The Trip to Darwin.

On 25-2-1941 the remainder of the Petrol Coy became part of the "2nd Composite Brigade Coy. AASC". Within 7 weeks the Company would depart for Darwin, the need for AASC troops as part of the reinforcement of Darwin having been the reason the Petrol Company had been split into two 'drafts'.
The following extracts from Dad's diary provide brief details of the route, transportation and duration of the trip from Wodonga to Darwin, ten months prior to the town being bombed.
16.4.'41.* Farewell party in our Mess Hut.
17.4.'41.* Rope our vehicles onto rolling stock at Wodonga station.
18.4.41.* 2.30AM. We leave Ebden Siding en route for Darwin. Breakfast at Seymour; Lunch at Ballarat, Dinner at Dimboola.
19.4.41.* Arrive at Wayville Camp (S.A.) Get breakfast but no leave. Lunch at Riverton. Arrive at Terowie Staging Camp for Dinner and a few days rest.. Meet up with A, C & E sections.
[The above dates with an * have been adjusted to fit with those preceding and the following trip chronology for the balance of the trip.]
20th. We take part in Anzac Day Parade in Peterborough. ...
21.4.'41 Leave Terowie, have dinner at Quorn.
23.4.41. Arrive at Alice Springs. By rail.
24.4.41. Leave by road for Birdum. Lunch at Ti Tree Wells. Dinner at Barrow Creek.
25.4.41 Rush onwards. Lunch at Bonny Wells. Dinner & Sleep at No 3 Bore. Banka Banka
Passing through Tennants Creek - 3.30PM. we were given afternoon tea by members of A.I.M.* Its ANZAC Day too. [* Australian Inland Mission.]
26-4-'41 Once more on our way. Lunch at Elliott and finally reach Birdum.
27-4-'41. Rail out trucks and leave on last stage of journey. Lunch at Watherine. Dine at Pike Creek.
28:4:'41 Arrive at Vesty's Darwin."

Victorian Members 8th Division Petrol Company

ID number

005488

Description

SYDNEY, NSW. 5 FEBRUARY 1941. VICTORIAN MEMBERS OF THE 8TH DIVISION PETROL COMPANY ABOUT TO BOARD A FERRY THAT WILL TAKE THEM TO THEIR ASSIGNED SHIP WHICH IS WAITING TO TRANSPORT THEM TO MALAYA. THIRD FROM THE RIGHT IS VX8779 PRIVATE J. A. O'LOUGHLIN.

Permalink: http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/005488

With the various units of the AASC having been formed in different states, I believe the Petrol Company was predominantly a Victorian unit.

Dad's mob.

ID number

027717

Description

NORTHERN TERRITORY. 1942-11-02. GENERAL SCENE AT THE HEADQUARTERS OF 2/3RD COMPANY AUSTRALIAN ARMY SERVICE CORPS AT THE 61 MILE PEG THE NORTH SOUTH ROAD WHERE RATIONS FOR THE VARIOUS UNITS IN THE AREA ARE BEING SORTED OUT FOR ISSUE. NX1968 DRIVER C.H. KONG (1); QX21160 DRIVER W.T. HOWARD (2); SX700 DRIVER D.D. JAMES (3); VX2277 DRIVER A.R. WILLIAMS (4); VX29254 DRIVER J.W. HEXTER (5); QX20899 DRIVER S.G. CAVANAGH (6); NX6336 CORPORAL H.S. KEARNEY (7).

[I believe 'A. R. Williams' is 'Roy' Williams of Stawell, Vic, and 'W. T. Howard' 'Billy' Howard, both mates of dad's.]

The individual plaques

Detailed views of each of the three Unit plaques, together with a plaque whuch records the dedication of the memorial.

"EQUAL TO THE TASK"

Memorial to Units of the 8th Division raised in South Australia, adjacent to the National War Memorial, corner North Terrace and Kintore Avenue,Adelaide.
The 8th Division memorial is locate at the foot of the National War Memorial and to its leftwhen facing that memorial to those who served in the Great War.
Each of the the three plaques which make up the 8th Division memorial, one to commemorate each of the Units, list where and the circumstances under which the units served, including the period spent as Prisoners of War of the Japanese. Each plaque ends with the words 'Equal to the Task'.
This simple statement is a succinct summation of the manner in which these units and the other elements of the 8th Division discharged their duties, both during the defence of the Malayan Peninsula and Singapore and, subsequent to being ordered to surrender by those in command of the campaign, to the their comrades during the years of privation as Prisoners of War. As such, it seemed a fitting title to the first post on this blog.