The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Informal portrait of 128898 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Albert Green from Bendigo, Victoria, a Powder Monkey belonging to No 8 Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF setting a charge of gelignite into the face of the ridge. Gravel for surfacing the airstrip had to be blasted from a ridge in the jungle several miles from the airstrip. He enlisted at the age of 28 years on 19 April 1943 and served until demobilised on 15 August 1946.
TARAKAN ISLAND, BORNEO. C. 1945-05-10. STAND CLEAR IS THE ORDER GIVEN BY THE POWDER MONKEY WITH A RAAF AIRFIELD CONSTRUCTION SQUADRON, AS A CHARGE OF GELIGNITE EXPLODES BLASTING GRAVEL FROM THE FACE O
Informal portrait of 147142 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Joseph Vincent Grimes, 8th Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF from West Coburg, Victoria, acting as powder monkey, preparing and priming charges
TARAKAN ISLAND, 1945-05-24. CORPORAL R. LATHAM (2) AND LEADING AIRCRAFTMAN (LAC) R.J. HAWTHORNE (4), MEMBERS OF 8TH AIRFIELD CONSTRUCTION SQUADRON, RAAF, AT WORK DRILLING THE FACE OF A QUARRY FOR BLAS
TARAKAN ISLAND, BORNEO. C. 1945-05-10. AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH OF ONE OF THE GRAVEL PITS USED BY NO. 1 AND NO. 8 AIRFIELD CONSTRUCTION SQUADRONS RAAF TO PROCURE SURFACING MATERIAL FOR THE AIRSTRIP.
TARAKAN ISLAND, BORNEO. 1945-05-09. HUNDREDS OF TONS OF STEEL WERE STACKED READY FOR SURFACING TARAKAN AIRSTRIP BY RAAF MEN OF NO. 1 AND 8 AIRFIELD CONSTRUCTION SQUADRONS RAAF. LEFT TO RIGHT: 133139 L
TARAKAN ISLAND, BORNEO. C. 1945-05-10. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROCEDURES IN AERODROME CONSTRUCTION IS THE USE OF HEAVY ROLLERS TO BIND THE GRAVEL, MAKING A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR THE METAL STRIPPING
