Battle of Brisbane

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U.S. servicemen march through King George Square, Brisbane, circa 1943.
U.S. servicemen march through King George Square, Brisbane, circa 1943.

The "Battle of Brisbane" is the name given to violence between United States (US) servicemen on one side and Australian servicemen and civilians on the other, in Brisbane, on November 26-27 1942, during World War II. Australia and the US were Allies at the time. By the time the violence had been quelled one Australian soldier was dead, and hundreds of Australians and US servicemen had been injured. [1] News reports of these incidents were suppressed during the war.

In 1942-45, many US personnel were stationed in and around Brisbane, which was the headquarters for General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Allied Commander, South West Pacific Area. many buildings and facilities around Brisbane were given over to the usage of the U.S. military.

Contents

[edit] Background

The American Red Cross Services Club, at the corner of Adelaide and Creek Streets, along with the nearby U.S. postal exchange (PX), was attacked by Australian servicemen and civilians, on November 26-27 1942.
The American Red Cross Services Club, at the corner of Adelaide and Creek Streets, along with the nearby U.S. postal exchange (PX), was attacked by Australian servicemen and civilians, on November 26-27 1942.

From 1942 until 1945 during the Pacific War, large numbers of United States (U.S.) military forces were stationed at various locations throughout eastern Australia. These forces included personnel awaiting deployment to combat operations elsewhere in the Pacific, troops resting, convalescing, and/or refitting from previous combat operations, or military personnel manning Allied military bases and installations in Australia. At the same time, large numbers of Australian military personnel were also stationed near the same areas as the U.S. forces.[citation needed]

Although the military personnel from Australia and the U.S. usually enjoyed a cooperative and convivial relationship, at times there were tensions between the two forces that sometimes resulted in violence. Several factors reportedly contributed to the tensions, including the fact that U.S. military personnel's pay was higher than that of Australian military members, the claim that U.S. military uniforms "looked" and fit better than those of the Australians, and a perception that U.S. servicemen, for a variety of reasons, enjoyed visible success in their pursuit of romantic relationships with Australian women. The city of Brisbane was one location where large numbers of U.S. and Australian military personnel were stationed and where some tension had developed between some members of the two forces due to these factors.[citation needed]

[edit] The battle

Early 1942; unidentified U.S. military police outside the Central Hotel, Brisbane. (Source: Sunday Truth, Brisbane/State Library of Queensland.)
Early 1942; unidentified U.S. military police outside the Central Hotel, Brisbane. (Source: Sunday Truth, Brisbane/State Library of Queensland.)

According to Australian historian Barry Ralph,[2] the violence began — somewhat ironically — when a group of Australian servicemen took the side of a drunk US serviceman, Pte James R. Stein of the U.S. 404th Signal Company, in a dispute with a U.S. military policeman (MP). Stein was arrested by Pte Anthony E. O'Sullivan of the U.S. 814th MP Company, in the city centre, at about 7pm on November 26. A group of Australian soldiers, who had befriended Stein minutes earlier, then gave O'Sullivan a severe beating. Other MPs at the nearby U.S. Post Exchange (PX), in the Primaries Building, near the corner of Adelaide and Creek Streets, heard the commotion and carried O'Sullivan inside. In the meantime, a crowd of Australian servicemen and civilians had gathered and about 100 people began to besiege the PX, throwing objects at it and breaking windows.

The MPs in the PX started to arm themselves with 12-gauge Stevens pump action shotguns in order to protect the PX. People in the crowd took umbrage at this demonstration of force and attempted to relieve Pte Norbert Grant, of the 738th MP Battalion, of his weapon. During the scuffle it discharged three times. One shot hit Pte Edward Webster of the Australian 2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment in the chest. Webster died soon afterwards.[3] Several other Australian servicemen and civilians, and at least one MP also suffered serious injuries at the PX.

The next day, groups of Australian and U.S. soldiers roamed the streets, engaging in violent brawls, which gradually petered out. Writer Margaret Scott has stated that several U.S. servicemen were beaten to death in the fighting, but there is no evidence to support this.[4]

Pte Grant was later court martialled, by the US military authorities, for manslaughter in relation to the death of Webster, but was acquitted.[5] Five Australians were convicted of assault as a result of the events described above, and one was jailed for six months.[6]

[edit] Trivia

The Pogues recorded an instrumental entitled "The Battle of Brisbane" (written by Shane MacGowan) on their 1984 album Red Roses for Me.

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Peter Dunn, 2005, "The Battle Of Brisbane — 26 & 27 November 1942" (Australia @ War) Downloaded 15/12/06
  2. ^ Cited by Dunn, 2005, op cit.
  3. ^ Evans, Battle of Brisbane.
  4. ^ Evans, Battle of Brisbane
  5. ^ Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 7.30 Report, 27/12/2000, "Book reveals allied soldiers brawling on Brisbane streets" Downloaded 15/12/06]
  6. ^ Dunn, 2005, op cit.

[edit] Books

  • Thompson, Peter A.; Robert Macklin (2000). The Battle of Brisbane: Australians and the Yanks at War. Sydney, Australia: ABC Books. 0733308961. 

[edit] Web

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