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Dennis Bolt with Arthur Lewis at the Marrangaroo
project site.
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Dennis Bolt is a mechanical engineer for ECBC’s Chemical
Biological Application and Risk Reduction (CBARR) Business Unit. Currently
serving a one-year secondment to the Australian Department of Defence (ADoD),
Bolt recently had the unique opportunity to visit a few former chemical warfare
(CW) facilities while abroad. During his tours, he met Arthur Lewis—a former
World War II veteran who had actually worked at a number of former defense
sites Bolt visited, including Marrangaroo Depot and Glenbrook Depot and Tunnel.
At age 19, Lewis was a chemical armourer in the Australian
Army and not only worked at numerous CW storage depots, but was involved in
several CW agent trials. “He discussed the operations in great detail and
enjoyed the opportunity to share his experience with others,” Bolt said of
Lewis.
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Drums of the chemical
agent mustard line the right side of the entrance to the Glenbrook Tunnel in
1943. In November 2012, the ADoD invited Bolt to visit the site, along with the
Marrangaroo Depot and the Kingwood/Orchard Hill Depot.
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Bolt was accompanied by Gareth Johnson, from the United
Kingdom Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), and Geoff Plunkett of the
ADoD. Plunkett recently published a book independent of ADoD, titled “Chemical Warfare
in Australia: 1914-1945,” which recounts Australia’s importation and storage of
chemical weapons during that time period. Chemical warfare armourers like Lewis
were responsible for handling the dangerous chemicals.
Bolt serves as CBARR’s primary program manager with the
Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) Precinct. The project
involves a chemical warfare investigation and assessment of various buildings,
laboratories and the surrounding environment at sites such as Maribyrnong, Columboola
and most recently, John Brewer Reef.
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