3 Fighter Sector Headquarters

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Royal Australian Air Force

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3 Fighter Sector Headquarters at Wulguru, Queensland (Stuart) (near Townsville) was a full integrated camp site with its own power house, barracks, kitchens, septic system and recreation hall. There were as many as 62 different buildings in 3FSHQ. Construction of a more fortified headquarters near the base of a hill at Stuart in Townsville commenced in 1942. It is on the side of a hill near Mount Stuart, on the west side of the road to Charters Towers. It can still be seen today on the hill on the opposite side of the Stuart Shopping centre (Wulguru).

This site finally became fully operational on 20 December 1944. The main operations building was made of 12 inch (30 cm) thick re-enforced concrete designed to withstand a direct bomb hit. It had a mezzanine floor and was air-conditioned.

There were other fortifications in Townsville and the rest of Australia that were also air-conditioned such as the Green Street bunker at West End in Townsville and the Ramsay Street bunker at Garbutt in Townsville.

3 Fighter Sector Headquarters comprised 32 rooms in the large rectangular concrete building with caneite partitions forming various passageways. The building still stands today and is 60 ft X 42 ft. The mezzanine floor has long since disappeared.

The role of the Fighter Sector Headquarters was to co-ordinate all of the intelligence information from the various D/F stations and VAOC posts, decide on the most appropriate response and then advise the appropriate fighter or bomber squadrons to respond. 3FSHQ was in telephone and radio contact with all of the anti-aircraft, searchlight, RDF and HF/DF stations in the Townsville area.

All air raid warnings were initiated from this bunker by red, yellow and white flares.

103 FCU was disbanded in Townsville on 21 January 1945.

Modern day use of the site has apparently been hindered by the presence of old tunnels that were in use during WW2.

There was also HQ located in North Ward, Townsville.

[edit] See also

Peter DUNN's website.

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