The 190th QM Gasoline Supply Company , US Army
This Organisation disembarked from the U.S.A.T. James T. Parker at
Hamilton Wharf,
Brisbane, on 6 April 1942, taking station at Ascot Race Course in
Brisbane. Three 2.5 ton CMC 6x6 Cargo tracks, one Dodge half ton 4x4 C & B, one Willys quarter ton 4x4 GP Truck, one Dodge half ton 4x4 Pickup, four Gasoline Dispensers and 3200 five gallon gasoline containers were the only organizational equipment that arrived at the Port of Debarkation.
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During the month of April personnel of the organisation operated a gasoline filling station near Ascot Park, and one at Brett's Wharf. Personnel were also engaged in servicing motor vehicles as they were unloaded from the Ships. In addition to this, details were furnished 24 hours each day to work on the docks in the
Brisbane Area unloading supplies.
On 1st June 1942 the organization was ordered to Mt Isa, per movement order No 51, Hqs Base Section No 3, dated 1 June 1942. Twenty two 1 ton trailers were procured on requisition prior to departure, and all other freight was shipped on the 3rd of June. June 4 the organisation entrained at the
Roma Street Station in
Brisbane and departed for Mt Isa for a permanent change of station.
On June 7th the unit arrived at Mt Isa after traveling a distance of 1400
miles. They set up
camp over night in an area 3
miles north of Mt Isa.
On June 12th they started the construction of a new
camp area at Rifle Creek, 20
miles south of Mt Isa. Company area was built next to the railroad siding where gasoline was to be unloaded and a Class III supply reserve dump established, Twenty
miles of road on the
Duchess Rd was repaired, 5 bridges were constructed, also constructed was a loading ramp 60 ft, long and 20 ft wide, it was made of stone and logs and was located next to the tracks. After completion of this task plans were changed and Company did not move to this area, A group of personnel were placed on Detached Service on 26 June to establish overnight camps on the Barkly Hwy and the Stuart Hwy between Mt Isa, Qld and Birdum, NT. Night
Camp No 1 was set up at
Bore 19 and was 170
miles From Mt Isa,
Camp No 2 was set up at
Bore 6A, 160
miles from
Camp No 1,
Camp No. 3 was set up at Helen Springs, 210
miles from
Bore 6A and
Camp No 4 was established at Birdum and was 700
miles from Base
Camp, One NCO and 7 Pvts were stationed at each of the 4 camps, the duty of this personnel was to establish a reserve Class III supply
camp and to gas convoys that were going to and returning from Birdum, from 2 to 4 convoys of 50 or more trucks were fueled practically every day.The Cooks prepared meals for
camp personnel as
well as for convoy personnel that stayed overnight. The road at this time was very poor but construction was rapidly in progress. At first all fuel was pumped with rotary hand pumps from 44 gallon drums but after a week of hard manual labor & Gilbert & Barker motor driven pump was installed at each of the camps. These pumps were installed so that 4 vehicles could be refueled at once and under perfect conditions a convoy of 50 trucks could be refueled in 30 minutes, thus the name we have today Gilbarco servicing fuel pumps at service Stations.
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