The following article, written in 1942, has a description of the military activities at Toorbul Point and Bribie Island, though neither place is mentioned as was the practice during wartime to keep information, about military training operations, restricted.
Troops Train for Offensive Landings (1942)
by M.C. Warren, "Telegraph" War Correspondent.
The Telegraph 2.12.1942 p. 4
An island off the Australian coast a popular holiday resort in peacetime - now is the centre of the most intensive amphibious training ever given to troops in this country.
Thousands of Australian and American soldiers have learnt there a new technique - seamanship - at an Australian Army Combined Operations School. There is a very good reason why our military leaders want to make troops amphibious-minded.
War in the Pacific made many of our earlier training methods obsolete overnight. It meant a substitution of jungle methods of combat in place of open fighting in which 'block' formations and weight of armour counted. Our troops mastered jungle tactics and beat the Japs back in New Guinea.
Now our military strategy is no longer defensive, it is offensive. It is not a case of 'hold what we have', but 'take back from the Jap'. This means carrying the war over the sea to the islands of the Pacific. Troops must be trained to lose any fear of moving over water, to handle small boats and to embark and debark swiftly and efficiently. They must learn about tides, currents, and winds. They are shown how the tide can be used to reduce the fatigue of paddling. They must become 'mud minded' - a tactical surprise can be achieved by a landing in swampy mangroves. Defence of small watercraft from hostile aircraft also is a phase of training.
Already large numbers of troops have mastered these and other lessons at the island close to the coast.
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| Troops train on island photo source: BI Surf Club book, 1988, p. 95 |
The Navy and the Air Force combine with the Army in making the course as tough and as thorough as training could be. All three services have a part in the operations, just as they would have in actual battle. All of the Army instructional staff are AIF personnel with practical experience in this war. Three American officers are attached to the school. Naval officers give lectures on seamanship and kindred subjects and the Navy also provides and runs the watercraft.
An Army Co-operation Squadron joins in the exercises, either as friendly or hostile aircraft as required by the situation. Both Navy and Army officers make air flights as part of their training.
Embarkation
A first-hand picture of the wide scope of the school's activities was given to visiting war correspondents. They saw an American combat unit in action. Their mission was to land and attack a hostile beach position on the island off the coast. Primarily, they were required to take an airfield from the 'enemy.' Live ammunition and bombs are used in the exercise. The presence of aircraft gives realism to the task. Shortly before zero hour for the beach landing, Allied aircraft raided the 'enemy' airfield on the island, diving in concentric attack upon dummy planes, installations and troops. They dropped live bombs ranging from 112 lbs to 250 lbs. A smoke screen was laid down by fast motor boats for the landing. The assault troops fixed bayonets. Towing ropes were cast off and the first wave of infantry was paddling vigorously towards shore through the smoke.
Realism
Mines blew up in the water around them showering the troops with gushers of water. Hostile aircraft dive bombed the landing boats, simulating machine gun fire. The troops responded with fierce ack-ack bursts from Tommy guns and rifles. Friendly aircraft beat off the air attackers and formed a protective umbrella. The boats grounded on the sand. With a quick rush, the troops were across the beach, engaging the defenders. More mines blew up around them, giving the impression of heavy 'enemy' shelling.
By infiltration, the first wave of troops ashore routed the shore defenders and pushed inland. Second, third, and fourth waves of infantry went ashore in quick succession and consolidated the beachhead. Parties were sent out to protect the flanks. A motor propelled barge came in sight, bringing jeeps and mobile anti-tank guns. The barge stood in close to the beach, a ramp was lowered and the jeeps splashed through the shallow water on to dry sand, hauling the anti-tank guns. The 'enemy' had blocked the only cleared ground leading from the beach with huge fallen trees. Engineers tackled the problem and within a few minutes a track was ready for the jeeps to bring the anti-tank guns up the rise.
Encirclement
They enveloped the airfield so successfully that a wallaby, caught on the landing strip was unable to escape through the ring of attackers. The word 'withdrawal' is not in the vocabulary of our military training school nowadays. When this unit had to return to their camp they did not merely withdraw, but performed another training operation. Main training at the school is in movement by night. Beach landings in hours of darkness are considered essential for surprise tactics.
Dispersement
The school does not put troops immediately into water manoeuvres. They practice beach assault first from dummy boats at the waters edge. Special tactics taught at this stage are dispersement, speed, silence and method of moving the craft.
Despite the element of risk associated with the rigorous training methods at the school and the many thousands of soldiers who have passed through it, not one serious accident has occurred.
REFERENCE
Troops Train for Offensive Landings by M.C. Warren, "Telegraph" War Correspondent. The Telegraph 2.12.1942 p. 4 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article172598227
Photo source: Bribie Island Surf Club Book, 1988, page 95.
FURTHER READING
Merv Warren (1914-2013) War Correspondent: As I saw World War II. 1993. 106p. ISBN 0646149652
