Holland Park Military Hospital

US Army 5th Station Hospital; 156th Station Hospital; 256th Station Hospital & 42nd General Hospital; No.2 Area 102nd Aust. General Hospital and 2nd Convalescent Depot

Type
Medical facility
Region
Brisbane City

Logan and Nursery Roads, Holland Park 4121

The Allied Works Council was responsible for the construction of many military hospitals across Queensland during the war years. In the twelve months to June 1943 for example, hospitals to capable of holding 20000 patients were erected for the Allied forces. The largest hospital built by the AWC was that for the US Army at Holland Park.

History

Costing more than £400,000, the Holland Park hospital was built in two sections, each capable of holding 1000 patients. The buildings were erected by Stuart Brothers, with incidental works to other contractors. The average workforce during construction numbered 300 men.

The Main Road Commission built all the roads and pathways, BCC undertook supply of electricity and installation of the sewer line. The first section was completed by September 1943. It had covered walkways between buildings and ramps instead of stairs, innovations apparently uncommon in Queensland at that time. Most of the hospital was constructed of timber and fibre cement, and spread across the site as part of a 'tropical design' which allowed the retention of many mature gum trees.

The Holland Park hospital was occupied by staff of the 42nd General Hospital who moved from the hospitals at Stuartholme in mid-1943, and from Camp Columbia a few months later. Staff at the hospital numbered in excess of 1000 during the majority of the US Army occupancy. The second stage of Holland Park (known as Unit II) was occupied by the 155th Station Hospital that was transferred from Ekibin at the end of June 1944. At various times it cared for psychiatric patients, as well as establishing two wards for WACs. In September 1944 the 155th Station Hospital was attached to the Sixth United States Army and moved on to New Guinea in September 1944.

There are indications that the 42nd General Hospital was disbanded on 11 November 1944, probably as a result of its movement northwards.

Holland Park was then occupied by the 102nd Australian General Hospital until war’s end, after which the site was abandoned. It was demolished in the 1950s.

Source/comments

2 NA digital plans; Marks Book 4; Dunn

NAA: Series BP262/2 9127 PART 2 barcode 438604. Allied Works Council Queensland - Annual Report of work done by AWC Qld to 30 June 1943

Third Portable Surgical Hospital, 22 August, 1944

WW2 US Medical Research Centre

Roger Marks, Brisbane WW2 v Now, Vol 4 “Holland park & Ekibin Hospitals", Brisbane, 2005.

Australia @ War.