Camp Rockhampton

Camp Rockhampton was home to the US 41st Infantry Division, part of the US I Corps, between July 1942 and early 1944. The camp stretched from Moores Creek northwards along the Bruce Highway almost to Parkhurst; either side of the Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road before the intersection with Artillery Road; and south of Artillery Road between the Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road and Sandringham. Additional Areas of Camp Rockhampton were located at the Botanical Gardens near the golf course (Area ‘U’) and at the Showgrounds (Area ‘V’).

Another I Corps Division, the 24th Infantry Division, arrived at Rockhampton in September 1943 and was accommodated at Camp Caves, north of Rockhampton between Etna Creek Road and Alligator Creek. Other camps in the vicinity of Rockhampton included Camp Nerimbera, Camp Thompson’s Point, Camp Keppel Sands, Camp Yeppoon and Camp Wallaroo.

The main combat units of the 41st Division included the 162nd, 163rd and 186th Infantry Regiments, the 116th Engineer Battalion and the 146th, 167th, 205th and 218th Field Artillery (FA) Battalions. Units of the 41st fought in New Guinea during 1943, and in early 1944 the whole division departed Rockhampton to engage in simultaneous amphibious assaults on Hollandia in Dutch New Guinea (Operation Reckless) and Aitape in New Guinea (Operation Persecution).