A lasting tribute to HMAS Magnetic
A message from Maritime Museum of Townsville
Anzac Park in Townsville is a wide stretch of manicured lawn with large shady trees. It is a place of reflection and remembrance to those who served their country. There is a cenotaph, an eternal flame and dedications to those who served. The civilian’s contribution to war is recognised. VC’s have plaques.
Yet most people don’t realise that during the Second World War the southern end of Anzac Park was the site of a large Navy Base named HMAS Magnetic – an establishment of 500 personnel and 50 buildings.
The Maritime Museum of Townsville believes that this little-known contribution to the dark days of the war in the Pacific should be remembered. The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs awarded a grant under the Saluting Their Service grants program to the museum to erect a plaque in the park at the approximate location of HMAS Magnetic.
The plaque was unveiled on 10 October by Townsville’s Mayor, Jenny Hill, and the federal member for Herbert, Phillip Thompson.
Navy Commander Chris Kerr began the speeches with an outline of the critical strategic situation that faced Australia in the early1940s. This threat from the enemy lead to the creation of HMAS Magnetic.
Phillip Thompson, the Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence, then spoke about the activities of HMAS Magnetic and how the base performed with the reprovisioning of allied shipping with war materials and troops. He also reminded the audience that it was Mental Health Week and the need to look after the welfare of others.
Mayor Hill directed her remarks to the work of the Women’s Royal Australian Navy Service (WRANS) in intercepting signals from enemy shipping and translating the messages into a form of phonetic Japanese before they were sent to Melbourne for analysis. She had the crowd amused when recounting the practice of some WRANS, who hid their civilian party clothes in bushes just outside the base, allowing them to enjoy the nightlife of Townsville undetected.
HMAS Magnetic played a significant role in defending Australia. Its activities covered communications, Port Examination Services, a transit and repair facility for Allied warships and the defence of the Port of Townsville.
HMAS Magnetic was commissioned in September 1942 and the main base was located on The Strand. There were administrative and warehouse buildings, workshops, quarters and a supply jetty along Ross Creek with refuelling facilities.
But the role of HMAS Magnetic extended beyond the base. All naval activities in Townsville were under the command of the Naval Officer-In-Charge. The activities of HMAS Magnetic were diverse, every part of the command played a critical part in the war effort. There were Royal Australian Navy establishments at Magnetic Island, the port proper, and a communications post on Castle Hill as well as the base.
There were actually two HMAS Magnetics – the base and a ship. The vessel undertook inspection and escort activities.
The Port of Townsville was a busy place during 1942 and 1943. It handled over one million tons of war materials, including 5,500 vehicles and 70,000 tons of oil and petroleum products. At one time there were 18 ships alongside in the port with another 64 at anchor outside in Cleveland Bay.
Although the establishment of the WRANS was only formalised in April 1941, by late 1942 there was a significant presence of women service personnel attached to HMAS Magnetic. Those who worked at the main base were accommodated in a purpose-built WRANNERY further back up the Strand near the Tobruk Pool and today’s Water Park. The WRANS would march each day to the base.
The WRANS were also attached to Section ‘Y’ Wireless Signal Station. This was a secret facility where WRAN telegraphists intercepted and recorded messages transmitted by enemy ships. The WRANS would record the intercepts and transpose the messages into Japanese Katakana, a phonetic script with twice the number of symbols as the Roman script. The results were then sent onto the Fleet Radio Unit Melbourne for decoding and analysis.
The Maritime Museum of Townsville intends to have a permanent exhibition at the museum in addition to the plaque in Anzac Park. There is a great story to be told and the exhibition will contain much more detail than the limited information on the plaque.
Images:
Mayor Jenny Hill and Phillip Thompson MP unveiling the plaque.
When not on duty, WRANS were able to relax in their own mess. (AWM 017463)
HMAS Magentic’s Ship’s Company