Camp Hugh Street (United States Army)

Air Transport Command

Type
Military camp
Region
Townsville

Hugh Street and Harold Street, West End 4810

Several Australian and United States (US) units were located in the suburb of West End utilising

both prefabricated and requisitioned buildings. Camp Hugh Street was established as an US Army Camp.

History

In August 1943, “Camp Hugh Street” was constructed by the Allied Works Council for the American Army at the junction of Harold and Hugh Streets (near the present Harold Phillips Park). A November 1944 plan of the site mentions all buildings were constructed of fibro cement and were occupied by Air Transport Command. An April 1946 site plan lists 15 separate buildings as sleeping quarters. Others included mess and recreation huts, ablutions and barracks.

By February 1945 the US had vacated and the camp was being used as accommodation for RAAF transport squadrons.

In 1946 Camp Hugh Street and other ex-military buildings in Francis Street were listed for disposal as surplus assets. Former military barracks, administration and hospital buildings were converted into housing post-war and many survive in altered form today. Building supplies after WW2 were limited and Commonwealth and US disposal auctions sold entire buildings and surplus materials to the public. Queensland’s Department of Public Works also purchased prefabricated military buildings and transformed them into attractive low-cost housing for service families and new migrants.

Aerial imagery reveals that all buildings at Camp Hugh Street had been removed by 1952 with only the semi-circular graveled road still visible.

Source/comments

DWB [Director of Works and Buildings] - Property - Townsville Qld - Camp buildings - Hugh Street - West End - Disposal of surplus assets, A705, 171/106/486 ACT.

Ray Holyoak (contributing author).