Written Records, AWM54 741/5/9 PART 2 - [Patrols - Reconnaissance:] Report on Northern Territory Special Reconnaissance Unit, by Sqn Ldr D F Thomson RAAF [Report minus maps] - Part 32

35.

75.

Patrols carried out on foot 
GROOTE EYLANDT
GROOTE EYLANDT Flying Boat Ezan (N.W.) to Civil Aviation
Base (S.W.) 15/1/42 - 15/1/42. 
Western ARNHEM Land
VANDIEMEN Gulf to Mount MORRIS Bay 27/2/42 - 29/2/42
MALAY Bay to [[BROG?]] WEIR 8/3/42 - 9/3/42
Eastern ARNHEM Land
ARNHEM Bay (AraFURa sea) to [[CAl?]] BAY
(Gulf of CARPENTARIA) 23/3/42/- 25/3/42
ROPER River Estuary
GULMANE BLUFF, North to ROSS River and return. 12/4/42 - 17/4/42
(patrol carried out under orders from
N.T.Force)
 ([[? CREEK]] to [[KATCKI?]] [[WATER]] and return. 28/8/42 - 30/8/42

CALEDON Bay to Port [[?]] 20/8/42 - 21/8/42

Port [[?]] to [[?]] 23/8/42 - 25/8/42

Patrols carried out on foot by Native Detachment, -..-..-..-..-..-

marked 12ma

KATCKI (Cape STEWART[[?]] )to GOYDER River 15/3/42 - 17/3/42

Cape  STEWART  to  [[?SURVEY]] CREEK  12/3/42 - 14/3/42

ROPER BAR  across Central ARNHEM Land to

KATCHI 28/6/42 - 20/7/42

LEICHHARDT BAR, ROPER BAR to ROPER RIVER

ESTUARY on North Bank   8/4/42 -10/4/42

River mouth to ROPER BAR South Bank 25/?/42 - 28/4/42

BLUE MUD Bay in north of TRIAL BAY  1/6/42 - 5/6/42

CALEDON Nay to West side ARNHEM Bay  19/8/42 - 21/8/42

BUCKINGHAM Bay to ARNHEM Bay   9/9/42 - 10/9/42

ROPER BAR  across Central ARNHEM Land to

KATCHI 28/6/42 - 20/7/42

Movements and Patrols by N.T. —x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x

ROPER BAR to H.Q. DARWIN via KATHERINE  3/3/42 - 12 /3/42
and return to ROPER BAR

ROPER BAR TO MATARANKA via: ROPER VALLEY 

and ELSEY STATION and back to ROPER BAR. 

ROPER BAR TO H.Q. DARWIN via KATHERINE

DARWIN to BORROLOOLA via     thence

to ELSEY, HODGSON DOWNS, NUTWOOD DOWNS,

 [[ ? TANUMBIRINI]]   O.T. and McARTHUR River

Sections

MAP 1
TOPOGRAPHICAL INDEX TO NUMBERS SHOWN
ON MAP 1
1 The area between and the King River and Cape Stewart
is that in which the Japanese, when they invaded this
coastline in large numbers during 1935 /36 /37 secured
their strongest footing among the natives. The natives
in this area learned also to trade weapons; but in the
area from Cape Stewart eastwards to Cape Arnhem this was
not the case. Still further East at Caledon and at
Blue Mud Bay the natives were frankly bitterly hostile
to the Japanese and frequently killed them. The last
occasion on which this took place was in 1933 when two
boats were attacked near Caledon Bay and the Japanese
crew almost wiped out.

2  Vast swamps extending over hundreds square miles during 
the wet season (Dec - March). Impassable for almost half
the year, mosquitoes and leeches numerous and troublesome.
3  Very rough hilly country with much rock outcropping,
water abundant at all times, Game fairly plentiful.
Timber stringy bark ( Eucalyptus tetradonta) and some
admixture Cyprus pine (Callitrial).
4  Very rugged and hilly with rocks outcropping. Steep
gullies with many fresh water springs.  Fresh water
plentiful. NATIVE foods abundant.
5  O.P. and Main Base of Unit established at Caledon
Bay.
Bark house and store with garden
Established Au 1942. Equipped with W.T.

6  IMPORTANT NOTE: It should be noted that much of the
information on Eastern Arnhem as shown on Sheet D-7
Australian Aeronautical Map is wrong and misleading.
(1) The tracks shown between Arnhem Bay and the vicinity
of Caledon Bay do not exist nor have they ever been
there.
(2) There is no church in Trial Bay in 1942 nor did this
exist in 1935/36/37. The Coastline of the Gulf of
Carpentaria is totally uninhabited except by Nomadic
aborigines.
(3) Bridgelands and Grays Camp at Caledon Bay and Grays
Camp at Trial Bay do not exist.
(4) The course of the so-called Cato River is not remotely
as chartered. There is a river mouth opening in this
vicinity, but this stream flows S.S.W and then S.W.
and is only a small creek in a deep ravine.
It is possible that the above errors have arisen
by taking temporary camps on the tracks followed by

travellers as permanent features. At the present time
they only camp between Roper River Mission on the north
bank of the Roper River and Tirrkala Mission, west of
Cape Arnhem, is the O.P, now established at Caledon
Bay.

Topographical Index to Numbers
shown on Map 1 (contd)
 2.

7  Fish, turtle ShellFish, Kangaroo, Wallaby and
Vegetable Food abundant.
8  Kangaroos, Wallaroos, and Wallabies, very abundant,
Fish plentiful in Roper River. Cattle numerous,
Vegetable food obtainable by those with good local
knowledge.
9  Gulnare Bluff is the highest land close to the estuary
of Roper River.  It commands a view over the mouth of
the river, and on a clear day visibility extends as far
as Maria Island. A ship drawing 6 feet or more cannot

approach inshore either to the north or south but must
use the centre channel as sand and mud banks with less
than one foot I.W. extend for 5 miles out to sea. For
this reason it was considered essential to maintain a
permanent O.P at this sight.  This O.P. was established
by the Special Reconn. Unit during April 1942 in charge
of Sergeant T.H. Elkington with a native establishment.
It was equipped with W.T. No permanent water but two
400 gallon tanks were set up at this O.P.
on July 5 it was handed over to Wo.4 Independent Company.
10  Geese, Fish, abundant. Natives friendly, speak English,
from between Bennet Bay and south of Roper River. Do not
go N. of Bennet Bay.
11  Saltpan. Water is to be found in two places close to
south of South bank. Cattle - numerous. Fish - plentiful.
12  Rough and hilly with much rock and stony outcropping.
Intersected with innumerable small water sources, passable
(but difficult) for all A F V I from May or June to
December.
13  Low areas, Saltpans intersected with mangrove -
Fringed salterns, water difficult to fin in dry season.

LEGEND - MAP 1

ROUTES FOLLOWED BY A.M. AROETTA
1-1-42 TO 15-10-42.
TOWNSVILLE to DARWIN via GROOTE EYLANDT,
Northern Coast of Arnhem Land and
CLARENCE STRAITS 1/1/42 - 6/2/42.
DARWIN to ROPER Bay via Northern Coast
ARNHEM Land and outlying islands
25/2/42 - 29/3/42.
4 MILE Landing, LEICHARDT BAY, ROPER
River, to Darwin 1/3/42 - 6/4/42.
DARWIN to ROPER BAR 9/4/42 - 16/4/42.
ROPER BAR via O.P. at  [[GUL?]] BLUFF to
GROOTE EYLANDT Civil Aviation Base
GROOTE EYLANDT to BENNET BAY, BLUE MUD
BAY AND [[MOCDAE?]] Island. Then TRAIL
BAY return Civil Aviation Base 30/5/42 -
21/6/42
GROOTE EYLANDT Aviation Base to ROPER BAR
via O.P [[?]] BLUFF 22/6/42 - 1/7/42
ROPER BAR to MOLAKOOTA via O.P. thence to
MARIA Island. MOLAKOOTA  via PELLEW
Group and N.E. GROOTE EYLANDT 1/7/42 -
28/7/42.
GROOTE to MARIA Island via LOW ROCK;
return GROOTE 29/7/41 - 31/7/42.
GROOTE EYLANDT to O.P CALEDON BAY,
1/8/42 - 2/8/42.
CALEDON BAY to GROOTE EYLANDT & return
CALEDON BAY 13/8/42 - 15/8/42.
Patrol of North Coast from CALEDON BAY
to LIVERPOOL River and return to
CALEDON BAY 20/8/42 - 12/9/42.
CALEDON BAY to GROOTE EYLANDT, return
via WESSEL Islands to CALEDON BAY
13/9/42 - 17/9/42.
CALEDON BAY to GROOTE EYLANDT, Western
CAPE YORK, Port [[MUSSIVE?]], THURSDAY
Island to TOWNSVILLE  23/9/41 - 15/10/42
(Search 3 sides of GROOTE EYLANDT).
Patrol by Water Launch
CROCODILE Group, [[?]] River to CAPE
STEWART Inner Islands of CROCODILE Group,

Topographical Index to Numbers

shown on Map I (contd)
 2 
7   Fish, turtle ShellFish, Kangaroo, Wallaby and
Vegetable Food abundant.
8  Kangaroos, Wallaroos, and Wallabies, very abundant,
Fish plentiful in Roper River. Cattle numerous,
Vegetable food obtainable by those with good local
knowledge.
9  Gulnars Bluff is the highest land close to the estuary
of Roper River.  It commands a view over the mouth of
the river, and on a clear day visibility extends as far
as Maria Island. A ship drawing 6 feet or more cannot
approach inshore either to the north or south but must
use the centre channel as sand and mud banks with less
than one foot L.W. extend for 5 miles out to sea. For
this reason it was considered essential to maintain a
permanent O.P at this sight.  This O.P. was established
by the Special Reconn. Unit during April 1942 in charge
of Sergeant T.H. Elkington with a native establishment.
It was equipped with W.T. No permanent water but two
400 gallon tanks were set up at this O.P.
On July 5 it was handed over Wo.4 Independant Company.
10  Geese, Fish, abundant. Natives friendly, speak English,
from between Bennet Bay and south of Roper River. Do not
go N, of Bennet Bay.
11  Saltpan, Water is to be found in two places close to
mouth of South bank. Cattle - numerous. Fish - plentiful.
12  Rough and hilly with much rock and stony outcropping.
Intersected with innumerable small water courses, passable
(but difficult) for all A F V I from May or June to
December.
13  Low areas, Saltpans intersected with mangrove -
Fringed saltarms, water difficult to find in dry season.

WAR OF 1939 - 1945
505/6 Received from:

N92/9 N.T. Special Recon Unit
43/5
623/4
199/ Class. No. 741/5/19
Indexed 22nd/1 069/5 ab5/2
A.W.M File SP 249

NT Special Rec Unit

Class 241/5/9
Indexed 
A.W.M. SP 249
[*AWM 54]