The Oasis Townsville is calling the community to submit an application to name all four of their PeeWee Huts after local WWII Veterans, to honour their service.

The Chair of The Oasis Townsville LTGEN John Caligari, AO, DSC (Ret'd) said the PeeWee Huts will be named after Townsvillians who served in WWII, in either the Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Australian Women’s Land Army, Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force, Australian Women’s Army Service or the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service.

“This is giving families the opportunity to further honour their WWII family member. We are looking for people whose family member was a true Townsvillian, who lived within 250km of the Townsville Region, and has information of their family members service during WWII, Mr Caligari said.

Townsville is Australia’s largest garrison city, together with their families, the Defence force community (current serving and ex-serving) and their families represents approximately 20 percent of The Townsville community. The Townsville community is welcome to nominate a family member on The Oasis website at www.theoasistownsville.org.au/name-the-huts.

Mr Caligari said The Oasis Townsville’s connection with WWII is that our location was the home of the 13th Australian Personnel Staging Camp in WWII from which many service personnel discharged from the Australian Defence Force after the war having served in the South West Pacific theatre.

Local Historian Ray Holyoak said, it’s wonderful that The Oasis has incorporated the history of the PeeWee Huts into the design of their premises and offering families the opportunity to connect their ancestors into the history of Oasis.

Townsville was a significant location for the conduct of Australia’s war effort in WWII and the design of the PeeWee huts are reflective of the P1 Huts utilised by Australian and US units at their airfields and camps around the Region, said Mr Holyoak.

“The Oasis Townsville is a home base for the Veteran community, and we would be honoured in naming one of our PeeWee Huts after a local WWII Veteran. We have a strong connection with Townsville’s community, and this is another way to strengthen our relationships with local Veterans and their families, Mr Caligari said.”
The Veterans to be honoured as the name on our PeeWee Huts will be announced within the coming months.

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