New Guinea Force Provost Company

21 Sep 1944 Lae, New Guinea. Members of the New Guinea Force Provost Company examining the orders of an Australian Army Convoy. AWM Photo 076050

Brief History

The 8th Military District Provost Platoon was raised in December 1941 at Brisbane, and sent to Port Moresby with the 30th Infantry Brigade Group. Renamed on their arrival, they had become the 8th Military District Independent Brigade Group Provost Platoon. In June 1942 they were again renamed, this time to 30th Independent Brigade Group Provost Platoon, and in August 1942 following an amalgamation with the 2nd Infantry Division Provost Company they became the New Guinea Force Provost Company. Their area of operation was the areas around Port Moresby and Sogeri.

By August 1943 they had a detachment at Morobe, that was then relocated to Nadzab in September after Lae had been captured. In July 1944 the main unit moved to Lae from Port Moresby while maintaining detachments at Labu and Nadzab. In November 1944 they were relieved and returned to Kelvin Grove in Queensland before enjoying some leave. After their leave the unit moved to Toowoomba in February 1945 and maintained detachments at Ipswich, Warwick, Tenterfield, Wallangarra, Maryborough, Bundaberg and Rockhampton. In July they moved to Townsville where they had detachments at Maryborough, Rockhampton and Bowen until the end of the war.

Unit Personnel

• Derrick Leonard Saw 4 Oct 1944 - 9 Jan 1946

Notes

Content has come from The Unit Guide - Volume 6 - The Australian Army 1939-1945, page 6.177 - Graham R McKenzie-Smith - Big Sky Publishing - 2018