4th Australian Ordnance Vehicle Park

AWAS personnel.

5 Nov 1943 AWM photo 059833

Brief History

In July 1943 the Motor Transport Vehicle Park, Mt Gravatt was formed from some existing units. Its main role was receiving vehicles from manufacturers, and then equipping units that were leaving for New Guinea. In September 1943 they were re-organised as the 4th Australian Ordnance Vehicle Park, and they provided detachments at Wallagarra and Toowoomba, plus a water craft section on the Brisbane River.

The area was also used to carryout repairs to vehicles and reissue them to Australia Army units. The Vehicle Park would contain as many as 6,000 vehicles at any point in time. Among the vehicles stored at 4AOVP were Jeeps, General Service Trucks and Amphibious Jeeps. The Vehicle Park was also used to store vehicles that had been written off. The vehicles would be stripped and the parts classified into three categories:- Salvage, Part reclaimable after repair and serviceable parts. Base personnel were housed in a separate camp across Mains Road, and they included a large AWAS's contingent.

Unit Personnel

• James Wilkinson 13 Nov 1945 - 13 May 1946