Port Kembla Fire Command, Port Kembla, New South Wales in Australia during WW2

PORT KEMBLA FIRE COMMAND
RENAMED TO HQ PORT KEMBLA FIXED DEFENCES
THEN HQ COAST ARTILLERY KEMBLA
THEN HQ KEMBLA COAST ARTILLEY
PORT KEMBLA, NSW
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WWII

The Port Kembla Fire Command was located at Berkeley on Tower Hill on the eastern side of Berkley Reservoir No. 1. The Fire Command Post, Male sleeping quarters, AWAS sleeping quarters, R.M. store, mess hall, ablutions, latrine, laundry, hot water system boiler house, office hut and a recreation hut were erected on site. See diagram below. The Fire Command Post building was a 30 foot by 10 foot concrete bunker half below ground which was supplied with electricity and hot water.

Site of Port Kembla Fire Command at Berkeley Reservoirs on Tower Hill

Breakwater Battery was the only coast battery in the Port Kembla area when WWII broke out. It was manned by some permanent soldiers and the militia of the 127th Heavy Battery (M) under the operational command of Headquarters Sydney Fixed Defences.

In December 1941, the 60-pdr guns of 1 Medium Battery were installed as Nebo Battery along with the 3-pdr guns of Goon Battery and Fish Battery. Breakwater Battery coordinated their fire as an informal Port Kembla Fire Command organisation.

Illowra Battery became operational in February 1942. Sydney Fixed Defences was divided in May 1942 and Headquarters Port Kembla Fixed Defences was formed to control the units in the Port Kembla area.

Nebo Battery was withdrawn in July 1942. The 9.2" guns of Drummond Battery became operational in October 1942. Goon Battery and Fish Battery were withdrawn in December 1942 and their guns were installed on the northern breakwater to form Mole Section.

In April 1943, Port Kembla Fixed Defences came under the control of Headquarters Sydney/Kembla Force which was formed out of Headquarters 1st Infantry Division. In May 1943, a separate Headquarters Kembla Fortress was formed out of Headquarters Port Kembla Fixed Defences to command both the fixed and anti aircraft defences along with "D Company, 2nd Garrison Battalion, the local 12th VDC Battalion and the fixed defences at Jervis Bay.

In May 1943, the RAE men of the 232nd Sh Def Sec (Nebo), 233rd Sh Def Sec (Red Point) and 234 Sh Def Sec (Dunster) were transferred to RAA and in October 1943 they were absorbed when Headquarters Port Kembla Fixed Defences became Headquarters Coast Artillery Kembla.

In August 1943, Illowra Battery took over as the Examination Battery for Port Kembla and from September 1943, both Breakwater Battery and Drummond Battery were manned by the VDC.

Mole Section was withdrawn in October 1943 and Illowra Battery was manned by the VDC from February 1944. In April 1944, Headquarters Coast Artillery Kembla was renamed to Headquarters Kembla Coast Artillery.

In August 1944, the AMF batteries were disbanded and all guns were placed on a care-and-maintenance status and parts of the VDC batteries were merged to form a reduced Kembla Coast Artillery (VDC). This newly named unit retained sufficient Part Time Duty VDC soldiers to man several guns on a long lead time, whilst the other men returned to their battalion to be stood down into reserve.

In January 1945, Headquarters Kembla Coast Artillery was disbanded along with Headquarters Kembla Fortress and the remaining fixed defences then came under the command of Headquarters Fixed Defences New South Wales.

Kembla Fortress War Diary has the following entries for Berkeley:-

26 Feb 1944	Installation of D.P.F. complete except for ?rid of table
20 Apr 1944	Bed plate of D.P.F. Gridded.
5 Sep 1944	Fire Command ceased to operate. Illowra Bty given direct contact with NOIC. MMS ceased to function.
21 Sep 1944	Personnel marched out from FC Post and all FOPs. Security guard by 2 Aust Grn Bn. Maintenance staff quartered at Breakwater.