Simpson Barracks is an
Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (Austral ...
facility in the suburb of
Yallambie in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
,
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. It is named after Major General
Colin Hall Simpson
Major General Colin Hall Simpson, (13 April 1894 – 23 August 1964) was an Australian Army officer who rose to the rank of major general as Signal Officer in Chief during the Second World War. He was one of the founders of Amcal, the largest ...
, Signals Officer-in-Charge of Allied Land Forces during the Second World War.
Simpson Barracks is home to the DFSS (
Defence Force School of Signals), Financial Services Unit,
Defence Force School of Music, and the headquarters of
4th Brigade. It also has depots for
4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment and
108th Signals Squadron.
It also is the main workshop for 105 Field Workshop (
RAEME
The Royal Corps of Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME; pronounced Raymee) is a corps of the Australian Army that has responsibility for the maintenance and recovery of all Army electrical and mechanical equipment. RAEME has mem ...
). It also houses the Victorian Headquarters for the
Australian Army Cadets
The Australian Army Cadets (AAC) is the youth military program and organisation of the Australian Army, tasked with supporting participants to contribute to society, fostering interest in defence force careers, and developing support for the ...
, 402 Squadron, Australian Air Force Cadets and 39 Army Cadet Unit Watsonia.
Simpson Barracks
was constructed out of red brick which was the style in the mid 1930s and during the Second World War, red brick was discarded in favour of timber buildings clad with corrugated galvanised iron or asbestos sheet.
The Simpson Barracks Post Office opened on 31 March 1987 replacing the Macleod office open since 1923, and was closed in 1996. A Watsonia Military Post Office was open from 1942 until 1946 and a Watsonia Camp office was open from 1948 until 1952.
Simpson Barracks also has its own chapel, where over 250 weddings have been celebrated since it opened in 1971. It was modelled on the chapel in Nui Dat in South Vietnam. The Simpson Barracks Chapel has seating capacity for 80 people, and has a regular Eucharist/Mass. Baptisms and funerals are also held there.
The Royal Australian Army Corps of Signals Museum and Royal Australian Army Pay Corps Museum are located at Simpson Barracks.
References
*
Buildings and structures in the City of Banyule
Barracks in Australia
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