Brisbane’s First Voluntary Air Raid Precautions Post

St. John’s Wood Recreation Hall

Prior to May 1941, the Queensland Government had established only a small number of Air Raid Precaution (ARP) posts. These posts were scattered across Brisbane and were staffed by professional personnel drawn from the various emergency services. The ARP post established at the St. John’s Wood recreation hall on 17 May 1941 was different. It was organised through the local community and it was staffed and largely equipped by civilian volunteers. To encourage the formation of more community-run ARP posts, a procession involving civil defence organisations from different Brisbane suburbs assembled at the St. John’s Wood police station and marched to the new ARP post for its official opening.

Place information

Location

8 Laird Street

Ashgrove, QLD 4060

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Place type

Civil defence facility

History

The experience of British civilians under day and night bombing raids during 'The Blitz' of 1940–41 had shown the Australian public the importance of having an organised Air Raid Precautions (ARP) system. The first ARP first-aid post organised by civil volunteers in Brisbane was at the recreation hall of the old St. John’s Wood homestead in suburb of St. John’s Wood (Ashgrove). A small number of governmental ARP stations or post were already established throughout Brisbane. The St. John’s Wood ARP post was established on 17 May 1941. It was officially opened by the Chairman of Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade...

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