56th Australian Camp Hospital

1 Nov 1943 Moreton Island

1 Nov 1943 Moreton Island, A stretcher case being evacuated from 56th ACH on the island to Brisbane. AWM O60101.

Brief History

This is the third name the unit had, having earlier been named Camp Hospital Cowan Cowan, and 6th Australian Camp Hospital. Formed in January 1942 from the detachment of 1st Fortress Company AAMC which was manning a Central Dressing Station at Fort Cowan on Moreton Island in Queensland. As the camp hospital on Thursday Island had also been named 6th Australian Camp Hospital, the Cowan Cowan unit was renamed in September 1942 to 56th Australian Camp Hospital.

In November 1942 the majority of the hospital moved to Lytton, with a detachment remaining at Cowan, until February 1944 when the hospital returned to Cowan. With the reduction in need for coastal defences, the 56th Australian Camp Hospital was disbanded in December 1944.

Patients

• John Blair 28 Mar - 2 Apr 1943

Notes

Content has come from The Unit Guide - Volume 4 - The Australian Army 1939-1945, page 4.128 - Graham R McKenzie-Smith - Big Sky Publishing - 2018