2/6th Australian General Transport Company

1 Aug 1945 Vehicle park & workshops of 2/10 platoon. AWM photo 112607

Brief History

The 7th Infantry Division Supply Column was formed at Puckapunyal (Vic) in May 1940 and they embarked for the Middle East in October. On arrival they established themselves at Barbara in Palestine. With the German advance in Libya the 7th Division was sent to Mersa Mutrah, Egypt instead of Greece which had been an earlier destination. With the 18th Brigade they were with the 9th Infantry Division in Tobruk when the siege began. They were then reorganised to form the 18th Infantry Brigade Composite Company with four transport companies. Soon after they were withdrawn from Tobruk to Biet Jirja in Palestine befoe moving to El Aine in Syria in September and then to Aleppo in October 1941.

With the entry of Japan into the war, the unit, now known as 2/6th Australian Company AASC, moved to Kilo 89 in Palestine, and in February left for Adelaide where they landed in March 1942. Camped at Sandy Creek, they moved to Tenterfield in New South Wales in April and then to Kilroy in north Queensland in May 1942. In August, as part of the move to stem the Japanese advance in New Guinea, the unit sent a detachment of 160 troops to Milne Bay, with the rest of the unit moving to Woodford. In October 1942 the entire unit concentrated at Milne Bay.

In December a detachment moved to Wanigela, and another to Buna before a third group moved to Goodenough Island, leaving the headquarters unit at Milne Bay. In August 1943 the entire unit concentrated back at Milne Bay before departing for Kiara in North Queensland in October 1943. They were active across the Tableland, and a detachment moved to Deadman's Gully while the rest worked from Ravenshoe. By May 1944 the company had concentrated at Mapee where in June it was reorganised, forming the 2/6th Australian General Transport Company consisting of the 2/10th Transport Platoon, 2/11th Transport Platoon, 2/12th Transport Platoon and the 2/6th Workshop Platoon i addition to a HQ element..

In early 1945 the Australian Infantry was tasked with the liberation of Borneo, with the 7th Division earmarked for Balikpapan. In May the 2/6th General Transport Company moved to the staging area on Morotai, and landed at Balikpapn in July, working this area until the end of the war.

Unit Personnel

• David Gibson 29 Apr 1941 - 8 May 1943

Notes

Content has come from The Unit Guide - Volume 6 - The Australian Army 1939-1945, pages 5.062 & 5.063 - Graham R McKenzie-Smith - Big Sky Publishing - 2018