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Extensive war history unearthed at Milman Hill Complex on Thursday Island


AHS helps uncover the rich war history at Milman Hill Complex on Thursday Island, for our client Torres Shire Council, ahead of a proposed Remembrance Walk.

The AHS team has prepared a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for World War Two structures ahead of a Remembrance Walk that will provide the public with a greater understanding of Thursday Island’s role during World War Two, and the lives of the island’s people. We were engaged to visit Thursday Island to study a Command Post, two Searchlight Emplacements, two Engine Rooms and a Forward Command Post at Milman Hill Complex and Sadie’s Trail.

Milman Hill Complex is a series of buildings located on the southeast side of Thursday Island, connected to nearby Lion’s Lookout by a trail that runs along Sadie’s Beach—known as Sadie’s Trail—where the proposed Remembrance Walk will take place, and on top of Milman Hill itself.

The Heritage Study provided a historical context for Thursday Island, detailing its role throughout the 20th century as a key defensive position in the Torres Strait, the historic landscape modification on Milman Hill itself, and conservation recommendations for future management of the Complex.

Defence of the Torres Strait

The Torres Strait has long provided a strategically significant passageway for European shipping and trade between Europe and Asia. European sailors first navigated the Strait in the early 1600s, and by the 19th century it had become one of the main sea trading routes between the eastern and western hemispheres.

In 1881, Lieutenant Colonel Scratchley suggested the installation of fortifications on Thursday Island that included lookouts, a coastal artillery battery and additional troops. Following these recommendations, an additional 10 men were added to the existing 50 troops already stationed on the island, and four rifled muzzle-loading field guns with two .303 Maxim guns on mobile carriages dispatched as mobile artillery and infantry support.

It is believed that by 1901, a large 4.7-inch gun was also installed at Milman Hill, with Major-General Sir George Arthur French visiting the same year and speaking highly of the defensive installation.

“I was much interested in what I saw (at Thursday Island), and much pleased with the state of the forts, the guns are already mounted in commanding positions, and kept in excellent order,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“I was also much pleased with the idea of a powerful quick-firer being mounted on Milman Hill. It would add considerably to the defensive power of the island.”

High ranking military officials visited the island again in 1909, among them Field-Marshall Viscount Kitchner, suggesting a gun be moved from Green Hill over to Milman Hill due to its vantage point.

Just a few years later, in 1914, Thursday Island went into full alert with the declaration of war and Milman Hill remained a key defensive position throughout WW1.

The fortifications were maintained until 1925, when the committee for the Imperial Defence recommended Thursday Island’s defences be disbanded and relocated to the Port of Darwin. The decommissioning was subsequently undertaken in the early 1930’s.

It wasn’t until the late 1930s, when it was evident war may again break out, that the question of resuming Thursday Island role as a key defensive position, principally to answer a looming threat from the Empire of Japan across the western Pacific and southeast Asia. In 1941, just prior to the outbreak of the war in the Pacific, the Torres Strait Force established command posts, engine rooms, reinstate the 4.7-inch gun and at its emplacement and sited the artillery searchlights around the edge of Milman Hill.

The Torres Strait was subject to eight air raids by Japanese aircraft between March 1942 and June 1943, with 18 further alerts over Thursday Island. Many troops at Milman Hill witnessed the air raids, but no damage was done to the island or its people. To address the ongoing threat of Japanese air raids, a light anti-aircraft gun was installed at each battery in the Torres Strait—among them Milman Hill.

Following Japan’s surrender in 1945, the Battery at Milman Hill ceased operating as a coastal defence site. By 1949 the military disposed of the Battery and many years later, in 1980, the gun emplacement was also demolished.

Interestingly, despite its prominence as the only coastal artillery position on Thursday Island, there are no known images of the battery or its searchlights during active service. One photo does exist, allegedly taken in 1941, which shows the 4.7-inch gun emplacement and Command Post—however this image was most likely taken post war as the shelter was not constructed until the war was underway, and the gun was emplaced well before the structure was constructed.

Photo of Milman Battery, allegedly taken in 1941 but more likely to be post-war. In 1941 there would have been intense activity at the Battery, suggesting this photo may have actually been taken in the late ‘40s.


Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion

A large number of Torres Strait Island men from Thursday Island served during WW2, protecting the island, constructing defensive fortifications and infrastructure, and undertaking combat patrols — but for only one third of the pay of white soldiers.

The first intake in 1941 marked Australia’s only Indigenous battalion, but on December 31 in 1943 the ongoing issue of pay discrimination led to three of the battalion’s four companies going on strike for equal rights and remuneration.

At the time, the Australian Government only agreed to increase the pay to two-thirds the amount paid to white soldiers. It wasn’t until 1986 that a full pay back was offered, compensating soldiers for their war service.

The Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion was disbanded in 1946, but is remembered for its contributions and protection of the region.

Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion troops on Thursday Island in 1945


Structures intact with archaeological potential

Milman Hill has a rich wartime history, spanning two world wars and involving the successful defence of the region.

We were able to confirm that the various structures at Milman Hill are of WW1 and WW2 significance, although most are in poor condition due to neglect and vandalism.

There is potential for further archaeological discoveries in and around the WW2-era structures, like discarded wartime items, exploded and unexploded ordnance, spent ordnance (casings, grenade fragments, etc.) and slit trenches.

Our recommendations are that an Archaeological Management Plan be developed as a priority, due to the high archaeological potential at the six WW2 buildings.

We have also recommended conservation policies for Milman Hill, to ensure the heritage elements are retained for present and future generations.

Contact us

To discover how we may be able to assist on your next project, contact us today here or phone (07) 3221 0000. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn.

Milman Hill Fort after its first decommissioning in 1934 (NAA J3109, 1/232).

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The Challenge

The Torres Strait has long provided a strategically significant passageway for European shipping and trade between Europe and Asia. European sailors first navigated the Strait in the early 1600s, and by the 19th century it had become one of the main sea trading routes between the eastern and western hemispheres.

In 1881, Lieutenant Colonel Scratchley suggested the installation of fortifications on Thursday Island that included lookouts, a coastal artillery battery and additional troops. Following these recommendations, an additional 10 men were added to the existing 50 troops already stationed on the island, and four rifled muzzle-loading field guns with two .303 Maxim guns on mobile carriages dispatched as mobile artillery and infantry support.

It is believed that by 1901, a large 4.7-inch gun was also installed at Milman Hill, with Major-General Sir George Arthur French visiting the same year and speaking highly of the defensive installation.

“I was much interested in what I saw (at Thursday Island), and much pleased with the state of the forts, the guns are already mounted in commanding positions, and kept in excellent order,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“I was also much pleased with the idea of a powerful quick-firer being mounted on Milman Hill. It would add considerably to the defensive power of the island.”

High ranking military officials visited the island again in 1909, among them Field-Marshall Viscount Kitchner, suggesting a gun be moved from Green Hill over to Milman Hill due to its vantage point.

Just a few years later, in 1914, Thursday Island went into full alert with the declaration of war and Milman Hill remained a key defensive position throughout WW1.

The fortifications were maintained until 1925, when the committee for the Imperial Defence recommended Thursday Island’s defences be disbanded and relocated to the Port of Darwin. The decommissioning was subsequently undertaken in the early 1930’s.

It wasn’t until the late 1930s, when it was evident war may again break out, that the question of resuming Thursday Island role as a key defensive position, principally to answer a looming threat from the Empire of Japan across the western Pacific and southeast Asia. In 1941, just prior to the outbreak of the war in the Pacific, the Torres Strait Force established command posts, engine rooms, reinstate the 4.7-inch gun and at its emplacement and sited the artillery searchlights around the edge of Milman Hill.

The Torres Strait was subject to eight air raids by Japanese aircraft between March 1942 and June 1943, with 18 further alerts over Thursday Island. Many troops at Milman Hill witnessed the air raids, but no damage was done to the island or its people. To address the ongoing threat of Japanese air raids, a light anti-aircraft gun was installed at each battery in the Torres Strait—among them Milman Hill.

Following Japan’s surrender in 1945, the Battery at Milman Hill ceased operating as a coastal defence site. By 1949 the military disposed of the Battery and many years later, in 1980, the gun emplacement was also demolished.

Interestingly, despite its prominence as the only coastal artillery position on Thursday Island, there are no known images of the battery or its searchlights during active service. One photo does exist, allegedly taken in 1941, which shows the 4.7-inch gun emplacement and Command Post—however this image was most likely taken post war as the shelter was not constructed until the war was underway, and the gun was emplaced well before the structure was constructed.



How we helped

A large number of Torres Strait Island men from Thursday Island served during WW2, protecting the island, constructing defensive fortifications and infrastructure, and undertaking combat patrols — but for only one third of the pay of white soldiers.

The first intake in 1941 marked Australia’s only Indigenous battalion, but on December 31 in 1943 the ongoing issue of pay discrimination led to three of the battalion’s four companies going on strike for equal rights and remuneration.

At the time, the Australian Government only agreed to increase the pay to two-thirds the amount paid to white soldiers. It wasn’t until 1986 that a full pay back was offered, compensating soldiers for their war service.

The Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion was disbanded in 1946, but is remembered for its contributions and protection of the region.

Results

Milman Hill has a rich wartime history, spanning two world wars and involving the successful defence of the region.

We were able to confirm that the various structures at Milman Hill are of WW1 and WW2 significance, although most are in poor condition due to neglect and vandalism.

There is potential for further archaeological discoveries in and around the WW2-era structures, like discarded wartime items, exploded and unexploded ordnance, spent ordnance (casings, grenade fragments, etc.) and slit trenches.

Our recommendations are that an Archaeological Management Plan be developed as a priority, due to the high archaeological potential at the six WW2 buildings.

We have also recommended conservation policies for Milman Hill, to ensure the heritage elements are retained for present and future generations.

Contact us

To discover how we may be able to assist on your next project, contact us today here or phone (07) 3221 0000. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn.

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