10th Australian CRE (Works)

10th Australian CRE (Works)

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Brief History

Raised by splitting the former CRE Western Command at Karrakatta in April 1942, it was initially called CRE WA Line of Communication Area with the role of controlling 7th Australian Army Troops Company and 7th Workshop & Park Company at Karrakatta and across the state. In September 1942 they were retitled 10th Australian CRE (Works) responsible for controlling works in the Perth area, with non metropolitan works controlled by 66th DCRE (Works) at Merredin and 69th DCRE (Works) at Northam. 67th DCRE (Works) and 69th DCRE (Works) were established in Fremantle and Karrakatta. 12th Workshop & Park Company replaced the 7th Workshop & Park Company at Karrakatta. In January 1944 8th Ant-Aircraft & Fortress Company joined 10th Australian CRE (Works), while remaining at Fremantle.

In February 1944 the unit moved to the Northern Territory to relieve the 3rd equivalent unit, but established themselves at Noonamah rather than Katherine where the 7th had been based. Over the next six months a flurry of unit movements took place, but by late September troops were being withdrawn from the Northern Territory with the cancellation of an earlier plan to use Darwin as the base for an invasion of the island of Ambon. In October 10th Australian CRE (Works) had taken over responsibility for all works projects in the Northern Territory. Other units that had previously been under their control left in November. In January 1945 the unit moved from Noonamah to Larrakeyah, taking over leadership of all RAE units in the Northern Territory, remaining in position for the rest of the war.

Unit Personnel

• Vivienne Dittman 6 Aug 1942 - 9 Jan 1943
• Eric Raymond Willison 1 Oct - 19 Dec 1942