13th Australian Infantry Brigade Signals Section

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Brief History

K Section, Western Command Signals was mobilised at Melville to service the 13th Infantry Brigade Group which moved to Chidlows in early 1942. In April they were transferred to the 4th Infantry Division and the unit was renamed L Section, 4th Australian Infantry Division Signals. The brigade moved to Moora in May before returning to Bellevue in June to take leave after which it settle in at Dandaragan. In January 1943 they returned to Chidlows prior to leaving for the Northern Territory in February, settling in the central brigade area some 90 kilometers south of Darwin. In March the L Section was renamed as J Section, 12th Infantry Division Signals before being renamed 13th Infantry Brigade Signals Section in August 1943.

With the war moving further north, the strength of the Darwin garrison was decreased and in late 1944 the 13th Infantry Brigade Group was sent to Jacquinot Bay on New Britain in November where the signals section joined 2 Company, 2nd Infantry Division Signals to work with the HQ 5th Infantry Division. Their initial camp was at Wunung Plantation, but in April 1945 they moved to support the forward troops, with the signals based at Tol Plantation from where they operated until the end of the war. When the 11th Infantry Division occupied Rabaul, the 13th Australian Infantry Brigade Signals Section was part of the occupying force.

Unit Personnel

• Arthur McVeigh 23 Jun 1942 - 23 Feb 1945
• Barry Martin Keeley 21 Aug 1943 - 5 Dec 1945

Notes

Content has come from The Unit Guide - Volume 4 - The Australian Army 1939-1945, page 4.312 - Graham R McKenzie-Smith - Big Sky Publishing - 2018