Western Command Bulk Issue Petrol and Oil Depot

Unit colour patch

Brief History

Western Command BIPOD was raised at Swan Barracks, Perth in January 1942 before moving to Karrakatta in February., and then in March to Melville first and then Naval Base. By April they had expanded to their full war establishment and had a name change in May to WA Line of Command Area BIPOD. In June their headquarters reached their final location at Salters Point in June and Their main depot was located at Forrestdale where fuel in drums was railed to the Forrestdale siding and then carried by truck to dispersed areas with drums placed under trees around Lake Forrestdale.

They also maintained depots around Perth, Moora, Mullewa, Geraldton and Cunderdin. Later they opened depots at Port Hedland, Broome, Derby and Onslow. With the war moving away from WA and the troops as well, the need for these depots decreased and the depots handed back to oil companies. The unit's name changed to Western Command BIPOD in December 1944, and at the conclusion of the war the unit was in the process of disbanding.

Unit Personnel

• Stanley Garrett 12 Sep 1940 - 15 Jan 1942
• John Francis Lean 30 Sep - 11 Nov 1942
• Frederick Thomas Carlisle 11 Nov 1942 - 11 Jul 1946
• Allan Denman Baldwin 16 Apr 1943 - 24 Oct 1945
• Frederick Joseph Humphrey 4 May - 8 Aug 1944
• Edward Hamilton Gregson 22 Jul - 30 Oct 1944
• John Francis (Jack) Cucel 31 Oct - 11 Dec 1944
• John Ernest Law-Davis 30 Apr 1942 - 19 Sep 1945

Detached from Employment Companies

• James Douglas Aitken 9 Jun - 13 Aug 1944
• Alfred Edward James Tresidder 9 Sep - 10 Oct 1944 (Davilak) & 11 Jun - 5 Sep 1945 (Forrestdale)

Notes

Content has come from The Unit Guide - Volume 5 - The Australian Army 1939-1945 - page 5.048 Graham R McKenzie-Smith - Big Sky Publishing - 2018