2/1st Australian Convalescent Depot

AWM O55719

AWM O55716

Colour patch for Middle East 1942-43

Colour patch for Queensland

Brief History

Raised in Perth in December 1939 and moved to Northam before moving to the Middle East in January 1940. They first went to Gaza Ridge in Palestine in February 1940. In June 1941 they were at Kafr Vitkin and by November were operating 1,000 beds. In January 1942 they raised he 2/3rd Convalescent Depot to accompany the troops returning to AUstralia while they remained in the Middle East with the 9th Division. In March they had moved to Nuseirat and in June formed the 2/4th Convalescent Depot to move with the troops to Syria. With victory at El Alamein, the rest of the Australian troops returned to Australia in January 1943, including the 2/1 Australian Convalescent Depot.

Back in Australia it absorbed the 2/4th Convalescent Depot and moved to Rocky Creek in North Queensland where they managed 1,200 beds at Rocky creek, and 300 at Lake Barrine. Lake Barrine is a volcanic lake, surrounded by tropical rain forest on the Atherton Tablelands inland from Cairns. In April 1944 they moved to a new site at Rocky Creek and continued to service the hospitals in North Queensland for the rest of the war.

Patients

Gaza Ridge, Palestine

• Cornielius Harold (Con) Kerrison 18 Apr - 11 May 1941

Kafr Vitkin, Palestine

• Walter Leonard Axford 17 - 30 Jun 1941
• Ronald Gwynne 27 Jan 1942 - 19 Feb 1942

Nuseirat, Egypt

• Alfred George Playle 28 Jul - 5 Aug 1942
• Robert Henry Fletcher 9 - 17 Sep 1942
• Ronald Gwynne 31 Dec 1942 - 11 Jan 1943

Rocky Creek/ lake Barine, North Queensland