2/1st Australian Movement & Transportation Group

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Brief History

While the 2nd AIF was in the Middle East, much of its non battlefield needs were met within the British system. However, with Japan's entry into the war many support and supply units were formed. 2/1st Movement & Transportation Group was formed in January 1942 in Dimra, Palestine. They left the Middle East in February for Adelaide which they reached in March.

They coordinated the movement of returning units out of South Australia to other Australian locations, and then moved themselves to Townsville in May. Detachments were also provided for railheads at Alice Springs, Mt Isa, and Larrimah to handle units moving to Darwin, and to New Guinea as necessary. Following the development of bases on the Atherton Tablelands, a large detachment was based in Cairns. In October 1944 the group moved to Torokina on Bougainville, tasked with managing all cargo and personnel movements. A detachment was left at Lae, and smaller elements were sent to Emirau, Green, Treasury and Munda Islands to service the 23rd Australian Infantry Brigade and RAAF units on those islands. On Bougainville, as the '3rd Australian infantry Division moved south, a detachment was sent to Motupena Point in may 1945, and another to Soraken to manage cargo supporting the advance to the north. When the war ended the unit was still active in these locations.

Unit Personnel

• Albert Charles Gregory 24 Nov 1941 - 1 Mar 1944

Notes

Content has come from The Unit Guide - Volume 6 - The Australian Army 1939-1945, pages 6.387 and 6.388 - Graham R McKenzie-Smith - Big Sky Publishing - 2018