The petrol dump

The petrol dump at Headquarters 2 Australian Corps in Bougainville depicts the routine work performed at petrol dumps, and also highlights the importance of petrol supplies and vehicle maintenance in areas such as the Pacific Islands. At the Headquarters different companies were utilised for providing specialised services, such as medical aid, technical aid, and in this instance the 2/107 General Transport Company were in charge of the petrol dump. Here, two men are shown pumping petrol out of the 44-gallon fuel drums into a 3-ton Canadian Pattern Ford Blitz truck. In the front, a man is performing routine maintenance on an Australian serialled jeep. The four allied aircraft shown in the sky are possibly Douglas C47 Dakota Transport Aircrafts which supplied forward troops in Bougainiville with petrol via parachute drops. The open, simple structure of the petrol dump tent reflects the temporary nature of the encampment and hence the necessity for easily maneuverable structures.