Watercraft Workshops

About This Unit

Watercraft Workshops

Reference: McKenzie-Smith, Graham "The Unit Guide Vol 5 Aust Army Service Corps, Aust Army Ordnance Corps, Aust Electrical & Mechanical Engineers" ,p5.679

Watercraft Workshops were set up to conduct the maintenance and repair of RAE-operated Watercraft in New Guinea.  AEME took these over in mid-1943, some of which were derived from their Engineer Company precursors units.

1 Aust Watercraft Workshop Section - Located at Kangaroo Point on the Brisbane River.  At various points elements served at Hendra (Qld) Napa Napa (near Port Moresbyand later a detachment at Lae and Labu Lagoon.  They finally returned to Australia in March 1945, to Chowde Bay in Sydney where they remained until the end of the war.

2 Aust Watercraft Workshop Section - Raised at Napa Napa in September 1943, from elements of the former 31 Water Tpt Maint Coy (small craft).  They relocated to Bulimbah (Qld) in July 1945.

3 Aust Watercraft Workshop Section - Raised at Kangaroo Point (Qld) and expanded in Apr 1944 to become Brisbane Base Watercraft Workshop.  They re-located to Bulimbah (Qld) when the US closed their watercraft base there in May 1945

4 Aust Watercraft Workshop Section - Raised at Hendra (Qld) in December 1943, relocating to Chermside in February 1944.  They relocated to Thursday Island in May 1944 supporting 2 Water Tpt Gp, but remained in the Torres Srait when that group relocated elsewhere.  They relocated to Bulimbain June 1945.

5 Aust Watercraft Workshop Section - Raised at Hendra in April 1944, it had relocated to Merauke in New Guinea by June 1944 and reamined there until July 1945 where they disbanded as the war ended.

6 Aust Watercraft Workshop Section - Raised at Hendra April 1944, elocated to Larrakeyah (NT) in June 1944.  They were absorbed into the Darwin Fortress structure i February 1945.

7 Aust Watercraft Workshop Section - Raised at Chowder Bay in Sydney Harbour in April 1944 where they supported 2 Ordnance Watercraft Park. Relocated to Port Moresby in New Guinea May 1945 then to Napa Napa.

8 Aust Watercraft Workshop Section

9 Aust Watercraft Workshop Section

10 Aust Watercraft Workshop Section

11 Aust Watercraft Workshop Section -

1 Aust Landing Craft Workshop Section -

2 Aust Landing Craft Workshop Section

3 Aust Landing Craft Workshop Section

1 Aust Floating Watercraft Workshop

2 Aust Floating Watercraft Workshop

1 Aust Floating Dock - Raised at Cairns (Qld) in Nov 1944 deployed to Torakina in July 1945 remianing there until the end of the war.

2 Aust Floating Dock - Raised at Cairns (Qld) but never deployed.

3 Aust Floating Dock - Raised at Clifton Gardens (NSW) then as to have moved to Milne Bay but its dock sank at its moorings and it remianed in place.

4 Aust Floating Dock - Raised at Kangaroo Point (Qld) in April 1945.  Still establishing when the War ended.

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