During the last few months North Beach Sub-Branch has conducted a number of day tours of interesting sites, including the Police Museum Highgate, SAS Historical Foundation’s Museum at Campbell Barracks, RAAFA’s Aviation Heritage Museum Bullcreek and the WW1 and WW2 sites at Blackboy Hill and Chidlow.

30 – 40 members participated in each of the tours, departing Hillarys Marina early morning, completing each tour with lunch, and arriving back at the Marina late afternoon.

Blackboy Hill, Greenmount

Many of the Sub-Branch members on this tour had not previously visited the Blackboy Hill Commemorative Site, and all were taken in by its significance and contribution to Western Australia’s military history.

Blackboy Hill at Greenmount was part of an original grant of land to Captain Stirling.  In 1914 a camp was set up on the hill where, during the course of World War 1, 32,000 men, about 11 percent of the then State’s population, were trained for the Australian Imperial Force.  In 1957 the RSL, on learning that the State Housing Commission intended to build housing there, asked for some of the land to be put aside for a commemoration site.

The site was dedicated by Bishop Tom Riley and the first sod turned by Governor Sir Charles Gairdner in 1958.  The precinct incorporates commemorative arches erected in 1962; the memorial seat to honour the Gallipoli Legion erected in 1964; a lone pine tree planted in 1969 from a seed from the original at Gallipoli, and plaques commemorating service and sacrifice. 

The Memorial arches are very impressive, and the setting sun on April 24 aligns through the arches to all other elements of the precinct.

Chidlow

The significance of Chidlow as a training ground for WW2 was not that well known by participants on the tour.

Chidlow Army Camp was designed as a Brigade camp with, Headquarters, three Battalion camps, a Field Regiment and Anti-tank Battery, a Field Company, Field Ambulance, Service Corp and Ordnance.  Three of the nine camp areas could each accommodate 750 men and the other six could accommodate 250 men in each area. Chidlow Army Camp contained the usual kitchens, mess halls, canteens, a movie theatre, showers, ablutions, latrines.  A total of 60,000 military personnel passed through these camps during WW2.

Some of the road layouts for the former Chidlows Army Camp can still be made out.  Many old concrete slabs for former kitchens, ablutions, latrines and offices can still be seen in the bush.  Above ground drainage systems are still evident, along with the remains of sullage ponds.

It was a pleasant surprise to visit this part of Western Australia’s military history, and be greeted by enthusiastic locals from the Chidlow RSL Sub-Branch, Friends of Chidlow’s WW2 Army Camps, Chidlow Progress Association and Heritage Detection Australia.  They made all members most welcome, and put on a morning tea.

Bob Scrivener and his crew from Chidlow guided participants across the military sites and provided valuable information throughout the day.  Following exposure to the site, its history and gaining insight to its heritage value, the North Beach and Chidlow groups adjourned to Chidlow Tavern where lunch was enjoyed.  The publican Norm strongly supports the RSL and the Chidlow Army Camp heritage, and the mural covering one external wall of the Tavern is a testament to that.

Visiting Blackboy Hill and Chidlow was very rewarding.