Of the hut I bolted: A preliminary accountof prefabricated semi-cylindrical huts inAustralia

Iain Stuart

Prefabricoted semi-cylindricol huts haue been a familiar element of Australia's orchitectural landscape. Many of the post-war generation would haue slept, eaten, been taught or possibly been conceiued in such a hut. Often simply called NissenHuts, they were common feotures of military bases, migrant comps, hospitals and educational institutions. Howeuer,recent research has shown that not much is hnown about the huts and their history in Australia and that there is a needfor some more precise occounts of their types and uariety. The aim of the paper is not to prouide a definitiue account ofthe Nissen, Quonset qnd similor huts, but to mahe some preliminary comments on the occurrence of the types in Australia

IntroductionThis paper is the result of research that I undertook whenrequested to assess four small and two large semi-cylindricalhuts at the former East Hills Migrant Barracks site nearSydney.l Initially, the huts were assumed to be Nissen huts orpossibly the American version, the Quonset hut. The researchwas directed into how to tell one from the other in order toassess their significance as building types. The mdn difficultywas in finding sufficient information on prefabricated semi-cylindrical huts to enable the hut types to be identified. lt wasassumed, because of their ubiquitous nature, that there wouldbe a considerable amount of information available in Australiaand overseas. A number of likely sources were searchedwithout success, The lack of information about huts wassomewhat surprising, as they seemed to be a common item onmilitary bases and other institutions such as hospitals andmigrant camps.'The results of the research are presented below as a guide toidentifying semi-cylindrical prefabricated huts. The aim of thepaper is not to provide a definitive account of the Nissen andthe Quonset Huts, but to provide information on the nature ofthe huts, how to distinguish between the types and somepreliminary comments on their use in Australia. lt is hoped thatthis will assist those faced with a semi-cylindrical hut to assessby providing some context for the assessment.

The Nissen hut and its derivativesOne of the difficulties of war has always been the need toaccommodate the troops. Often the soldiers were billeted inrequisitioned houses, in tents or slept in the open. Campaignswere often limited by the needs of accommodation and haddistinct winter phases where troops went into 'winter quarters'.With the advent of mass mobilisation such as occurred in theWorld War lthe demand for accommodation soon outstrippedavailable barracks or what could be requisitioned. Moreover,the demand for accommodation was often not where existingbuildings could be readily adapted or erected. Tents were oflimited use as they provided little shelter from the elements,particularly in the European winter. So with the age of massarmies and total war came a need ior mass accommodation.It is not surprising then that during the course of World War I adesign for a prefabricated, portable multi-purpose hut wasdeveloped, in France, by a serving officer.3 Between 'l 6 and 18

April 1916, Major Peter Nissen of the 29th Company, RoyalEngineers, began to experiment with hut designs. Nissen, amiddle-aged mining engineer and inventor, constructed threeprototype semi-cylindrical huts. The semi-cylindrical shape wasderived from the drill-shed roof at Queens University, Kingston,Ontario. Nissen's design was subject to intensive design reviewby his fellow officers, Lt Colonels Shelly, Sewell, McDonald andGeneral Liddell. After the third prototype was completed, thedesign was formalised and the Nissen Hut was put intoproduction in August 1916." At least 100,000 were producedin World War I to two basic designs: a 16ft span (often called a'Bow' hut) and a 24ft span (often called a 'hospital').5 Therewas also a 30ft-span hut in production.

Two factors influenced the ultimate design of the hut. Firstly, thebuilding had to be economic in its usage of materials,especially considering war-time shortages of building material.Secondly, the building had to be portable so that it could easilybe moved to where the accommodation was required. Thiswas particularly important in view of the war-time shortages ofshipping space. Inevitably this led to a simple form that wasprefabricated for ease of erection and removal. The Nissen hutcould be packed in a standard British Army wagon and erectedby six men in four hours. The world record time for erectionwas t hour, 27 minutes.GIn the post-war period Nissen, who had patented the design,attempted to adapt the . basic hut design to commercialhousing, seeing in the hut the solution to the housing shortage.Despite some initial promise, success was limited.TDuring World War ll, the Nissen hut was put back intoproduction along with a similar type, the Romney hut, whosehistory is unclear as yet. According to Francis, the lris andRomney huts were designed by the British Directorate ofFortifications, at Romney House, London. Production of the lriswas discontinued as the tubing used in its structure proved tooflimsy but the Romney was in production throughout the war.8The Romney Hut was 35ft wide x 17ft 6in high with ribs at 8ftcentres. The normal length was 96 ft. The ribs are described asbeing 2.5in of square tubular steel with steel angle purlins of 1%in x 1"/q in. The exterior was covered with corrugated steelsheeting. There were sliding doors, 1Oft 8?in wide and 13fthigh, at either or both ends of the building.'gMany other types of hut were produced in Britain such as: A,B, X, Y & Z type timber huts, lgloo sheds, Jane huts, Marston

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sheds, Seco huts, Ctesiphon huts, Quetta huts and varioustypes of concrete and asbestos huts.1o The Nissen hut was stillin use and there are photographs of Nissen huts in use duringthe Falkland War. A Nissen hut briefly appears in the movieHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

American hutsln the USA, the Quonset hut and its derivatives were developedin the 1940s as the threat of war developed. The Quonset hutwas designed by George A. Fuller and Co. in March 1941 atthe request of Admiral Ben Morreell, Chief of the Navy Yardsand Docks. Fullers were given 60 days to deliver the first order.After studying the Nissen hut, they designed a simplifiedversion and first hut was built at Quonset Point, Rhode lsland."Possibly this design period was a ruse to get around Nissen'spatent. The design is referred to as being copied by Scottl2while Rogers comments that 'the American Navy invented theQuonset hut ' .13The initial design had two distinguishing features: the ribs wereT- shaped, although without the hook bolt, on an 8ft radius at4ft intervals (i.e. a 16ft span). The curve of the archcommenced at ground level. The first Quonset Hut of this typewas shipped to England in June 1941. 'oA revised design used a unique steel-arched db and thisbecame the principal distinguishing feature of the Quonset hutdesigns. The steel arched rib was made of a welded strip steelmember 2in by 3%in. This member was made from twolightweight rolled steel, U-shaped, channels welded togetherand containing a groove that held nails. The rib was curved tostart the inward curve of the structure at 4ft above the ground.The cladding was nailed to the steel rib and an interior liningcould also be nailed to the rib. This speeded and simplifiedassembly. This form of Quonset hut was termed the 'Quonsetredesigned'. The basic dimensions remained at 16ft by 36ft.Quonset huts came in two sizes: normal, of 20ft span, orWarehouse (sometimes called Elephant or SMR Hut) of 40ftspan. The Warehouse used a slightly different structuralsystem. The mdn structural ribs were created by a thin steel U-shaped section punch-joined and spot-welded to two L-shaped members. These formed a curved rib, 6in deep, whichwas supported by 18 riveted metal purlins, which were 2%ointhick. Cross-braces were specified in a 1947 plan for a Type 'B'building;'s these were not apparent on the buildings at EastHills. This formed a basic frame of the building. The ribs wereattached to a sill channel plate (forming the wall plate) bolted toconcrete foundations. The exterior walls were corrugated ironattached to purlins between the ribs by nails, as for the smallerQuonsets. The ends had provision for a high door, '1 4ft wide by13ft 6in.Production of the huts was initially at the U.S. Navy's temporaryadvanced facilities at West Dainsville, Rhode lsland. Productionwas later moved to the Stran-Steel Division of the Great LakesSteel Corporation. Stran-Steel 'ceased production of theQuonset in 1959.16Some 170,000 huts were constructed and used for anypurpose imaginable. They formed part of prefabricated basefacilities that could be deployed around the world.17 For thosewho recall the T.V. series McHale's Navy, most of the buildingswere Quonset Huts. They were also used in Korea andVietnam. By the .1970s, the use of the Quonset Hut was beingdiscontinued as stocks ran down.18

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Australian usageAustralians would have

' l

first encountered the Nissen hut inWorld War l, as numerous examples were used in the Britishlines in France and in the camps in the United Kingdom in1917-18. lmages from the period while not highlighting Nissenhuts do show numerous examples in France. For example, 23Nissen huts are shown in a photograph of the ANZAC Campnear Dickebush taken on 15 November 1917, while 26 arevisible in an image of the Australian Corps Headquarters on 21November 1917.'e During World War l l, many Australians,particularly those in the RAF and RAAF, would haveencountered Nissen huts, which were extensively used tohouse aircrew on the airfields constructed during this time.'?oIt is often stated or imolied that the Nissen huts were erectedin Australia during World War ll. However there is no evidencethat the Nissen hut was imoorted or manufactured in Australiaduring this war, although the Australian military erected aconsiderable number of huts to standardised designs, whichincluded a semi-cylindrical wooden 'Bow Hut' and a semi-cylindrical hut made of 'Fibrolite', There was also a large 100ftby 60ft semi-cylindrical Armco hut in use.There is a file on the pool of Prefabricated Huts established inAustralian Lines of Communication (L of C) during the war.2iThe file commences with the issuing of a memo establishing a'pool' of 200 prefabricated huts in L of C areas in Australia(Quartermaster General to GOC NSW t of C Area,24/11/1942). Two types of huts were in the pool; a plywood hut1Sft by 12ft and a masonite and/or iron (corrugated or plain)hut 16ft by 12tf.. In a subsequent memo Major General Fewtrell,GOC NSW L of C Area, noted that in fact plywood was in shortsupply and that the masonite hut type was more water-resistant especially if it had a metal roof : 'lt is found that, whilemasonite stands up reasonably well for walls, for roofs understeamy, wet and dry conditions, it buckles and is notsatisfactory' (4/1/1943). But steel was a strategic material anddespite attempts to get steel roofs, the Quartermaster Generalinsisted that masonite roofs be used (23/7/1943). Some 185huts were manufactured by F.C.W Powell & Sons in Sydney (inearly 1943) and later C. Davis & Sons of Adamstown (NSW)undertook a contract fol1000 to a modified 'Queenslanddesign'. This was part of a contract of 5000 huts constructedin NSW, Victorian and Queensland in April 1944.22 Presumably,if Nissen or other hut semi-cylindrical types were available,these would have,been used or at least mentioned in this file.

There was an extensive manufacturing program to producePrefabricated Huts on behalf of the United States Army duringWorld war Two. The Allied Works Council undertook thisprogram with production in New South Wales.23 There is adetailed history on US prefabrication that contains both writtenand photographic documentation in the National Archives.2aThe file shows that these buildings were timber-framed withasbestos cement or galvanised iron cladding. There is noevidence of the Nissen or other types being produced inAustralia or imported to meet US requirements.During the War, a large number of new bases were created andexisting ones were expanded. For example, camps atIngleburn and at Greta (NSW) were created in 1939 to housebrigade-sized units for the 2nd AIF Wooden huts were erectedto the 'P -l ' design rather than Nissen huts. Similarly, at thebase at Wallgrove (NS\A/) created in 1942 or at the Bogan Gate(NSW) Ammunition Depot25, Nissen huts were not used.

At RAAF Wagga constructed from 1939 onwards,accommodation was provided in 'C' type huts. Nissen hutswere only used in the post-war era.26 In all these cases, ifNissen huts had been available during the War, surely theywould have been used, as they were extensively used onsimilar sites in the United Kingdom. Instead, standard designsusing wooden frames and galvanised iron or asbestos cementsheets were used." lt is therefore concluded that Nissen andRomney huts were not used in Australia during World War ll, asthere is no evidence in the specifications for construction onmilitary sites brought into use at that time of these hut typesbeing used.28With the advent of the US military in Australia, it is presumedthat the Quonset hut and Warehouses were also erected at USbases; there is evidence from photographs and plans that thisis what occurred. This seems however to be limited toQueensland, where at least four huts have been identified.re

Huts for the immigration programAt the end of World War ll, Australia embarked on an ambitiousprogram of immigration. ln 1947 the Minister for lmmigration,Arthur Calwell announced an intake of 70,000 immigrants peryear.3o Between 1947 and 1951 some 310,OOO assistedsettlers arrived comprising 165, 000 Displaced Persons and120,000 Brit ish immigrants, as well 160,000 self-fundedimmigrants.3l One of the practical problems was where tohouse them (especially considering the widespread housingshoftage of the immediate post-war period). Military baseswere a convenient solutlon as they had accommodation andwere owned by the Commonwealth. Although some baseswere located near capital cities where immigrants would hopeto settle, most of the larger bases were located for strategicreasons in North Queensland. As well, some accommodationwas in tents, which were clearly unsuitable. As a result, newcamps had to be constructed and existing ones enlarged.It was recognised at the highest levels that some form oftemporary accommodation was necessary and it seems thatthe Commonwealth Government, through the HighCommissioner in London, began negotiations to obtain stocksof Nissen huts. Two sources were investigated: purchase ofsecond-hand huts from dealers and purchase of new hutsthrough the British Ministry of Works. Mr W. P. Brown a'technical representative of the Commonwealth ExperimentalBuilding Station' was based at Australia House, London, andhe was involved in the purchase negotiations,Brown noted that 'the usual procedure is for dealers in thiscountry to buy blocks of the huts as they stand all over thecountry. After dismantling them and sorting out all the piecescapable of repair from those which have to be discarded, thedealers then recondition the pieces and rearrange them in hutsets for sale' (Memo dated 22 April 1949, to the HighCommissioner).3'zThe British Ministry of Works controlled newhuts, and after some Australian approaches (seeminglyinvolving the Prime Minister), the Ministry of Works offeredAustralia,660 new 36ft x 16ft Nissen huts at egO each. Theyalso offered 200 60ft x 24ft Nissen huts for e147 and .l00Romney huts, 96ft x 35ft, at e0 (Memo dated 22 April 1949,to the Director General, Works and Housing33).Subsequently Brown noted that 'new' actually meant'unissued' and that 'some [ofl the material has been in stockfor a considerable time'. Some of the comoonents were rusted

and would require treatment or possible replacement. TheBritish Ministry of Works agreed to supply 5% additionalcorrugated iron sheets to cover defective sheets (Memo dated27 May 1949, to the Director General of the Department ofWorks).sa Brown also requested advice from Australia onwhether fittings such as dormer windows and extra ventilatorswere required. lt is not clear whether these were supplied.It is commonly stated that the huts used in Migrant Centreswere acquired from ex-Australian Army stocks made surplusafter the conclusion of the war.35 This is not true for the Nissen,Romney and both types of Quonset huts; they were importedalong with the immigrants. There is no doubt that other Armyhuts such as the wooden 'P' type huts were used for immigranthousing but these were infrastructure already in place onexisting bases (e.9. Greta, Wallgrove). The Migrant Centre atEast Hills, although on Commonwealth land, was a newconstruction that utilised SAAR Huts and Quonset huts for theadministration buildings and Nissen huts for migrantaccommodation.s6 This seems to have been a relativelycommon practice, with the Romney and larger Nissen hutsperhaps replacing the SAAR huts as they were of similar size.Apart from obtaining immigrant Nissen and Romney huts fromthe United Kingdom, two types of Quonset Huts were salvagedfrom United States bases in Manus lsland and shipped toAustralia. These were 100ft x 40ft warehouse huts (later referredto as SMR Huts37) and 56ft x 20ft huts. The smaller Quonsethuts are referred to in the files as being Type A and Type E(however the drawings in the files refer to Types B and C!).38In a memorandum dated 18 January 1950 the followinginformation was given regarding available hut types.3s

Table 1 Available hut types January 1950

However, it is not clear whether these figures refer to shipmentsAustralia-wide or only to South Australia.In a memo to the Secretary of Treasury dated 6 April .1 950, theDirector General of Works notes that 'when the first stage ofthe construction program for accommodating DisplacedPerson migrants is completed approximately 1000 Nissen and45 Romney huts will be available for the second stage, whichwill provide accommodation for British unsponsored migrantsand their families'.ao

53

Ordered ReceivedNissen Huts36'x 16'

330 245

Ex Ministrv of Works 165 110Ex A.J. Anderson and CoNissen Huts96'x24'Ex Ministry of Works 50 20Ex A.J. Anderson and Co 85 0Romney Huts96' x 35'Ex Ministrv of Works 20 zvQuonset Huts56'x 20'Ex Manus lsland 42 4ZSAAR Huts100' x 40'Ex Manus lsland 30 30

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Figure 1 Plan showing the conversion of a Nlssen Hut into migrantaccommodation.

The memo continues to advise that, while in the first stage therewere ten persons to a Nissen Hut, in the second stage it wasenvisaged that 'one migrant, his wife and their dependants'would be allocated to a small Nissen Hut (presumably a 30' x'16'one as this was the smallest type). The Romney huts weremainly used for recreation purposes. lt was estimated that 'atleast' 1500 more Nissen Huts and 50 Romney Huts would berequired. The British Ministry of Works could supply the lot forabout e20,26'l 5. lt was proposed to allocate 300 Nissens and30 Romneys to NSW, 400 Nissens and 20 Romneys to Victoriaand 300 Nissens to South Australia.alHowever, it seems that prices were checked and better pricesand delivery were offered by second-hand building dealers,notably Universal Supplies (Belvedere) Ltd, A.J. Anderson & CoPty Ltd and Utility Buildings, Perth. In a further Memorandum(dated 12 July 1950) the following quotations to supplybuildings were accepted.a2This information, although incomplete to some degree, givesan indication of the size of the huts-for-immigrants programduring the late 1940s.

Table 2Accepted quotes for supply of prefabricated huts

Figure 2 Nlssen Hul near Bungil's Shelter (Victoria), now a drsusedfarm building. (1. Stuart)By 1952-53 however, it is apparent that there were surplushuts. In September 1953 the Department of Works in SouthAustralia advertised the sale of material to make 357 Nissenhuts 30'x 16'wide and 78 Nissen Huts 60' x24' , as surplusto requirements. As well, the components to make incompleteversions of 16 Quonset huts and 1 SAAR were put up for sale.These huts lacked material to make ends or lining. Withoutgoing into specific details all the huts sold at well below their'book value', for example 36' x 16' huts sold on average fore76, almost half of the 'book value' of e 150.43

Many Commonwealth Departments received their Nissen hutsaround this time including the Army and the RAAF. Huts werealso sold as the immigration program wound down and as theCommonwealth Government began to provide better-qualityaccommodation. Huts began to find civilian uses typically asfarm buildings or as garages. Establishing the full range of usesand adaptations of the huts is an interesting challenge for thefuture and an added dimension for heritage assessment.

Figure 3 Detalls of Nr.ssen Hut construction; nate the curved T-shapedrib and the timber flooring. (1. Stuaft)

Accepted Quotation Gost(per hut)Universal Supplies (Belvedere) Ltd1000 Nissen huts 36' x 16' with outer liningof new corrugated iron and inner lining ofsecond hand iron

t118.0.0

A.J. Anderson & Co Pty. Ltd470 Nissen Huts 36' x 16' with outer liningof second hand corrugated iron and withoutinner l ining.

t82.10.0

65 Nissen Huts 60' x 24' with outer liningof 24' gauge aluminium sheeting and withoutinner l ining

1293.0.0

Utility Buildings, Perth400 Nissen Huts 36'x 16'with outer l iningof 24' gauge aluminium sheeting and withoutinner l ining

t113.0.0

137 Nissen Huts 60' x 24' with outer liningof second hand corrugated iron and withoutinner l ining

e245.0.0

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Table 3 Distinguishing features between hut types

Hut Type Span Distancebetween ribs Nature of ribs Attachment of cladding

Nissan 16ft 6ft 0.5', Steel T shape Hook bolt towooden purlins

24ft 6ft 0.5" Steel T shape Hook bolt towooden purlins

Quonset 16ft 4ft Steel T shape,2inby 2? in

Nailed onto woodenpurlins (no hook bolts)

16ft 4ft Lightweight Steeltwo channels weldedtogether 2in x 3? in,

Wooden studs are placedbetween the ribs andsheets nailed to them.

20ft 4ft Three metal purlins,wooden studs are olacedbetween the ribs andsheets nailed to them.

Romney 3sft 8ft 2.Sin squaretubular ribs

Not sure,bolts or screws?

SMR/Quonsetwarenouse

4Oft 4ft centres Lightweight steelsection with two'l- shaped pieceswelded to top andbottom, 6 in

18 purlins, galvanisediron nails throughgalvanised iron intometal purlins

Distinguishing between hut typesThe key issues in differentiating between the various types are:r Overall dimensions (in particular the width, span or

diameter). The length should be in a multiple of the spacebetween ribs, which was different in each hut type.

. The shape of the building cross-section.r Nature of the rib system, including rib shape and spacing.. How the galvanised iron cladding was attached to the ribs

and purlins

These are set out in Table 3.oo (above)The early Quonset wasdifferent in that the inwardcurve of the archcommenced at ground levelrather than about one footfrom the ground in the laterQuonsets.

Figure 4 lnterior rib of aQuonset Hut at East Hills; notemarks where the ribs havebeen welded; a subsequent re-cladding has resulted in thecorrugated iron being screwed,not nailed, into the rib. (1. Stuart)

Figure 5 lnterior detail of the rib of a Quonsetwarehouse: it is of a different form to theQuonset Hut. (1. Stuart)

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RemainsAs time passes, the huts gradually disappear or rust away.Typically, the galvanised iron cladding rusts leaving the frames.Simple maintenance such as keeping the hut painted, makingsure there is no soil build-up over the base and adequatedrainage, helps prevent rust damage.There are sti l l a number of huts surviving although nocomprehensive overall count of huts has been undertaken.However, I know of about 20 Nissen and Quonset Hutssurviving in NSW and Victoria, at least 10 Quonset Warehousesand 1-2 Romney Huts. Nissen huts have been noted nearStawell (Vic), at Villawood (NSW), in the Yarramalong Valley(NSW, Grenfell (NSW, Wee Jasper (NSW) and around Dapto(NSW. A common adaptation has been to mount the hut onsolid wooden stumps, raising it four to six feet off the ground,to create a working area underneath.SMR huts seem to have a higher level of sulival, presumablydue to their size, which makes them readily adaptable to avariety of uses. Interestingly those that the author hasinspected have all shown evidence of twisting stresses in theribs suggesting the dbs are on the borderline of being too light.Examples of SAAR huts can be found on former migranthostels such as Villawood, Mayfield (NSW). Scheyville (NSW,at the University of Wollongong (now added to the NSW StateHeritage Register), as well as Ourimbah (NSW, Footscray (Vic)and in the video clip for Kil l ing Heidi's 'Live Without lt ' . Romneyhuts apparently survive at the former Ingleburn Army Camp,NSW, and at least one exists in Townsville, Qld.It would seem useful for an attemot to be made to conserve atleast one of each type along with an archive of plans andspecifications. To date in New South Wales there have beenlimited attempts at preservation and none that rest solely onthe huts as examples of a unique type of building. Mind you,how many examples are required of identical buildings thatwere produced in their thousands?

ConclusionThe prefabricated semi-cylinddcd hut story is of interest asthey are familiar artefacts, so familiar and embedded in thelandscape and memory that they are gently fading away asthey rust or are demolished. This paper is at least a beginningof a history of the huts that were bolted together.

AcknowledgmentsThe work from which this paper derives was undertaken whileI was at HlA-Envirosciences Pty. Ltd. An earlier form of thepaper was presented at the 2001 ASHA Conference inCanberra and copies have been supplied to a number ofarchitects and historians interested in hut types. Staffs at thevarious offices of the National Archives were heloful inresponding to my inquiries. Specific thanks are due to JaneCummins-Stuart, Brian Egloff, Lauren Cook, Pete Kriz, TonyBrasil, Samantha Mackay and my poor old cat Skerrick.

i

References iCadson E. and Carpenter E. 2000 'Base Advancing a Post-Military ijLandscape' at http://quonsetpoint.artinruins.com, accessed 2Sth April2005.Engineer in Chief (Army) 1966 Handbook of Nissen Huts: 16'0" and 24' 0"Span, lssued December 1944, Revised March i.966, Army Code No14867. Probably a British Army publication. Copy in the plan room CSIG-lD Office RMF Base Wagga, Forest Hill. Another copy with authorFrancis, P 1996 Eritrsh Military Airfield Architecture: From Airships to theJet Age, Yeovil, UK: Patrick Stephens Lrmited.Garner, J. S. 1993 World War ll Temporary Military Buildings: A briefhistory of the Architecture and Planning of Cantonments and TrainingStatlons in the United Stafes, US Construction Engineering ResearchLaboratories.lnnes, G.B. 1995 British Airfield Buildings of the Second World War EarlShinton, UK: Midland Publishing Limited.lnnes, G.B. 2OOO British Aiiield Buildings Volume 2: The Expansion &lnter-War Periods, Hersham, UK: Midland Publishing.Lewis, M. B. 1985 'The diagnosis of prefabricated buildings' AustralianJournal of Historical Archaeology 3: 56-69.Martin, A. W. 1987'The People', pp.59-75 inAustralians: From 1939,eds A. Curthoys, A. W. Martin, and T. Rowse, Sydney: Fairfax Syme andWeldon Associates.McCosh, F. 1997 tVlssen of the Huts: A biography of Lf Col. Peier Nlssen,DSO, Bourne End, UK: B D Publishing.Naval Historical Centre 'FAQ Quonset Hut', 26 August 1998 onwww. history, nary mil/f aq/f aq7 5 - 1 .hytm I accessed 20th Apri I 200 1 .Nolan, G. n.d. 'Australian Timber buildings of World War ll' athttp://oak.arch.utas.edu.aulprojects/retro/war/ruvarhtml accessed on 25thApril 2005.Pullar, M. 1997 'Prefabricated WWll Structures in Queensland', Report toNational Trust of Oueensland.Rogers, J.David n.d. 'Quonset Huts'athttp ://web. u mr.edu/- rogersda/umrcourses/9e342/quonset_huts-revised.pdf accessed on 30th December 2004.Scott, J.T. 1993 Jornt Sfandards for Contingency Construction, ExecutiveResearch Poect A82, The Industrial College of the Armed Forces, USA.Stuart, l.M. 2001 'A Heritage Assessment of remnant buildings formerEast Hills Barracks Site', Report by HlA-Envirosciences Pty. Ltd. to theSydney Property Disposal Unit, Department of Defence.Stuart, l. M.2OO2'Heritage Assessment of the former Ammunition Depotat Bogan Gate, NSW', Prepared for the Australian Department of Defence,Corporate Services and Infrastructure Division.Stuart, l. M., and P. Mills 2003 'A Heritage Assessment of RMF Base,Wagga', Report to Corporate Services and Infrastructure Division Group-Infrastructure Division, Department of Defence by HLA-Envirosciencesand HLCD No D0269.U.S. Navy 1972 Basic Construction Techniques for Houses and SmallBuildings Simply Exphined, prepared by the Bureau of Naval Personnel,U.S.N., New York: Dover Publications Inc.Williams, C. 2003 ldentificetion Guide to 'Quonset' Arched Building Types,Fairbanks, USA: Northern Land Use Research Inc.Young, T. Luke 1996 'The unassuming Quonset: survival of semi-circularsignificance', Cultural Resource Management 4:7-10.National Archives of Australia (NAA):Hostel for Migrants Conversion of 42'x 16' Nissen Hut to sleepingaccommodation Drawing No. VA 2575 13/9/1948.Prefabricated Porlable Huts, SP 459/1 (NAA 420/83/379\.Prefabricated Huts, Provision of Quonset and other Hut types for NewAustrallan's and Storage Purposes (NAA D156/122 , 1955/277).Preliminary Notes for a History of the Allied Works Council - U.S.Prefabrication (NAA 85601/1 , 5).Purchase of Nissen and Romney Huts (NAA D618, lM 25).Quonset Huts (NAA B,3712/O Folders of Construction drawings, numericalseries; Drawer 230- folder 8 (Part 2), Quonset Hut, 1 850- 1973).Specifications and drawings of types of prefabricated buildings andhouses, Department of Works Melbourne (NM 49716/1 , 1640).

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Errata

For some reason I was never given page proofs so a mix up in thecaptions by the editor was not detected until publication.

Figure 5 is in fact the interior rib of a Nissen Hut at East Hills

lain $tuart