56th Australian Special Wireless Section

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Brief History

Formed at Bonegilla in Victoria during October 1942 as a Type B signals interrupt unit. Their role being to intercept enemy signals traffic which could then be decrypted and analysed with intelligence personnel. In April 1943 the unit moved to Cannington in Western Australia to work with 3rd Corps Signals, but in June a half of the personnel moved to join a unit at Kalinga in Queensland. In March 1944 the unit established a detachment Direction Finding station at Yanrey, a pastoral station south east of Exmouth. Witht he reduction in troop numbers in WA, the 56th Special Wireless Section left in October to join like units at Kalinga in Queensland. Here they were absorbed into the new 96th Special Wireless Section which was formed in May 1945.

The Yanrey detachment remained after their parent unit left for Queensland, and in May 1945 during a reorganisation of units became a detachment of the New guinea based 'A' Detachment, Special Wireless Group. However in July the detachment moved to Kalinga where it was absorbed into the 96th Special Wireless Section.

Unit Personnel

• Derrick Leonard Saw 16 Nov 1943 - 12 Jan 1944

Notes

Content has come from The Unit Guide - Volume 4 - The Australian Army 1939-1945, pages 4.541 & 4.542 - Graham R McKenzie-Smith - Big Sky Publishing - 2018