World War II Source Sheet No. 44
During the Second World War a range of measures were introduced by national and local governing authorities to counter the threat of an aerial attack on the City. The Council’s City Engineer’s Department, under the supervision of the State Civil Defence Department, was responsible for ‘Air Raid Precautions’ which included the planning and building of air raid shelters and trenches at strategic points around the City (extensive trench works and pipe shelters were installed in Victoria Square and North Terrace). The Council also collaborated with the military in producing plans to counter the effects of aerial gas attacks, providing ‘anti gas’ training and decontamination drills for the City’s inhabitants. A considerable number of Corporation employees also served in the armed forces during the War. Although no official Corporation Honour Roll appears to have been created for those who served in World War II (unlike World War I when an official roll was made), the names of those employees who did enlist are recorded in Town Clerk’s Docket 192 of 1946 ‘Honour Roll – Corporation Officers and Employees’. A City Volunteers Roll and a Nurses Roll were erected at the Town Hall.
Archival Sources
Record Description / Date Range / Accession Number(s)Master Index [to Town Clerk’s Dockets and Special Files] / c1930 - 1976 / 2426
Town Clerk’s Department Dockets / 1856 - 1976 / 2530
Town Clerk’s Letters Received Books / 1862 - 1976 / 4182
Index of Town Clerk’s Letters Received / 1856 - 1973 / 4183
Morison Index / c1920 - 1972 / 228
Town Clerk’s Special File 233 ‘The War’ / 1915 - 1950 / 352
Town Clerk’s Special File 269 ‘Post War Works’ / 1943 - 1946 / 352
Town Clerk’s Special File 64 ‘Extension of / Improved Pavements / North Terrace’ / 1919 – 1940 / 352
Town Clerk’s Special File 111 ‘National War Memorial - King William Rd’ / 1913 - 1955 / 352
War Zone Plans – Map of the World / 1940 – 1942 / 3040
Map – New Guinea Victories / 1944 / 3040
War Damage Commission / 1942 -1945 / 4662, 4663
Anti-gas Instructional Diagrams / 1938 - 1939 / 5869
City Engineer’s Files [1942]028 – [1942]032 – Air Raid Precaution Trenches Plans / 1942 / 4070
City Engineer’s Files – Civil Defence - Box 53 / 1942 - 1944 / 4070
City Engineer’s Docket 1120A – Civil Defence / 1942 – 1947 / 825
City Engineer’s Dockets 1121 – Air Raid Shelters / 1942 - 1946 / 825
City Engineer’s Dockets / c1902 - 1979 / 2354,3080,4612
City Engineer’s Documented Index / 1902 - 1970
Air Raid Victims Fund (Books) / 1941- 1942 / 2242
Air Raid Victims Fund - 057, 058, 059, 060 / 1940 -1942 / 249
Air Raid Precautions – Veale’s Papers (Item 3) / 1939 / 1102
Extracts from Annual Report of Acting City Engineer and Surveyor – Air Raid Precaution Activities of the City Corporation / 1942
Town Clerk’s Department Newspaper Clippings - General / 1939 - 1946 / 283
Historical Pictorial Collection / 1850 - 1970 / S59,1461,3016, 5531
Photos of London taken during World War ii bombing / 1940 / 3946
Further sources.
See Annual Reports and the Digests of Proceedings 1939 – 1946
City Archives Source Sheet No.50 Corporation Honour Rolls
Further Information
City Archives: Topham Mall, off Currie and Waymouth Streets, Adelaide 5000
Telephone: 8203 7439 Fax: 8203 7336 Email: