WW2 History Lesson: Battle of Brisbane

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From 1942 until 1945 during the Pacific War, up to one million U.S. military personnel 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. 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. Brisbane found it difficult to cope as their population of 300,000 increased to 600,000 almost overnight. The city was fortified, schools were closed, brownouts enforced, crime increased and many families sold up and moved inland.

Although the military personnel from Australia and the U.S. usually enjoyed a cooperative and convivial relationship, there were tensions between the two forces that sometimes resulted in violence. According to authorities, up to 20 brawls a night were occurring between the two forces. Many factors reportedly contributed to these tensions, including the fact that U.S forces received better rations than Australian soldiers, shops and hotels regularly gave preferential treatment to Americans and the American custom of caressing girls in public was seen as offensive to the Australian morals of the day. Lack of amenities for the Australians in the city also played a part. The Americans had PX's offering merchandise, food, drinks and cigarettes at low prices. Australian servicemen were not allowed into these clubs while Australian canteens on the other hand provided meals, soft drinks, tea and sandwiches but not alcohol or cigarettes. Hotels were only allowed to serve alcohol twice a day for one hour at a time of their choosing leading to large numbers of Australian servicemen on the streets rushing from one hotel to the next and then drinking as quickly as possible before it closed.

The major concern was that U.S. military pay was considerably higher than that of the Australian military and U.S. military uniforms were seen as more appealing than those of the Australians. This resulted in U.S. servicemen not only enjoying greater success in their pursuit of the few available women but also led to many Americans marrying Australian women, facts greatly resented by the Australians. "They're overpaid, oversexed and over here", was a common phrase used by all Australians around this time and is still an anecdote recognised by some in modern generations.

“ "The Americans had the chocolates, the ice-cream, the silk stockings and the dollars. They were able to show the girls a good time, and the Australians became very resentful about the fact that they'd lost control of their own city."
—Sergeant Bill Bentson U.S. Army ”

To a lesser degree there was also tension over the appalling treatment and segregation of the African-American Soldiers by the U.S. Military.^[2]

According to Australian historian Barry Ralph,^[3] On 26 November an intoxicated Private James R. Stein of the U.S. 404th Signal Company left the hotel where he had been drinking when it closed at 6:50 p.m. and began walking to the Post Exchange PX on the corner of Creek and Adelaide Street some 50m further down the road. He had stopped to talk with three Australians when Private Anthony E. O'Sullivan of the U.S. 814th Military Police Company (MP), approached and challenged Stein for his leave pass. While Stein was looking for it the MP became impatient and asked him to hurry up before grabbing his pass and arresting him at which the Australians began swearing at the MP telling him to leave Stein alone. American MPs were not well regarded by Australians as they were notorious for their arrogance and use of batons at the least provocation, when O'Sullivan raised his baton as if to strike one of the Australians they attacked him. More MP’s arrived blowing whistles while nearby Australian servicemen and several civilians rushed to help their countrymen. Outnumbered, the MP’s retreated to the PX carrying the injured O'Sullivan, Stein chose to go with them. In the meantime, a crowd of up to 100 Australian servicemen and civilians had gathered and began to besiege the PX, throwing bottles and rocks and breaking windows. Police Inspector Charles Price arrived but could do nothing as the crowd continued to grow with the American Red Cross Club diagonally opposite the PX also coming under siege.

Sporadic fights broke out throughout the city. The Tivoli Theatre was closed with servicemen ordered back to their barracks and ships while soldiers with fixed bayonets escorted women in the city from the area. By 8pm up to 5,000 people were involved in the disturbance. Several Australian MP's even removed their armbands and joined in. Corporal Duncan Caporn commandeered a small truck driven by an Australian Officer and three soldiers. The truck contained 4 Owen sub-machine guns, several boxes of ammunition and some hand grenades. The Local Brisbane Fire Brigade arrived but simply looked on and did not use their hoses. The American authorities were later to criticise them for not doing so.

The 738th MP Battalion in the PX started to arm the MP's with 12-gauge Stevens pump-action shotguns in order to protect the building and they moved to the front. People in the crowd took umbrage at this demonstration of force and attempted to relieve Private Norbert Grant of C company of his weapon. He jabbed one Australian with his gun before a soldier grabbed it then another grabbed him around the neck. During the scuffle it was discharged three times. The first shot hit Gunner Edward S. Webster of the Australian 2/2nd Anti-Tank Regiment in the chest killing him instantly. The following two shots hit Private Kenneth Henkel in the cheek and forearm, Private Ian Tieman in the chest, Private Frank Corrie in the thigh, Sapper De Vosso in the thigh and Lance Corporal Richard Ledson was wounded in the left thigh and left hand and also received a compound fracture of the left ankle. Two civilians were also hit, Joseph Hanlon was wounded in the leg and 18-year-old Walter Maidment was also wounded. Ledson was later discharged due to his injuries.

In the confusion, Private Grant managed to run back towards the PX hitting an Australian over the head with his shotgun, breaking the butt while doing so. An American soldier, Private Joseph Hoffman received a fractured skull in the scuffle. By 10pm the crowd had dispersed leaving the ground floor of the American PX destroyed. A War correspondent, John Hinde, was on a hotel balcony overlooking the scene and later stated, "The most furious battle I ever saw during the war was that night in Brisbane. It was like a civil war."

On the following night a crowd of 500 to 600 Australian servicemen gathered outside the Red Cross building. The PX building was under heavy security and heavily armed American MP's were located on the first floor of the Red Cross. NCO's went through the crowd and confiscated several hand grenades. In Queen Street a group of soldiers armed with MP batons ran into 20 U.S. MP's who formed a line and drew their handguns. An Australian Officer intervened and persuaded the the American commander to take his men away from the area. The crowd then moved to the corner of Queen and Edward Streets outside of MacArthur's headquarters in the AMP Building and began shouting abuse towards the building. The intersection was filled with rings of Australians beating up GIs and more than 20 were injured. U.S. Army Sergeant Bill Bentson who was present on both nights recalled how he was amazed to see "Americans flying up in the air".

“ But after that, it sort of settled down and you go into a pub and an Aussie would come and up and slap me on the back. "Oh, wasn't that a good ruckus we had the other night? And have a beer on me." ”

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.

On the first night one Australian serviceman was killed, eight people suffered gunshot wounds and several hundred people were injured. The second night, eight U.S. MP's, one serviceman and four American officers were hospitalised with countless others injured. The Units involved in the riots were relocated out of Brisbane, the MP's strength was increased, the Australian canteen was closed and the American PX was relocated.

Pvt. Grant was later court-martialled by the U.S. military authorities for manslaughter in relation to the death of Webster, but was acquitted on the grounds of self defense.^[4] Five Australians were convicted of assault as a result of the events described above, and one was jailed for six months.^[5]

The Chief Censor's Office in Brisbane ordered that "No cabling or broadcasting of details of tonight's Brisbane servicemen's riot. Background for censors only: one Australian killed, six wounded". The Brisbane Courier Mail did publish a heavily censored article the next day about the incident. Although the article mentioned the death and injuries it did not give any idea of nationalities involved or any specific details. It is believed that the incident was never reported by U.S. media and American servicemen in Brisbane had their mail censored to remove any mention. As a result of the secrecy many rumours and exaggerated stories circulated in Brisbane over the following weeks including one saying that 15 Australian servicemen had been shot by machine gun.