41st Coast Artillery Brigade in Australia during WW2

The 41st CA Brigade (AA) arrived in Brisbane on 8 March 1942 but was rendered inactive upon arrival in Brisbane. The Commanding General Brigadier General Frank Sheldon Clark, went to Melbourne to serve as Chief of Staff of the United States Army Forces in Australia USAFIA from 18 July 1942, and the Headquarters furnished personnel to the Headquarters, USAFIA. Of the Brigade's attached organisations, the 208th CA (AA) was sent to participate in the anti-aircraft defence of Townsville, the 197th CA (AA) went to Fremantle and the 102nd CA Bn (AA) went by air and truck convoy to Darwin.

The 41st CA Brigade (AA) had the mission of defending Townsville and Darwin. The 40th CA Brigade (AA) was responsible for the defence of Queensland north of Townsville and New Guinea. The control of Townsville was initially in the hands of the 208th CA (AA) until mid September 1942 when the Commanding General, 41st CA Brigade (AA) assumed control.

The following units were under the control of the 41st CA Brigade (AA) at the start of their campaign:-

On 3 October 1942, the 101st CA Bn (AA) transferred from the 40th CA Brigade (AA) to the 41st CA Brigade (AA).

The first 90-mm guns arrived in Townsville in late November 1942. Most of them were unloaded at Townsville and were taken in charge by the 25th Ordnance Company which was the Base Section organisation handling anti-aircraft repairs at that time. The G-3, USASOS recommended against the use of the guns until special training including firing at towed targets, had been given to the Batteries receiving them. An order was issued for training teams to be organised by the 40th and 41st CA Brigades to give this instruction.

Mechanics from both the 197th and 208th Regiments worked on the guns in the shops in Townsville as the 25th Ordnance Company mechanics cleaned and checked them. One 90-mmm gun and its fire control equipment was temporarily turned over to the Hq, 208th CA (AA). A team of Enlisted Men selected largely from the Headquarters of the Regiment and under the leadership of Officers of the Gun Battalion, 94th CA (AA), who had used the 90-mm gun in the USA, familiarised themselves with the equipment and its use insofar as was possible. Both Brigades organised Records Sections and Computing Sections for the planned target practices.

The Records Section of the 40th CA Brigade (AA) was composed of personnel of the Headquarters of the 40th CA Brigade (AA) and the 208th CA (AA). The 197th CA (AA) contributed to the Records Section of the 41st CA Brigade (AA).

The 41st CA Brigade (AA) selected a firing point on the shore about 25 miles north of Townsville, the nearest place with a suitable field of fire. Units of the 40th CA Brigade (AA) fired from their own tactical positions.

In December 1942, a school for training in Target Recognition and Identification of Aircraft was established by the 41st CA Brigade (AA) at Townsville (possibly at Camp McClung?). The school was attended not only by American and and Australian anti-aircraft personnel but also by Army Air Force pilots and civilian Defence workers.

The 56th Edition of the US Army Station List dated 23 June 1943 shows the following:-

Note:- The US Army Camp at Carlton Park, on Queens Road, Townsville, is now called Corcoran Park, where there was an athletic filed and a number of basketball courts when I grew up in Townsville.

Between August and October 1943, the 744th AAA Gun Battalion and Battery "B" of the 237th AAA Searchlight Battalion arrived at Milne Bay in New Guinea and took up tactical positions. They were the last of the 41st CA Brigade units to leave Australia.

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