2/5th Australian Infantry Troops Ordnance Field Park

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Brief History

Raised as the 2/1st Ordnance Field Park over time, with individual sections forming from December 1939 on, the main body formed in May 1940. The unit was in Palestine later in May 1940, and most of it was in Barbara (Palestine) in February 1941 where they separated into three sections that moved around Egypt and Syria in addition to Palestine. With the entry of Japan into the war most of the unit returned to Australia with the 1st Australian Corps via Ceylon, arriving in Adelaide in April 1942.

Following leave they were established at Tenterefield in New South Wales before moving to Toowoomba in Queensland during May 1943. They provided experienced cadres of stff that were used to form several units, including the 5th Army Ordnance Field Park which was allocated to the 3rd Australian Corps which relocated to Werribee in Western Australia in July 1942. In August, now at full strength, they moved to Midland, and then to Bushmenad in September, followed by Wongan Hills in October. From there, in conjunction with the 5th Army Ordnance Workshop they worked on 3rd line repairs and the provision of spare parts. In July 1943 they were renamed 2/5th Australian Infantry Troops Ordnance Field Park and were then moved to Mullewa in September. In January 1944 they were relocated to Koojan, and then to Greenmount in February. By now there were very few troops in Western Australia and so it moved to Bandiana in Victoria in April where it was disbanded in January 1945.

Unit Personnel

• William James (Jim) Harrison 27 Jun - 4 Jul 1943

Notes

Content has come from The Unit Guide - Volume 5 - The Australian Army 1939-1945, page 5.354 - Graham R McKenzie-Smith - Big Sky Publishing - 2018