Department of Home Security visited Townsville to report on the city’s level of preparedness in the event of an air raid. One month later the city would be attacked by long range Kawanishi flying boats of the 14th Kokutai (Naval Air Squadron) from Japanese held Rabaul.

Source/comments

Air Raid Precaution Report in Townsville 1942, A816/1, 49/301,217 ACT.

Photo album of Private Merle E Warner (collection of Ray Holyoak)