Honour Stone at Homestead Park, Forest Lake, site of the Command Centre for the Darra Ordnance Ammunition Depot

HONOUR STONE
AT HOMESTEAD PARK, FOREST LAKE
SITE OF THE COMMAND CENTRE
FOR THE DARRA ORDNANCE AMMUNITION DEPOT

visits since 22 May 2005

During WWII, many thousands of US troops built Camp Columbia and Camp Freeman in the western Brisbane suburbs of Wacol and Darra their home.

The nearby Darra Ordnance Ammunition Depot grew to be the largest ordnance depot in the South West Pacific Area.

Camp Columbia became the Headquarters of the US Sixth Army. Camp Freeman (in three camps) was reserved for Afro-American troops who belonged to either transport or ordnance units.

All this has been retraced by Brisbane author, Dr Noel Wallis, in his book: 'Tracing the Historical Significance of the Wacol Army Camp to the city of Brisbane'.

To commemorate the presence of so many US troops in these camps (as well as Allied support persons), an Honour Stone was erected in Homestead Park, Forest Lake (Command Centre for the Ordnance Depot) by the Richlands-Inala History Group. This Honour Stone was unveiled and dedicated at 10.00 am on Wednesday, 31 August 2005.

Photo:- Noel Wallis