13th Australian Water Transport Operating Company (Small Craft)

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Brief History

This unit was formed at Mt Martha (Victoria) in early 1944 to relieve units already operating in New Guinea. Its strength was gradually built up before in June 1944 it was renamed 13th Australian Small Ships Company with a HQ, three platoons and a ship repair platoon. In late 1944 Australian units took over from all US units then in New Guinea, and 13th Small Ships Company moved to Torokina on Bougainville via Cairns with most of the unit at their Puruata Island base by January 1945. In February a detachment moved to Jacquinot Bay on the south coast of New Britain.

In April 1945 3rd Refrigeration Lighter Section joined them at Torokina, and in August 1945 they were all transferred into the newly formed Transportation Corps. Following the surrender, a detachment joined 3rd Water Transport Group to support the move of the 11th Australian Infantry Division to Rabaul.

Unit Personnel

• Douglas Edward Cleave Steer 22 Jan 1945 - ?? Jan 1946

Notes

Content has come from The Unit Guide - Volume 3 - The Australian Army 1939-1945, page 3.551 - Graham R McKenzie-Smith - Big Sky Publishing - 2018