Underground bunker search at Bundaberg airport, Queensland

Search on for Bundaberg WWII bunkers - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

The Defence Department will use the latest technology to try and confirm if there are any World War II bunkers under Bundaberg city airport.

The Bundaberg City Council says the military will use a ground penetration radar and magnetic sub-surface equipment to look for bunkers in airport land.

It has long been local legend that there are underground bunkers left from the war at the airport.

Mayor Kay McDuff says they should know by the end of the year if there is anything there.

"These are very advanced technologies and no doubt will come at quite a cost," she said.

"All I can say is that the council is very appreciative of their response and we hope that we will have some results from their work by the middle of the year."

 

Some more. Is very much in line with the rumours of mine shafts and sealed off bunkers that have been flying around for years. Oh for it to be true! This particular article is from 2005.

Bundaberg NewsMail

WAR relics including bombs and ammunition stores are buried in secret bunkers beneath Bundaberg airport if a sensational claim by a group on the Internet is true.

The secretive group, which has made its allegations public on Australian Bunker Project, states World War II machinery and weapons have been buried under the airfield.

Bundaberg Mayor Kay McDuff denied the group’s claims and expressed concern about the unnecessary panic the website could create.

She said council was seeking legal advice over the website.

“I have seen some of the information they put out and it is quite disturbing. But we believe there’s no substance to it and we are talking to our solicitors,’’ she said.

“If we were aware of any hint of danger, then we would have been on to it straight away,’’ Cr McDuff said.

The anonymous author of the website contacted the NewsMail with an amazing story of secret bunkers that contain a cache of weapons, machinery and partially dismantled aircraft.

The Australian Bunker Project website recounts a story of two men who in 1997 allegedly broke into the underground bunker at Bundaberg - avoiding a grenade booby-trap on the way - and discovered rooms that housed guns, explosives, sleeping quarters and two dismantled fighter planes.

Bundaberg man Stan Lohse worked at the airport site with the airforce construction corps in the early 1940s and could recall no secret bunkers.

“I’ve heard the rumours before but I never saw anything in my time like that,’’ Mr Lohse said.

Bundaberg Aero Club member Ray Foley confirmed there had once been demolition tunnels under the airport runway, a legacy of Australia preparing for the advance of Japanese troops.

“I know the tunnels were there because I filled them in,’’ Mr Foley said.

As a Department of Civil Aviation contractor, Mr Foley backfilled the tunnels with concrete in the 1960s.

“I have heard the stories before about bunkers and the like but I’ve yet to see any evidence that they exist,’’ Mr Foley said.

 

Further to the first post.

Bundaberg NewsMail

PRIVATE meetings at undisclosed locations may seem secretive, but it could signal the start of an investigation to answer one of Bundaberg's biggest mysteries - are there bunkers beneath the airport?

Suspected of containing bombs, ammunition and aircraft, the bunker mystery could be uncovered as early as July if Department of Defence investigations continue as planned.

Bundaberg City Council Deputy Mayor Mal Forman said "it was great the department took the time to respond to council's request", by sending two defence consultants to meet with them in private this week.

The Department of Defence is thought to have told council they would conduct a three-part investigation researching the history of the site, liaising with people who made statements about the bunkers and using ground-penetrating radar and magnetic based sub-surface detection equipment.

With technological work expected to be put to tender, Australian Bunker and Military Museum (ABMM) directors Tristan Rankine and Daniel Hultgren said they wanted to work with Defence to ensure the best outcome for the community.

While Defence representatives would not corroborate details presented to them by the not-for-profit organisation, Mr Hultgren said they did not disagree with, nor dismiss, the information contained in photographs, radar results and more than 25 statements made by veterans and members of the public.

"There is no conspiracy here," Mr Hultgren said.

"We have spent the last seven years working on this and a lot of council time has been spent looking into it too."

Mr Rankine urged anyone with information to come forward.

"Defence has assured us that members of the public who come forward will not be prosecuted for having entered the airport in the past," Mr Rankine said.

Federal Member for Hinkler Paul Neville also met with the two Defence representatives on Wednesday, where he "impressed on them the importance of putting this matter beyond doubt".

"We have a duty of care to ensure the airport is safe," Mr Neville said.

 

Currently waiting on registration to Australian Bunker Military Museum to come through to read the latest. Will post here once I find anything of course.

 

From the ABMM website. The Wide Bay airshow as mentioned occurred in Aug 07.

The Australian Bunker & Military Museum Pty. Ltd. (ABMM), is a non profit organisation dedicated to "Exploring Australia's Forgotten Wartime History". We have no political affiliation and receive no funding other than that which we have managed to raise through donations. All of our staff are volunteers and are located up and down the east coast of Australia. We have staff in Sydney in NSW, Brisbane, Ipswich, Sunshine Coast, Maryborough, Hervey Bay, Bundaberg, Townsville and Cairns. Bundaberg is but one of over 250 similar sites actively under research as of August, 2007.



As outlined in several smaller pieces in the Bundaberg Newsmail approximately 18 months ago, we have been researching reports of a "bunker" in the grounds of the Bundaberg Airport for several years. We are aware that in the early 1940s a large air raid shelter was built on site when the aerodrome was a RAAF base. During the war years, this shelter was converted to underground storage, principally for explosive ordnance - 250lb, 500lb and 1000lb aerial blast/fragmentation bombs. We have information from multiple sources which suggests that this ordnance (amongst other things) remains in situ to this day.

As soon as we received this information, we contacted the Bundaberg City Council CEO Peter Byrne attempting to have the matter resolved. We have a duty of care to follow through with this issue until it is resolved and the ordnance is made safe and removed from the airport. We have aerial imagery of the airport dating from the late 1930s through to present day which reliably tracks the changes made to the site over time. One of our staff is a former cartographer with the Australian Survey Corps and is a specialist in interpreting aerial photographs of this type. Based on his information, we resolved to survey the area with our ground penetrating radar given any opportunity. Last weekend's Wide Bay Airshow was that opportunity as we were holding public information sessions all weekend in our maquee which fortuitiously was erected a matter of metres from the suspected location of the "bunker". I personally ran a series of Ground Penetrating Radar scans over the site on friday morning and friday afternoon which confirmed the following information about this underground structure:

It is between 23 and 27 metres in width
It is approximately 100m long
The top of the roof of the structure is approximately 4.5m under the current surface level
There is a layer with high metal content approximately 1.5-2m in thickness which is consistent with a heavily reinforced concrete bombproof roof as was standard for such facilities.

On Saturday afternoon, a Bundaberg Newsmail photographer witnessed and photographed a demonstration of our radar scans over the site.

As you would be aware from the earlier episode which is related in full on our now-inactive Australian Bunker Project website (http://www.australianbunkermilitarymuseum.org/abp/Bundaberg.htm), we attempted multiple times to have the Bundy City Council look at our evidence to support our claims so they might make an informed decision. With this in mind, it was fortuitous that on Saturday morning, immediately after the official opening of the Wide Bay Airshow, I happened to run into Mayor Kay McDuff. I politely introduced myself, we shook hands and I went on to explain that we had identified the "bunker" site and offered to give her a personal demonstration of our Ground Penetrating Radar over the actual site. After apologising that she had another engagement she had to see to, I made the offer again at which point she replied "The issue has already been put to council and the decision stands" and walked away. I was disappointed by this attitude as I found the Mayor to be a lovely, personable lady.

Over the course of the Wide Bay Airshow we had an estimated thousand people come through our display, where they were able talk to our researchers and specialists, view our research on the site in detail, and see the radar results for themselves. The bulk of these people were local Bundaberg residents, concerned about what may lie under the ground at the airport.

We won't let this issue slide. We won't let it be put it into the "too hard" basket and we won't be scared off. Until confirmed otherwise, the 100m long "bunker" under the Bundaberg Airport is potentially a serious danger and we won't rest until the issue is resolved. We have attempted to have Local (BCC), State (Crime and Misconduct Commission) and Federal (Department of Defence) government agencies commit to dealing with the "bunker" but all have declined, passed the buck or tried to have it swept under the carpet. We have been threatened, cajoled and laughed at but still we will work this site until it is opened, the facility made safe and public access is granted. That is a promise we made to the people of Bundaberg a long time ago and we will honour it.

 

Hi All,

I'll be interested to hear the outcome of this one. There was always rumours of sealed aircraft underground around Oakey or Amberley in Queensland. Nothing has ever come of it to date though.

Cheers

Owen

 

And the aircraft off the Qld coast that were dumped off aircraft carriers...some, apparently still in their packing crates.

A survey in the 90s, or some source, reported Seafires, Avengers, Corsairs and other FAA types. The last aircraft to be "recovered", that I know of, was a Corsair, badly corroded (going against the story that the warm current prohibited bacteria growth) that was trawled up by a fishing boat. That was around 2000 (?) and no idea where she ended up or if she survives at all.

 

Under the Land Lease agreement all US aircraft had to be returned or destroyed. I've got some pictures in books of aircraft being dumped from carriers - a very sad ending.

 

The truth really IS out there and has been for over ten years.
Proof has been on show for the world to see but NOBODY wants to see it? the local paper has been shown all the evidence needed to start digging and expose the lies & cover-up's. The paper, like the Council, Police and the very forgetfull Military have known about this the entire time but prefer to perpetuate the myth of them just not being there. 4 independant reports & inqueries that ALL gave the same conclusion & recomendations and ALL got ignored and brushed aside just as the latest round of "Oh well we will look into it again" etc etc.
Anyone who claims they have been buried or just dont exist must be a liar or has no idea what they are talking about. I can show anyone where to dig AND where the active entry point is to ONE of the Bunkers (yes there is more than one bunker and they are ALL full of WW2 equipment.) of course I dont expect anyone here to believe me or even bother to see the evidence but I'm sure I will get plenty of ridicule by thoes that are too blind to see.
Time will tell

 

Hi BB,

do you have any more information that you would like to share with us? The members have neither supported or dismissed any of the information posted above, especially as most of the members are from outside Australia, and don't have access to the site or the reports concerning the site.

We would certainly be interested in any contributions to the subject.

 

I think it's fair to say we're watching with interest and hoping all is finally revealed as it'll be an exciting time for all!

 

I have only been looking into this for about two years but the more you "look" the more info you will find. Of course there are plenty of stories and tall tails to weed through but the facts are many.
I'm 50yo and I have spoken to people a bit younger than I who have entered some of the Bunkers. Not all have proof but more than enough do.
Because of legal reasons (I sound like Council eh?) I can't post anything on the net or risk jail at worst or heavy fines.
I'd be more than happy to speak face to face but there is more than enough info on the Australian Bunker & Military website to start digging.
NOT THAT I WOULD DO THAT!!! I want full permission before I pick up a shovel.
Because of the anti terror laws I reckon if you farted near the airport fence, you would end up in Guantanamo Bay?
I only found this forum because Bundaberg Bunkers was mentioned and I do a daily Google on it to see if the powers that be have started telling the truth?
The bottom line in all this is, there are massive amounts of WW2 ordinance and weapons. these have 60 years worth of rust built up as council has bull dozed every vent shaft to all of them.
Never mind the Planes like the Zap Zero, Kittyhawk, Tiger moths or huge stock pile of parts etc etc its the rusting bombs that are starting to worry the people of Bundaberg.
Council claims the Military told them the bunkers are all empty and have been filled in and this is why they sealed the vents??
I could rave for days on this (as my family will sadly agree)
Bundaberg needs to be safe and so the Military MUST own up and then clean up the obsolete Antiques they left there 60 years ago!
As the Bunker is only 5 meters below the surface It too is only good for a museum.
with the current "bunker buster bombs" these 60 year old fortifications are no match.
Because of the over the top secrecy, childish lies & buck passing, it has only served to speculate what else COULD be down there????
Empty it and turn it into a museum and cut the crap, sounds simple but when Politicians are involved it never will be.

 

Holy necropost! As Senior Researcher for the Australian Bunker & Military Museum, I thought I'd just drop in and bring this thread back to life.

As interested Bundaberg residents like BunkerBernie are no doubt aware, the local government elections have been finalised with the worst possible outcome for the "Bundaberg Bunker Project" - our ally, former Bundaberg Deputy Mayor Mal Foreman has lost out to our new arch-nemesis and fervant non-believer Mayor Pyefinch. If we do nothing, the issue will be swept under the carpet in the hope that it... and we... will just go away.

Unfortunately for "them" we have been fighting a PSYOPs campaign with bigger fish than the Bundaberg regional Council for over a decade and we have yet to give up.

I guess that any interested parties will have questions, so while we are cutting and pasting material from members only websites (like our website Untitled Document) I might pre-empt that and post an extract from a recent thread on ADF Serials which might answer some of those questions.

Strap in folks, it's a wild ride:

ABMM Posted: Dec 7 2007, 12:34 AM

Hi there,

I thought I'd start off my ADF Serials Message Board posting career with a curly question. I'm not sure exactly what I am looking for here as per types, etc. so I thought I'd just take the scattergun route.

I am seeking information on any RAAF, NEI or USAAF fighter aircraft which were damaged at Bundaberg during WWII. The aircraft in question was apparently a P40 but I cannot verify that. The aircraft was a single engine monoplane described specifically as a fighter. To further muddy the waters, the a/c in question may have been converted to components at RAAF Bundaberg but was not subsequently sent to an AD for scrapping.

Any assistance appreciated and may help solve a 65 year old mystery.


herkman Posted: Dec 7 2007, 03:19 PM
Come on mate, tell the full story.

Whilst I have some of the info. it would be better coming from you.

You may care to elaborate on the comment that the Bundaberg Council, has indicated a total lack of interest in the matter.

Col


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Warhawk Posted: Dec 7 2007, 04:07 PM



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Lads,

Can we perhaps nail it perhaps down further to a year or a location,.Ie at Bundaberg or close by?

You must remember what RAAF units that were around there at the time, not to mention the number of transits through that area from 1941 to 1946!

From Wacketts ,Wirraways,Tiger Moths to Spitfires , Airacobras, Thunderbolts and P-40s, you 'll get the idea that there's alot.


As Herkman says" Come on mate, tell the full story"

Gordy


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ABMM Posted: Dec 7 2007, 04:25 PM



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Ok Col, at the risk of sounding like one of the lunatic fringe out there.

What we have at Bundaberg is one complete Allied single engined monoplane as well as one or two disassembled aircraft of unknown origin sitting in storage UNDER (that's right) the Bundaberg airport. ABMM and its predecessor the (Australian Bunker Project) has been in contact with the local council about this issue for the best part of a decade due to our concerns about hazardous materials and weapons believed to exist onsite, but it wasn't until the Wide Bay Airshow in August 2007 that we were able to finally get onsite and run a series of ground penetrating radar surveys over the area of interest that the local council sat up and listened.

We are currently in negotiations with the council to have the site opened and exploited. By exploited, we specifically mean the site made safe, any nasties removed and the site converted to a community-based museum for the people of Bundaberg with the aircraft components, equipment and vehicles displayed in situ and as found.

I'd pay to see that.

There are no plans to sell off any of the equipment, weapons, vehicles or aircraft components. We will recoup the $250k or so we have spent proving the site exists through media royalties. We aren't cowboys.

So there it is in a nutshell.

We know EXACTLY where the site is from expert interpretation of aerial imagery spanning 1936 to present, we have sufficient evidence to prove a massive anomaly onsite as well as interesting, but ultimately circumstantial evidentiary reports from four people who have been inside the facility between 1960 and 1998.

I am trying to determine which aircraft may be held onsite, hence my original question.


herkman Posted: Dec 7 2007, 08:36 PM



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There guys is that not a lot more interesting.

I have been involved with guys from a distance since they started.

Bubdaberg Council, a bunch of stick in the muds, not understanding about the history under their feet. Far more important IT IS OUR HISTORY NOT THEIRS.

Regards

Col


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ADF-Serials Liberator Page Editor


herkman Posted: Dec 7 2007, 09:46 PM



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The story is long and involved, is based upon sworn statements, made by two people who gained access through an air vent of some type.

It is alleged that there were Bren and Owen guns, plus a large stack of compatible
rounds. The air vent was alleged to be booby trapped.

There also is alleged to be a P40 plus a part dismantled Zero with USA marking and a JEEP. Plus a load of bombs.

There are further statements made, which appear to point the finger at post war involvement, the story goes on for many pages. I can print it up from the site which like ours requires registration but you too could look at if you register from ADF Serials.

On first glance it looks like a hoax, but the story of a Zero could be true as the serial quoted is within 1 of the USAAF assigned nunbers to Zero's.

The P40 could be USAAF and could come from the same source which is quoted as being Eagles Field.

I am mindfull of the story told to me by Harold Thomas, who missed out on a BMW and Benz aero engines after the war stored in a scrap yard. He finally went there one day to be given photos, they had been bought for overseas scrap the month before.

Strange things can happen, will be interesting to see what comes out.

Regards

Col

This post has been edited by herkman on Dec 7 2007, 09:47 PM


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penders Posted: Dec 7 2007, 11:43 PM



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Wow...thats awesome, cant wait to see what comes out of all this.


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ABMM Posted: Dec 8 2007, 05:47 PM



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Here's a little more info straight out of an "informant report", take it as we have, as an unverifiable claim...

It is but one tiny piece of the puzzle we have been solving.

"I visited the Bundaberg site in 1998 (XXX-X). Now the D.O.D/D.E.O didn’t know where the entry location (That goes for most locations), So It was up to me to find the location. I spent 3 months searching the Bundaberg airport grounds for an entry point, The only hints I had was that an airport worker in 1977 had found a way in through a drain when his Jack Russell chased a rat in there and in 1996 or 1997 two men found there way through a air vent in a paddock near XXXXXXXXX. The men were arrested for trespassing on commonwealth land and the air vent was blown in.

So I spent a good 3 months looking for a way in. Finally I found a storage drop-off report from 1980 saying that on the 15-06-1980 32 crates of SLR & Ammunition were to placed in to storage at site XXX-X via end Runway run off Entry and the last report from site XXX-X was it closure on 01-11-1980. So I looked over & over the end run way (with planes zooming 10 feet over head). Then one day while exploring the XXXXXXX I came a sixer (tripped) in to a depression in the ground. I thought “This is odd” this depression was a perfect 1.5 X 1 meter rectangle and I thought to myself “About bloody time”.

So I rang my supervisor and said “I found it but I need dig it out” he replied “well go down to the local hardware store and buy yourself a shovel”. I said “What really” he replied “Yep I'll get you a van for cover and someone to help you”.

So 2 days later this old fella turns up with a council van and we get to work, took us 7 hours to dig this thing clear. We walked in and it was like a blast from the past. The first thing I saw was a old jeep, then I turned to my left in amazement an whole ww2 war bird just sitting there. I was like kid in a candy store, I walked past the plane and pointed my flashlight to the right and there was two planes with there wings folded and no tails, there was a clipboard on the wall referring to the planes.

Then my eyes peeled open it said A6M-52 (ZERO). The clipboard detailed the runs and specs like max speed, weights, ceiling and weapons. I was in shock what were ww2 jap zeros painted in U.S colors. I asked the old fella about the planes. He said he had "helped in removing jap aircraft painted in u.s colors from a place called eagle field or something like that".

So we walked down more and found a pair of wings to my left, to my right and further up just aircraft parts. I walked back down turned right and there’s this corridor with 7 rooms.

Room 1 was full of ammo, same for rooms 2&3, Room 4 had 20-25 50 Cal. Browning Heavy Machine guns lined up across the wall and then 60 crates of 303 lee Enfield 10 to a box, Room 5 40 creates of bren guns 5 to a box and 50 crates of 303 L-E, Room 6 had 100 crates 8 to a box and a heap of ammo, Room 7 same as rm 6.

So walked out and to our left to see what past the jeep and there’s a row of old hospital privacy screens so we pushed open these screens and there’s a wall of bombs stacked all the way up to the ceiling. The old fella said “better not light up then ah” so we walked down this wall of bombs (They were fat as 44 gal drums) to the end and there’s these huge crates. I said “what do think is in there” he said “Planes”. OK then. When we were about to leave he said “wait I forgot something” he runs back with 2 ammo boxes and I said “come on put them back” he said “when are they gonna use them”.

So we fill in the hole and he drives me back to the hotel, just as I get out he said “Oi here use as a doorstop” He hands me this 6 pound solid shot I said “thanks & goodbye”. I never saw that old fella again. So the next day I faxed my report and flew home."

For more information on the Bundaberg saga, see our old Australian Bunker Project page on Bundaberg:

http://www.australianbunkermilitarymuseum.org/abp/Bundaberg.htm



Attached Image



herkman Posted: Dec 8 2007, 07:08 PM



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The make and break points on a zero are as follows

Tail section behind cockpit

Front at engine firewall

Mainplane and cockpit is all one.

Wing tips can either fold up or come off.

The P40 is conventual

The wings are shown on the drawing as separate units, which means if they are from a zero, then they must have been cut off.

The story on the SLR's and ammunition is a bit sus, as I doubt if by 1980 anyone would be authorised to drop them off, and how did they get in and know where to get in.

Next question this structure must have been built in the early stages of the war, how come there is no record and why was it built, it looks to be fairly large and would have been built by civilians.

If DOD new about it in 1980, why is DOD now reluctant to move Col


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Warhawk Posted: Dec 8 2007, 08:57 PM



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I guess, aside from the USAAF Aircraft, is some intrepid soul should trawl through the ADF Serial records looking for that magic word "Bundaberg"


IE: 41-25111 Kittyhawk A29-83 ET435 75SqnRAAF Assembled 14/02/1942 FF Aus 9/03/1942 Ex-US as A29-83 Apr 1942. Crashed at Bundaberg

Only shows that we need more people researching doesn't it.(As I've only come up with one )

Alternatively one could seek Peter Dunn's Oz at War for any crash info.

Military Aircraft Crashes in the rest of Queensland during World War 2 A few Bundy Crashes there. Lots of 8SFTS Anson crashes there

As for the americanas,.... nil Bundaberg per Aviation Archaeology

That's all from me.

Need someone to grab the A50 Bundaberg SHQ Station file to have a better look or perhaps we should be looking at the RN FAA later in 44-45????

It just doesn't surprise me at during or at the end of the war they just bulldozed airframes and wreckage into terra firma (sounds of Archerfield Quarry ring in my ears)

But I'll leave it to you guys

Gordy








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penders Posted: Dec 8 2007, 09:17 PM



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Heard a rumour the other day that alot was bulldozed into a hole and buried at the western end of the runway at Amberley. Makes you wonder what other treasures lie underground never to be found.

This post has been edited by penders on Dec 8 2007, 09:17 PM


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ABMM Posted: Dec 8 2007, 10:17 PM



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As for the aircraft specific breakdown points, I've got no idea - it's not my area of expertise. The report detailed above might even be a hoax. I just don't know at this stage. We do have four hard core informant reports dating from the 1970s through to the late 1990s and none of these four blokes are known to the other.

Talking about the bunker itself, Col is absolutely correct - we have found no tender documents, "buildings and services" files, plans, photographs or disposal records relating to such a large-scale site at Bundaberg, but this not unusual as the National Archives online database only catalogues around 10% of the total holdings at this time. The types of records mentioned above are not available elsewhere.

We have found files detailing demolition tunnels under the airstrip at Bundaberg and I have even spoken to the council worker who later filled them in in the 1960s.

We have found references to an air raid shelter inside one of the hangars at BDB.

What we DO have is our radar data as well as a massive collection of generation 1 aerial imagery covering the site and spanning the war years through to the present day.

Even if we take these fantastical informant reports and other anecdotal evidence out of the equation, we are still left with a large underground feature onsite. We have verified it's not an underground fuel storage or sewerage system tank. It's definitely not the wartime demolition tunnels, so what is it?


herkman Posted: Dec 9 2007, 11:40 AM



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As the P40 is alleged to be complete, the the aircraft is highly likely to not be RAAF.

As the zeros could only really come from the USAAF at Eagle Farm, then it looks as if they too would have been moved by road.

Very unlikely if anyone there would know about the storage area, I mean it is hardly in the local area of Eagle Farm.

If the story is true about the lodging of yet small arms in 1980, then somewhere in defense planning, must have known about the area in question.

The only way to resolve this is to dig, if the "44 gallon" sized containers really exist, and if they are explosive, but I have yet to see from WW2, bombs by that description. Perhaps they are aerial depth changes.

Now we need to dig, let me see where did i put that spade.

Also put a post on the Gunnies site, see if they come up with anything.

Regards

Col


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Joe Barr Posted: Dec 9 2007, 02:55 PM



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RN FAA aircraft records were generally trashed after the War and for many years people have been searching photographs, log books etc to try to reconstruct aircraft histories. Ray Sturtivant and Mick Burrow of Air Britain have produced the latest book on the subject and it's more comprehensive than anything earlier. I'll have a look through it but it will take time. It's possible some aircraft were scrapped in Qld and it's always possible something could have been quietly hidden away but most FAA aircraft destroyed around Australia at the end of the war were dumped at sea under the terms of Lend-lease and to make life interesting for generations of trawlers! .

Joe





Rod Farquhar Posted: Dec 9 2007, 04:56 PM



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It's not the first of April is it???
First point , guns and ammo are never stored together.
Second point .303 rifles were all disposed of in early 60s replaced by SLRs.
Third point. Bombs are not stored as described, even in dire circumstances, consideration must be given to inside and outside safety distances.
Fourth point. Having gained access to the site why did they not look for and find the actual entrance that must have existed? Surely everything wasn't passed in through the ventilation shaft.
Happy hunting boys.
Rod.


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ABMM Posted: Dec 9 2007, 05:58 PM



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At the risk of an earnest enquiry degenerating into a pissing match....

First Point -
See above for my statement -
"Here's a little more info straight out of an "informant report", take it as we have, as an unverifiable claim..." The SLR Rifles do sound a little far-fetched to me but who knows how the SASR UCW projects of the 1960s and 70s emplaced "stay-behind" caches? I don't.

Second Point -
Our COMPLETE information package was reviewed by Coffey International. Their recommendation to defence was to look into the site further, Hence our forthcoming round table meeting with the local council and Defence.

Third Point -
Explain the .303 Vickers MMGs and Owen Machine Carbines recovered out of a mine shaft near Charters Towers. Such was a favoured method of disposal.
Perhaps disposal by abandonment inside an underground room which was subsequently covered over was as well?

Fourth Point: Bombs WERE stored as described - for reference see AWM image ID NEA0191

"Northern Australia. C. 1943-11. This is one of the first photographs released showing RAAF 1000lb bombs in bulk underground storage in a northern supply area. Checking the bombs is Leading Aircraftman W. H. Huitson of Yarram, Vic, squatting between transport trolley rails."

No inside or outside safety distances appear to have entered into the equation in this particular case. I would also draw your attention to bulk explosive storage magazines at places such as 1CER at Marrangaroo. During wartime there were large amounts of HE and CWA munitions stored in bulk storage underground - the safety regs as per distances, etc appear to have been quite a bit looser than today.

Fifth Point: If the sketch attached to the informant report in the post above is to believed, there are references to entrances being "caved in". The "informant" states he entered down a set of stairs that were buried, but not destroyed. He later re-buried the stairway. The only other entry point I can see which might be viable is a ventilator.

I ask in the interests of sensible discussion that "general procedure", "SOPs", "Everyone knows that", etc. type comments be looked at by everyone in a WARTIME context, not the SOPs and regs of the RAAF of the 60s, 70s, 80s, or 90s. It's a different kettle of fish.

EDIT/S: Attached image as HTML image code for AWM Record NEA0191 wasn't working

This post has been edited by ABMM on Dec 9 2007, 06:01 PM

Attached Image






So there you have it.

If anyone has any comments or questions about the Bundaberg Bunker, feel free to ask - there's not much about the site that we won't talk about.

Cheers,

ABMM

 

I think my brain just went on strike.

I think you just broke the record for longest post!

 

I'll bet the book by Ray Sturtivant and Mick Burrow is not as big as that post!

 

:laugh:

Certainly not as comprehensive. Awesome.

 

Hey guys, I have lived here in Bundy all my life and have heard all these stories since I was a kid. I am yet to actually meet anyone firsthand who has actually seen them but would sure love too. I believe they exist and hope that I can help solve the mystery in any way I can guys !!.

 

You might be able to provide logistical support to ABMM!

 

Now having been in literally hundreds of British and ex-wehrmacht Camps, Bases and Kaserne over my long time with the army, I would love to have a dollar (even an australian one) for every story of secret bunkers, cellars or tunnels full of WW2 kit, "some of it even still in the crates".

Now I don't have a clue where this airport is, other than it is in Australia, so I can't say one way or another if the story is true or not. What I will say is that all the chances are that if any 'bunker' is in existence it is likely to be no more than an air raid shelter.

Why do I say that? Easy.....

You can't build a bunker the size this one is supposed to be without anyone knowing, plans being kept or there being a substantial entrance..... I say substantial as it is supposed to contain a Jeep, aircraft and a load of bombs "as fat as 44 gallon drums"

No military organization other than one in the third world would store ammunition in a 'bunker' unguarded, uncontrolled and un-inspected for any length of time. It has the potential for all sorts of tragedies, it's not the military way and QMs would never allow it. If the munitions were no longer needed then for a couple of pound of PE, a few meters of det chord, a couple of dets and the press of a button and the problem is gone forever. If it was needed, far more people would know about it and it would have been disposed of as soon as it's use had ended (Australia still need Owen and Bren guns?).

Bunkers aren't just abandoned they are decommissioned. Someone signed for all that kit, some QM had the whole bunker on their flick. He wouldn't get a call from the QM General "That bunker of yours..... we don't want it any more.... just block the entrances and forget it". The military doesn't work that way especially when arms and ammunition are involved.

The witness reports read like someone's personal fantasy. Using a van as 'cover' while two men dug the entrance out could have been possible, were it not for the aircraft flying 10 foot overhead. I would expect any van parked in the approach clearance funnel of an active runway to be investigated within the hour, let alone 2 days. The whole report reads wrong. Now that may be because of a little 'exaggeration' or because it is complete bo###cks.

Call me an old cynic if you want, but with my experience I know that 'secrets' are never as secret as you think, and stories of 'secrets' are usually a load of tosh. This is not meant to annoy, just inform you of my personal opinion.

 

Welcome Sleek,

Hope you enjoy it here.

I collect photos of RAAF war graves so if you are ever going to Bundaberg cemetery and have a bit of time, please let me know.

Cheers

Geoff