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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
historic environment volume 19 number 1 2OO5 5 I
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52
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
historic environment volume 1 I number 1 2005
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.
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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
historic environment volume 19 number '1 2005
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54
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
historic environment volume 19 number '1 2005
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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)
JJhistoric environment volume 19 number '1 2005
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56
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
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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
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No. VA 2575 13/9/1948.Prefabricated Porlable Huts, SP 459/1 (NAA
420/83/379\.Prefabricated Huts, Provision of Quonset and other Hut
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historic environment volume 1 9 number 1 2005
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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