Index, bib, ill, maps, p.224.Within three months of the Japanese entering World War II on December 8, 1941 over 22 000 Australians had become prisoners-of-war. They went into camps in Timor, Ambon, New Britain, Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Singapore and Malaya, and a few were scattered to other points in what was briefly part of the Japanese empire. Later most of the prisoners were to be shifted further north into South-east Asia, Formosa, Korea, Manchuria and Japan itself. They were captives within lands and cultures and to experiences alien to those known to all other Australians. At the end of the war in August 1945, 14315 servicemen and thirty service women were alive to put on new, loose-fitting uniforms and go home. One in three of the prisoners had died. That is, nearly half of the deaths suffered by Australians in the war in the Pacific were among men and women who had surrendered. Another 8174 Australians had been captured in the fighting in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa: but of these men only 265 died as a result of wounds, disease or execution.By any quantitative measure the imprisonment of so many Australians is a major event in Australian history. For many soldiers it was living --and dying --in captivity which made World War II different from that of World War I. But the prisoners have received no permanent place in Australian history. Their story is not immediately recalled on celebratory occasions. In a general history of the nation in which a chapter is given to the war the prisoners might be mentioned in a sentence, or part of a sentence. Where the horror, stoicism and gallantry of Gallipoli have become part of a common tradition shared by all Australians, the ex-prisoners are granted just the horror. The public may be sympathetic; but the horror is for the prisoners alone. To make another comparison: in five months of fighting on the Kokoda Trail in 1942 the Australians lost 625 dead, less than the number who died on Ambon. Yet the events on Ambon are unknown to most Australians. There were no reporters or cameramen on Ambon and, for the 309 who defended Ambon's Laha airfield, no survivors. How many of them died in battle or died as prisoners will never be known. But there are more than just practical reasons why the record of the prisoners of war is so slight and uneven in the general knowledge of Australians. They have not tried to find out. No historian has written a book to cover the range of camps and experiences, and only in specialist medical publications has anyone investigated the impact of prison life on subsequent physical and mental health. The complexity of the experience and its impact on particular lives have not been expressed in a way to give them significance for other Australians.world war 1939 – 1945 - prisons and prisoners – japanese, world war 1939-1945 - personal narrativies - australia

Dr Janice Newton has had a long term interest in Indigenous Studies and Aboriginality, and has published papers linking Aboriginality to the counterculture and to artists and musicians. She has published a paper commenting on Ballarat's response to the death in 1896 of King Billy, the so called 'last of his tribe'. Janice has recently taught courses on 'The Anthropology of Indigenous Art' and 'Indigenous History' at Federation University Australia.56 page soft covered booklet outlining the life of Ballarat's Mullawallah (also known as King Billy or Frank Wilson). Numerous photographs. The book 'Mullawallah: The Last King Billy of Ballarat' is an initiative of Victorian Interpretive Projects. It is available for purchase for $15.00 (additional for postage). Please email [email protected] for further details. Images include: Ercildoun, Lake Burrumbeet, Lal Lal Falls, William Buckley, Warrenheip, King Billy and his Camp in McCree's Paddock, King Billy and His Tribe, Carl Walter King Billy, Mary of Carngham, Rosa of Carngham, King Billy (Bullip Bullip), Queen Mary of Buninyong, Queen Marie of Ballarat, Queen Mary and King Billy and their original mia mia, Football at Ercildoune, Thomas Jerusalem, Samuel Wilson, Frank the last of the Ballarat Tribe, The Burial of King Billy, King Billy's Grave. mullawullah, frank wilson, king billy, aborigines, wathauwrung, wadawurrung, aboriginal, ercildoun, ercildoune, lake learmonth

From Laborer to Author: the Flowers in Heaven Are Rooted in Hell is the biography of an astonishing - and stubborn - man. Hoa Minh Truong changed his life around because of the English he learned in a re-education camp after Saigon fell on April 30, 1975.vietnam refugees, fall of saigon, biography

At the end of August 1940 the Hired Military Transport Dunera, a boat carrying around 2,500 European male internees, the majority of which were Jewish, arrived on Australian shores after two arduous months at sea. Although many had made England their home, their German or Austrian background caused these men to be classified as ‘enemy aliens’ by the British Government and sent to Australia without their families. The ‘Dunera Boys’ were interned in camps at Tatura and Hay. Although some internees were released after two years because they possessed specific industry skills which would aid the nation, others were interned for the entire duration of the war. This collection brings together objects, personal effects and documents relating to the journey, internment and subsequent military service in the 8th regiment experienced by the ‘Dunera Boys’. Also included are artworks and poems created by the internees during their interment, which express the thoughts and feelings of the men and document the daily life in the camps. Velvet, silk, silk embroidery thread, cotton thread, silk cord, leather, cotton and wood

Diary kept during Prof. Rainer Radok's internment in Australia, following his arrival by ship on the HMT Dunera.At the end of August 1940 the Hired Military Transport Dunera, a boat carrying around 2,500 European male internees, the majority of which were Jewish, arrived on Australian shores after two arduous months at sea. Although many had made England their home, their German or Austrian background caused these men to be classified as ‘enemy aliens’ by the British Government and sent to Australia without their families. The ‘Dunera Boys’ were interned in camps at Tatura and Hay. Although some internees were released after two years because they possessed specific industry skills which would aid the nation, others were interned for the entire duration of the war. This collection brings together objects, personal effects and documents relating to the journey, internment and subsequent military service in the 8th regiment experienced by the ‘Dunera Boys’. Also included are artworks and poems created by the internees during their interment, which express the thoughts and feelings of the men and document the daily life in the camps.This is an A5 size notebook of 90 pages, all handwritten in German. Pages are numbered on the upper corners and each entry is dated. Back cover is titled: "Arithmetical Tables" and "Multiplication Table". The blue cover is attached with yellow adhesive tape and is very loose from the inner pages. There are a few drawings throughout.Handwritten in ink on the front cover is the inscription "Radok 1940-1941." Written below in pencil is the address "16 Grove St. Passaie N.J."

Photograph of Private later Corporal Sperry Bodsworth born 27/8/1909. In 1940 aged 30 years he enlisted in the Army and assigned to the 2/21 Battalion. On 13/12/1941 the Battalion was deployed from Darwin to Ambon in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, to form part of "Gull Force". The Battle of Ambon occurred between 30 January to 3 February, 1942. In April 1942 Bodsworth was listed as missing and on 1/6/1942 was reported as a Prisoner of War. Bodsworth was awarded a Mention in Despatches.The Battle of Ambon (30 January – 3 February 1942) occurred on the island of Ambon in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), during World War II. Japan invaded and conquered the island in a few days, facing Dutch, American and Australian forces. The chaotic and sometimes bloody fighting was followed by a series of major Japanese war crimes. Allied casualties in the battle were relatively light. However, at intervals for a fortnight after the surrender, Japanese personnel chose more than 300 Australian and Dutch prisoners of war at random and summarily executed them, at or near Laha airfield. In part, this was revenge for the sinking of the Japanese minesweeper, as some surviving crew of the minesweeper took part.. Three-quarters of the Australians captured on Ambon died before the war's end. Of the 582 who remained on Ambon, 405 died. They died of overwork, malnutrition, disease and one of the most brutal regimes among camps in which bashings were routine. Blood Oath, a 1990 Australian feature film is based on the real-life trial of Japanese soldiers for war crimes committed against Allied prisoners of war on the island of Ambon, in the Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia), such as the Laha massacre of 1942.Brown timber frame containing black and white photograph of WW2 Soldier wearing slouch hatww2, gull force, ambon, sperry bodsworth, pow

On the night of 30-31 January 1942 this small force of 1131 Australian soldiers were stationed at Ambon, an island which formed part of the Netherland East Indies (now Indonesia). An invasion of approximately 20,000 Japanese overwhelmed Gull Force and the majority of the Australian soldiers were taken prisoner. The execution of 229 at Laha, starvation, over work, disease and the absence of medical supplies led to horrific loss. At the cessation of hostilities only 352 of the original 1131 had made it back to Australia. 779 members of Gull Force made the supreme sacrifice and now lie in foreign fields. The Battle of Ambon (30 January – 3 February 1942) occurred on the island of Ambon in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), during World War II. Japan invaded and conquered the island in a few days, facing Dutch, American and Australian forces. The chaotic and sometimes bloody fighting was followed by a series of major Japanese war crimes. Allied casualties in the battle were relatively light. However, at intervals for a fortnight after the surrender, Japanese personnel chose more than 300 Australian and Dutch prisoners of war at random and summarily executed them, at or near Laha airfield. In part, this was revenge for the sinking of the Japanese minesweeper, as some surviving crew of the minesweeper took part.. Three-quarters of the Australians captured on Ambon died before the war's end. Of the 582 who remained on Ambon, 405 died. They died of overwork, malnutrition, disease and one of the most brutal regimes among camps in which bashings were routine. Blood Oath, a 1990 Australian feature film is based on the real-life trial of Japanese soldiers for war crimes committed against Allied prisoners of war on the island of Ambon, in the Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia), such as the Laha massacre of 1942.Brown timber frame with gold coloured inner edge containing badge and tribute on grey backgroundGull Force 2/21 Battalion Ambon Laha In memory of and tribute to the Officers and Men of "Gull Force" comprising of 2/21 Battalion and attached Units.gull force, 2/21 battalion, ambon, ww2

This copy of the original was written by Lieutenant Hans Folter and Major Helmut Bertram. Hans who was captured Jan 22nd, 1941 at Solum near Tobruk North Africa along with Major Helmut Bertram. They were subsequently sent to Australia on the "Queen Elizabeth" and held prisoners of war at Dhurringile P.O.W Camp for German Officers, 1941 - 1947. This book describes life in P.O.W camp - recollections and sketches.Descriptions, recollections and sketches of life in P.O.W camp - Dhurringile. Donated by the daughter of Hans Folter. Monica Culen.Soft mustard coloured cardboard cover, with black binding on spine. 20 plus A4 pages. Ink sketches throughout book. This copy is written in German. Chronicle of the prisoners of war German Officers in Australia.luftwaffe pilot hans folter, major helmut bertram, dhurringile, ww2 pow's

Wartime memoirs of Werner Buschmann, a German Merchant Seaman, captured on the "Hohenfels" and brought to Australia for internment, later classified as a prisoner of war. Printed material in black plastic folder, comprising of 62 pages of A 4 size pages in clear plastic sleeves. mv hohenfels, german merchant seaman, ranji tiki, dhurringile pow camp, hohenfels, werner buschmann, ralf taeuber