NO 79 ANTI AIRCRAFT SEARCHLIGHT BATTERY
PALLARENDA BEACH, TOWNSVILLE, QLD
AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S ARMY SERVICE (AWAS)

visits since 23 November 2001

The Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS) operated the No. 79 Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Battery at Pallarenda Beach in Townsville during World War 2. Was this at 3 mile Creek or out past Pallarenda near the Coastal gun bunkers?

79 AASL Battery was reinforced with the arrival of 4 officers, 60 male Ordinary Ranks and 21 AWAS. They established new Searchlight stations at Many Peaks and Stony Creek.

Some of the AWAS based there were:-

Laurel Hawkin
Coral Rosenthal
Dorothy Williams
Midge Edmunds
Nancy Outridge

They operated 90cm Sperry searchlights. Part of their duties was aircraft spotting and maintenance of the portable generator set used to power their unit..

They had a number of pets they cared for in their camp which included a goat and two kittens.

The unit was hit by a cyclone on 28 March 1944 cutting all communications, destroying tents and flooding the searchlight stations, their Battery Headquarters, Battery Operations Room, and THQ. It took until early April 1944 to recover from the damage.

Anti Aircraft Batteries in the Townsville area during WW2

I'd like to know more about this unit and would love
to make contact with anyone who was based with this unit.

Heaps of WW2 books available at Amazon.com

"Australia @ War"

This page first produced 23 November 2001

This page last updated 13 November 2003