Western Command Ordnance Workshop

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Brief History

In December 1941 the Western Command Ordnance Workshop was mobilised at locations around Perth including Murray street, and Swan barracks, with a detachment in Northam. Renamed Western Australian Lines of Communication Area Ordnance Workshop]] in April 1942 they moved to a consolidated workshop in Bushmead during May. In July 5 of the 16 officers and 30 of the 365 Other Ranks were transferred to form the 9th Advanced Ordnance Workshop, and when AEME took over all workshops they were renamed Western Australian Lines of Communication Area Workshop.

In June 1943 a detachment was sent to Port Hedland, however, with the decreasing number of troops in WA, the unit was also reduced in numbers. In September they absorbed the 6, 15 and 21st Radio Maintenance Section for form a radar section. In the January 1945 re-organisation they absorbed the Fortress Workshop, Fremantle and became Western Australian Area Workshop with seven Ooficers and 243 men over the fortress workshop section, the radar section, and two mobile armoury sections. They moved to Melville in March 1945 and the 342nd Light Aid Detachment was formed in June. The Workshop continued to operate from Melville until the end of the war.

Unit Personnel

• Joseph Huntley Ball 3 Feb - 12 Sep 1941

Notes

Content has come from The Unit Guide - Volume 5 - The Australian Army 1939-1945, page 5.603 - Graham R McKenzie-Smith - Big Sky Publishing - 2018