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.