Z Experimental Station
Encyclopedia
The Z Experimental Station (ZES), Cairns was set up in July 1942, jointly by Secret Intelligence Australia
and the Inter-Allied Services Department.
As far as ISD was concerned it was used as a wireless relay station for the New Guinea Section. The site was selected by Commander Roy Kendall
, the head of SIA and was about 3 miles (4.8 km) inland from the town of Cairns,North Queensland. The site was originally chosen for its good radio reception. There were, however, good security conditions for training, until the Cairns district became a very active assembly area for Australian and US troops operating in New Guinea.
Until June 42, ISD special operations personnel were trained at the Guerilla Warfare School
, Foster, but this establishment in the south of Victoria
had an extremely rugged climate, which continuously resulted in sickness on the part of operatives who had lived for many years in the tropics. Since ZES was the only ISD establishment outside the headquarters in Melbourne
, it became a holding establishment as well as a training school. It was set up at a time when the town of Cairns was partly evacuated, and the area was isolated from the rest of Australia.
Owing to transport difficulties, many of the New Guinea operatives were delayed in Cairns after their training was completed for as much as 69 days. This worked both against security and against the morale of the operatives.
When the transport arrangements had been finalised, several operations staged out of the Z Experimental Station, including the famous Operation Jaywick
raid into Singapore Harbour
. This was due to Cairns' proximity to the islands in the South West Pacific Area
. The Jaywick party departed Cairns near midnight 9 August 1943 in the MV Krait
and sailed along the northern coast before reaching Potshot
in North Western Australia which was the departure point for the Jaywick mission.
Basic special operations training was undertaken at the ZES. This instruction included weapons training, minor tactics, demolitions, folboat operations, signals, codes and ciphers, first aid and unarmed combat.
With the continuing influx of Allied service personnel into Cairns and with many local Cairns families returning to their homes after evacuating, the security situation for the ZES deteriorated to the extent that a new training facility had to be found. A site on Fraser Island in South East Queensland was selected and all basic Special Operations training had been transferred to the Fraser Commando School
by October 1943. In the meantime, ZES continued to be used for specialist training for Allied Intelligence Bureau
(AIB) personnel in such subjects as jungle foods and advanced demolitions.
With the liquidation of the ISD in April 1943, the ZES was handed over to the AIB for use by NEFIS III, the Netherlands East Indies Forces Intelligence Service
, Section III. Operating as a field intelligence unit, NEFIS III continued to train Indonesia
n operatives at ZES and use it as a staging point for operations.
ZES was closed down in December, 1945 and the property disposed of by the Australian Government in 1950.
Secret Intelligence Australia
Secret Intelligence Australia was a British World War II intelligence unit commanded by Captain Roy Kendall who reported directly to MI6 in London. SIA was known as Section B of the Allied Intelligence Bureau but was not accountable in any way to the Australians or the Americans.SIA had two main...
and the Inter-Allied Services Department.
As far as ISD was concerned it was used as a wireless relay station for the New Guinea Section. The site was selected by Commander Roy Kendall
Roy Kendall
Roy Kendall was an English-born Australian politician and intelligence agent . Born in London, he was educated at Bristol Cathedral School before becoming a merchant seaman. After serving in the military 1914–18, he was recruited by Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, in December 1941...
, the head of SIA and was about 3 miles (4.8 km) inland from the town of Cairns,North Queensland. The site was originally chosen for its good radio reception. There were, however, good security conditions for training, until the Cairns district became a very active assembly area for Australian and US troops operating in New Guinea.
Until June 42, ISD special operations personnel were trained at the Guerilla Warfare School
Guerilla Warfare School
The Guerilla Warfare School, was a commando and special operations training centre at Tidal River, Victoria, Australia during the Second World War. The training centre was set up in 1941, known as No. 7 Infantry Training Centre, and the special operations course was run until July 1942, before...
, Foster, but this establishment in the south of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
had an extremely rugged climate, which continuously resulted in sickness on the part of operatives who had lived for many years in the tropics. Since ZES was the only ISD establishment outside the headquarters in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, it became a holding establishment as well as a training school. It was set up at a time when the town of Cairns was partly evacuated, and the area was isolated from the rest of Australia.
Owing to transport difficulties, many of the New Guinea operatives were delayed in Cairns after their training was completed for as much as 69 days. This worked both against security and against the morale of the operatives.
When the transport arrangements had been finalised, several operations staged out of the Z Experimental Station, including the famous Operation Jaywick
Operation Jaywick
Operation Jaywick was a special operation undertaken in World War II. In September 1943, 14 commandos and sailors from the Z Special Unit raided Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour, sinking seven ships.- Background :...
raid into Singapore Harbour
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. This was due to Cairns' proximity to the islands in the South West Pacific Area
South West Pacific Area
South West Pacific Area was the name given to the Allied supreme military command in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands in the Pacific theatres of World War II, during 1942–45...
. The Jaywick party departed Cairns near midnight 9 August 1943 in the MV Krait
MV Krait
The MV Krait is a wooden hulled vessel famous for its use during World War II by the Z Special Unit of Australia during the raid against Japanese ships anchored in Singapore Harbour. The raid was known as Operation Jaywick.-History:...
and sailed along the northern coast before reaching Potshot
Exmouth, Western Australia
-Further reading:* Western Australia. Ministry for Planning. Exmouth-Learmonth structure plan. Perth, W.A. : Western Australian Planning Commission...
in North Western Australia which was the departure point for the Jaywick mission.
Basic special operations training was undertaken at the ZES. This instruction included weapons training, minor tactics, demolitions, folboat operations, signals, codes and ciphers, first aid and unarmed combat.
With the continuing influx of Allied service personnel into Cairns and with many local Cairns families returning to their homes after evacuating, the security situation for the ZES deteriorated to the extent that a new training facility had to be found. A site on Fraser Island in South East Queensland was selected and all basic Special Operations training had been transferred to the Fraser Commando School
Fraser Commando School
The Fraser Commando School was the main Services Reconnaissance Department training facility after training operations were transferred from the Z Experimental Station in October 1943....
by October 1943. In the meantime, ZES continued to be used for specialist training for Allied Intelligence Bureau
Allied Intelligence Bureau
The Allied Intelligence Bureau was an joint United States, Australian, Dutch and British intelligence and special operations agency during World War II. It was responsible for operating parties of spies and commandos behind Japanese lines in order to collect intelligence and conduct guerrilla...
(AIB) personnel in such subjects as jungle foods and advanced demolitions.
With the liquidation of the ISD in April 1943, the ZES was handed over to the AIB for use by NEFIS III, the Netherlands East Indies Forces Intelligence Service
Netherlands East Indies Forces Intelligence Service
Netherlands East Indies Forces Intelligence Service , was a Dutch World War II era intelligence and special operations unit operating mainly in the Japanese-occupied Netherlands East Indies ....
, Section III. Operating as a field intelligence unit, NEFIS III continued to train Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n operatives at ZES and use it as a staging point for operations.
ZES was closed down in December, 1945 and the property disposed of by the Australian Government in 1950.
External links
- Special Operations Australia ZES: Cairns' Secret War