B-24 Liberator aircraft and their crews were important in the repatriation of thousands of former prisoners of war at the end of the war in the Pacific in 1945.In May 2015 the B-24 Liberator Restoration group organised an exhibition to commemorate the role of B-24 Liberators and their crews in the repatriation of former POWs in 1945 at the end of the Second World War. It was believed that no such exhibition had been organised previously and that the memories of surviving veterans might be lost if no effort were made to record them.This collection includes oral testimonies of 9 surviving veterans who were crew or support staff for Liberators involved in these important missions. It also includes a 7 page summary of the historical context, including statistics of POW numbers, information on Government decisions about repatriation arrangements for South East Asia and the South West Pacific areas, as well as an evaluation of the role of B-24 Liberators in repatriating the former POWs.Approx 25 pp printed on A4 paper in plastic sleeve.Black-and-white illustration of B-24 Liberator at top of front cover. B-24 Liberator Memorial Australia Inc. Return of the Australian POWs 1945.Tribute to the Liberator Crews who repatriated World War II POW.'They couldn't get home quick enough'

The Age newspaper dated Monday January 15, 2024, page 30 - Obituaries - Frank McGovern October1,1919-May 24,2023 W11’s great survivor lived to be 103 - In 1939 McGovern aged 19 enlisted in the RAN and served on HMAS Westralia for 18 months prior to being deployed to HMAS Perth. On February 28 1942, two weeks after the fall of Singapore and having survived the Battle of Java HMAS Perth together with USS Houston entered the Sunda Strait coming into contact with the Japanese invasion convoy. HMAS Perth was vastly outnumbered and with no ammunition remaining the order came to abandon ship. Frank survived the sinking but 347 sailors including his older brother, ultimately perished. Frank became a prisoner of war and put to work on the Burma Railway for 12 months prior to being transported along with over 1000 Australian and British prisoners aboard the Rakuyo Maru to Japan. On September 12 1944 Rakuyo Maru and another prisoner transport ship were struck by American torpedos. As a result 1559 POW’s perished of which 543 were Australian. For the second time Frank survived a torpedo attack only to become a prisoner of war. Frank was a prisoner of war for 3 1/2 years and in 2019 was awarded the Order of Australia for services to veterans and their families, HMAS Perth Association and HMAS Perth Prisoner of War Association.Black frame containing newspaper article with three imagesfrank mcgovern, ran, ww2, pow, hmas perth, battle of sunda strait

Cream leaflet with black print. Photograph of Tran Van Minh. Chieu Hoi symbol. On reverse - hand written letter to soldiers remaining in C7 POW camp . Title, photograph, name and symbol framed by dual black lines.106/71 Hoi Chieu Vien Chiey-Hoi symbol Tran Van Minh Reverse - Letter in Vietnamese signed and datedtran van minh, propaganda

Forwarded to Society by George Woolmer.Clear plastic cover, white margin red plastic margin extending to back cover. Bottom right hand corner on white self adhesive label - "Excerpts from Barmera history by George Woolmer - POW and Internment camps"As aboveloveday camp

Material collected by Paul Konig, a Kormoran survivorBlack multi ring folder with printed material in plastic sleeves. 33 roneod pages written in German which appears to be an official account of the operations of the German Raider Kormoran. Also Paul Konig's POW discharge certificate, etc.Paul Konig (written in top right corner of front page)kormoran, german discharge certificates, paul konig

Singapore POW'sBlack and white photos of Singapore men outside hut for roll call.singapore pow's, h. seefeld

Possession of POW in Camp13B & W photograph of a male sailor standing in front of tree/ fence on snow covered ground. Sailor is a "Kormoran" survivor. Photo on a foamboard backingtatura, photography, photograph, slides, film

A profile of Hans Knorr, sculptor, ex Arandoora Star and Dunera. Interned in camp 1 Tatura Group and later POW camp 13 when status for merchant seamen changed to POW.Black plastic cover, ring binder, spine. 8 plastic pockets contain A4 sheetshans knorr, hilde knorr, arandora star, dunera, internment camp sculptors, wooden sculptures

Possession of POW's at Camp 4.Silver metal coinsilver coin, camp 4 tatura

Possession of POW's at Camp 4.Silver metal coinsilver coin, camp 4 tatura

Possession of POW's at Camp 4.Silver metal coinsilver coin, camp 4 tatura

Possession of POW's at Camp 4.Silver metal coinsilver coin, camp 4 tatura