1st Australian Mechanical Transport Company

19 Apr 1918 Mechanics from 1st Aust Motor Tpt Coy repairing a motor lorry at their workshops AWM Photo E02092

Brief History

Formed from a re-organisation of the Divisional Motor Transport units on 13 Mar 1918 with 9 Officers and 418 Other Ranks with 149 vehicles they began life at the Brulooze Railhead. An early task was to transport supplies and ammunition to the Australian troops then relocating to face the German advance up the Somme river valley towards Amiens.

In May 1919 he workload of the unit had declined to a level allowing the unit to be disbanded and personnel remainng tobe transferred to other Transport units.

Unit personnel

• Oliver John Dowell 8 - 18 Apr 1919

Individual Honours

• 5 x Military Medal
• 6 x Meritorious Service Medal
• 4 x Mentioned in Despatches
• 1 x Belgium Croix de Guerre