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Fairmile Naval Base

HMAS Moreton, Colmslie

The former Acetate of Lime factory site on the Brisbane River at Colmslie was occupied by the RAAF in May 1939 as billets and storage while facilities were being constructed at Archerfield. Various branches of the Australian army occupied it from 1940 to 1943, including 6 Heavy Anti Aircraft battery, the 2nd and 14th AA batteries, 1st Australian Army Ordnance Corps (AAOC), the 7th Division’s Field Hygiene Section, Royal Australian Engineers Supply Service and the Allied Works Council. From November 1942, the RAN began to occupy the site as part of the Fairmile Naval Base.

Place information

Location

Colmslie Road

Colmslie, QLD 4170

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Place type

Workshop

History

The Fairmile was a motor launch designed for the Royal Navy and built by the Fairmile consortium. Its construction could be compartmentalised allowing its manufacture and assembly by a variety of firms. The design of the Fairmiles, particularly the Fairmile ‘B’, were distributed throughout the Commonwealth to aid the war effort and variants were built in Canada, South Africa, New Zealand as well as in Australia. With a desiplacement of 75 ton the Fairmile launches were 112 feet long and 18 feet at the beam. Armament could vary however they were usually equipped with a 40mm Bofors gun, two 20mm...

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