US ARMY 40TH COASTAL ARTILLERY BRIGADE,
NORTH EASTERN ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY COMMAND
BRISBANE, QLD DURING WW2

The following three units were members of the 40th Anti-aircraft Brigade:-

• 94th Coastal Artillery (AA) Regiment (3 Battalions)

• 101st Coastal Artillery (AA Separate) Battalion 

• 104th Coastal Artillery (AA Separate) Battalion 

• 208th Coastal Artillery (AA) Regiment

The 94th, 101st and 102nd all travelled to Australia on the "Queen Mary" arrived in Sydney on 28 March 1942. The 40th Anti-aircraft Brigade proceeded to Camp Doomben and established their initial Headquarters at Ascot Race track.

The Commanding Officer of the 40th CA Brigade was Brigadier General Van Volkenburgh. Some Australian Anti-aircraft units were also put under the command of the 40th Coastal Artillery Brigade.

The December 1942 Military phone book for Brisbane shows the following:-

GHQ SWPA
    ANTI-AIRCRAFT OFFICER: (all in Room No. 620 in AMP Building)
        Brig. Gen. W.F. Marquat
        Col. L.H. Thomson
        Lt. G. Edwin Scott
        Lt. F.B. Moses
        T/Sgt. G.G. Von Eberstein
        S/Sgt C.P. Craig

The 1945 Military phone book for Brisbane shows the Headquarters for the 14th Anti-aircraft Command under the command of Major General W.F. Marquat being located on the 8th Floor of AMP Building in Queen Street, Brisbane. There is no entry for the 40th CA Brigade.

I was once told that the Headquarters for the US Army's 40th Coastal Artillery (CA) Brigade North-Eastern Anti-aircraft Artillery Command was possibly located in a concrete bunker that is still standing at Hudson Road at Wooloowin in Brisbane opposite the Wooloowin railway station. I believe this "bunker" was actually a large private air raid shelter.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I'd like to thank Lee Deighton, Russell Miller and Dave Spethman for their assistance with this home page.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 18 May 2001

This page last updated 19 January 2020