'E' Australian Heavy Battery (Coast)

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Brief History

In early October 1942 the 'D' Heavy Battery that was then on Bribie Island in Queensland was split into two. The section to be known as 'E' Heavy Battery then moved to Milne Bay in Papua via Townsville ion November 1942. On their arrival they formed a battery of two 155mm US guns on the south coat of the bay. During May 1943 the engineering detachment supporting the battery was amalgamated into it.

In September 1943 the battery was relocated to Sideia Island at the entrance of Milne Bay, as US forces wished to establish a HQ at the battery's previous location. In January 1944 the battery was renamed 'E' Heavy battery (Coastal). Just as they were finishing their new site, the battery was transferred to Brisbane, where they camped for a time at Chermside. Intended to man the Rous Battery on Moreton Island they instead moved to Fort Lytton where they joined 'C', 'F', 'G' and 'R' heavy batteries gathered together to await a new role in Papua New Guinea. When none did they were moved to Narellan in NSAW in October 1944 and disbanded in January 1945.

Notes

Content for the history section has come from The Unit Guide - The Australian Army 1939-45 Volume 3 of 6, Graham R. McKenzie-Smith, Big Sky Publishing, 2018. Further detail of this, and her sister batteries is available in that publication .