Showing 177 items
matching pow. prisoner of war
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Melbourne Legacy
Work on paper, The Mummy, 194
A watercolour portrait of an unknown prisoner of war. Presumed to be from Changi Prison as it was stored with sheet music believed to be come with the 'Changi violin' donated by the family of Roy Arnel. It was on display in 2nd floor function room with hand written sheet music until 2024. The reverse of the portrait is text of page 5 from a prisoner of war rule book. It has holes that appear to have made been by a pest.A record of life in a POW camp.A watercolour of the head of a man from Changi prison.Handwritten in pencil, top right is a partial date '31st Ja__'; bottom left 'The Mummy : PA van Dijk' and an indistinct signature. On reverse handwritten pencil notations to the text.changi prison, pow -
Melbourne Legacy
Newspaper - Article, Violin bears memories of Changi's pain and spirit, 1989
A newspaper article with a photo of veteran Jack Geoghegan holding the violin that is part of Melbourne Legacy's collection (see 00080) at The Shrine. Mr Geoghegan was a Prisoner of War in Changi prison. He remembered playing in the concerts that the violin was used in. His signature is one of many, that had signed the violin. Background: This violin was played by VX30301 Dvr Roy Arnel, as a member of the Australian Imperial Force Concert Party, in the Changi POW camp, Singapore from 1942-1945. It is claimed that the violin, in its case was thrown over the wall by a Chinese civilian. Roy Arnel, a South African by birth enlisted on 7 June 1940 at Royal Park, Melbourne and served with 2 AASC Company as a driver. He was captured by the Japanese Imperial Army at the fall of Singapore in February 1942.A record that the violin was of importance to many people during their internment.Newspaper article about the Changi violin published in The Age 26 July 1989.changi violin, pow -
Ringwood RSL Sub-Branch
Document POW Memorial, Bruce Ruxton Memorial Service. The Australian EX-Prisoners of War Memorial Ballarat Victoria 2012, 2012
Good -
Melbourne Legacy
Booklet, They were prisoners
... library collection. world war two prisoners POW Booklet of buff ...A booklet compiled of accounts relating to Changi POW Camp during the Japanese occupation of Singapore. In particular the three YMCA representatives that stayed with the 8th division as welfare workers, despite being offered the opportunity to leave on one of the last ships to leave the island. The accounts were about their service and were used by the YMCA in this booklet to promote their organisation. This booklet was kept in the Legacy Library.Accounts of war time experiences were collected as part of the Legacy library collection.Booklet of buff coloured pages in brown cover about experiences in Changi Camp x 8 pages.world war two, prisoners, pow -
Mrs Aeneas Gunn Memorial Library
Angus and Robertson, Behind bamboo, 1946
The bestselling memoir of life as an Australian POW on the notorious Thai-Burma railway. Rohan Rivett was a journalist in Singapore when it fell to the Japanese in 1942. He escaped south - across the treacherous Bangka Strait - to Indonesia, but was soon captured and became just one of thousands of POWs struggling for existence in a Japanese camp. The struggle was to last for more than three years. Behind Bamboo is unflinching in its honesty and haunting in its realism. It is a vivid, compelling testament to the Australians' will to survive and their unassailable spirit in the face of the most callous inhumanity.Ill, p.391.non-fictionThe bestselling memoir of life as an Australian POW on the notorious Thai-Burma railway. Rohan Rivett was a journalist in Singapore when it fell to the Japanese in 1942. He escaped south - across the treacherous Bangka Strait - to Indonesia, but was soon captured and became just one of thousands of POWs struggling for existence in a Japanese camp. The struggle was to last for more than three years. Behind Bamboo is unflinching in its honesty and haunting in its realism. It is a vivid, compelling testament to the Australians' will to survive and their unassailable spirit in the face of the most callous inhumanity. world war 1939-1945 - prisoners of war - japan, burma railway -
Ballarat Heritage Services
Photograph - War Memorial, L.J. Gervasoni, Ballarat Prisoner of War Memorial, 2006, 12/09/2006
... wall. Ballarat Prisoner of War Memorial Peter Blizzard POW ...The Ballarat Prisoner of War Memorial was dedicated on 06 February 2004 t acknowledge the pain and suffering that all Prisoners of War endured during their time in captivity, to commemorate the thousands of mates left behind and to acknowledge the sacrifice of families during wartime. The memorial was designed by sculptor Peter Blizzard and is made of natural stone-basalt and granite. 55,000 names are etched onto the 130 metre long granite wall.Photograph of the Ballarat Prisoner of War Memorial ballarat prisoner of war memorial, peter blizzard, pow -
Bendigo Military Museum
Book - BIOGRAPHY, WW2, Tom Gilling, 'THE WITNESS', 2022
From front cover. "THE WITNESS/ The fighting had/ ended but for/ Sandakan's most notorious prisoner/ the war was not over."Soft cover book. Cover - cardboard, white and beige print on front, spine and back. Illustrated - front - two colour photographs of "Warrant Officer Bill Sticpewich". 310 pages, cut, plain white paper. Illustrated black and white photographs.publication, book, ww2, pow, sandakan, biography, bill sticpewich -
Hymettus Cottage & Garden Ballarat
Work on paper - Drawing, German Prisoner of War
prisoner of war, world war i, lindsay family, drawing, german, -
Returned Nurses RSL Sub-branch
Book, Catherine Kenny et al, Captives : Australian army nurses in Japanese prison camps
... WWII World War 2 World War Two Japan POW POWs Prisoners ..."Hunger and humiliation were just some of the privations endured by those members of the Australian Army Nursing Service who were captives of the Japanese during World War II. Of the thirty-two held in Sumatra and on Banka Island, twenty-four survived the severe physical conditions in the prison camps. Another group captured in Rabaul were held in Japan, where the cold was as bitter as their hunger. This is the dramatic account of those Australian nurses, of their struggles and their support for each other through the long years of war and captivity. In includes the horrifying story of Vivian Bullwinkel, the sole survivor of the callous massacre on Banka Island where twenty-three women were ordered into the sea and shot. It records the degradation of the daily 'tenko', the starvation and appalling lack of hygiene, but also tells how the women were at times able to rise above these miseries through their concerts and the soaring harmonies of the voice choir. Catherine Kenny interviewd many of the nurses and collected photographs, diaries and letters from the Australian War Memorial as well as from the women themselves." Blurb on back cover of book.Colour front cover, drawn image of people carrying a pole with a rectangular bucket suspended on the pole, the people wear hats and the sky is an orangey colour. Back cover has some quotes from nurses featured in the book as well as a blurb describing the book. Book is covered in clear contact.non-fiction"Hunger and humiliation were just some of the privations endured by those members of the Australian Army Nursing Service who were captives of the Japanese during World War II. Of the thirty-two held in Sumatra and on Banka Island, twenty-four survived the severe physical conditions in the prison camps. Another group captured in Rabaul were held in Japan, where the cold was as bitter as their hunger. This is the dramatic account of those Australian nurses, of their struggles and their support for each other through the long years of war and captivity. In includes the horrifying story of Vivian Bullwinkel, the sole survivor of the callous massacre on Banka Island where twenty-three women were ordered into the sea and shot. It records the degradation of the daily 'tenko', the starvation and appalling lack of hygiene, but also tells how the women were at times able to rise above these miseries through their concerts and the soaring harmonies of the voice choir. Catherine Kenny interviewd many of the nurses and collected photographs, diaries and letters from the Australian War Memorial as well as from the women themselves." Blurb on back cover of book.wwii, world war 2, world war two, japan, pow, pows, prisoners of war, prisoner of war, australian army nursing service, mitliary nursing, australian army -
Returned Nurses RSL Sub-branch
Book, Catherine Kenny et al, Captives : Australian army nurses in Japanese prison camps
... WWII World War 2 World War Two Japan POW POWs Prisoners ..."Hunger and humiliation were just some of the privations endured by those members of the Australian Army Nursing Service who were captives of the Japanese during World War II. Of the thirty-two held in Sumatra and on Banka Island, twenty-four survived the severe physical conditions in the prison camps. Another group captured in Rabaul were held in Japan, where the cold was as bitter as their hunger. This is the dramatic account of those Australian nurses, of their struggles and their support for each other through the long years of war and captivity. In includes the horrifying story of Vivian Bullwinkel, the sole survivor of the callous massacre on Banka Island where twenty-three women were ordered into the sea and shot. It records the degradation of the daily 'tenko', the starvation and appalling lack of hygiene, but also tells how the women were at times able to rise above these miseries through their concerts and the soaring harmonies of the voice choir. Catherine Kenny interviewd many of the nurses and collected photographs, diaries and letters from the Australian War Memorial as well as from the women themselves." Blurb on back cover of book.Colour front cover, drawn image of people carrying a pole with a rectangular bucket suspended on the pole, the people wear hats and the sky is an orangey colour. Back cover has some quotes from nurses featured in the book as well as a blurb describing the book. non-fiction"Hunger and humiliation were just some of the privations endured by those members of the Australian Army Nursing Service who were captives of the Japanese during World War II. Of the thirty-two held in Sumatra and on Banka Island, twenty-four survived the severe physical conditions in the prison camps. Another group captured in Rabaul were held in Japan, where the cold was as bitter as their hunger. This is the dramatic account of those Australian nurses, of their struggles and their support for each other through the long years of war and captivity. In includes the horrifying story of Vivian Bullwinkel, the sole survivor of the callous massacre on Banka Island where twenty-three women were ordered into the sea and shot. It records the degradation of the daily 'tenko', the starvation and appalling lack of hygiene, but also tells how the women were at times able to rise above these miseries through their concerts and the soaring harmonies of the voice choir. Catherine Kenny interviewd many of the nurses and collected photographs, diaries and letters from the Australian War Memorial as well as from the women themselves." Blurb on back cover of book.wwii, world war 2, world war two, japan, pow, pows, prisoners of war, prisoner of war, australian army nursing service, mitliary nursing, australian army -
Bendigo Military Museum
Poster - POSTER, RED CROSS, Red Cross, "Who will be Red Cross Junior?", 1943
Refer Cat No’s 7028, 7029 for VAD, Red Cross and fund raising.This is a quarto sized poster with glossy white paper. Printing is in red ink. Main image shows a little toddler with red bow in her hair, placing a penny into a Red Cross money box. A sign in black ink beside it states - Proceeds to the Prisoners of War Fund. At the bottom is a little statement Red Cross 'Junior' Competition.Staple hole on top LHS. On the rear, in pencil, are the raffle plans and prizes = Babyset - Palmer Club Raffle - Wireless - (YMCA Dance on 17th) - Hann Raffle - Bicycle - Love Birds - Permit for (S..?) Ann - Radio Drive. ww2, pows, red cross -
Wangaratta RSL Sub Branch
Badge, unknown
Badge commemorating the Sandakan death marches, one of the worst atrocities suffered by Australian troops during WWII.Australian prisoners were sent to Sandakan in 1942 to build an airstrip. At first they were treated reasonably well. Gradually, however, rations were reduced and bashings increased. By late 1944, with Allied forces advancing toward Borneo, the Japanese decided to send about 2,000 Australian and British prisoners westward to Ranau, in Borneo’s rugged interior. Weak and sick prisoners staggered for about 260 kilometres along jungle tracks. Many died on the way, their bodies never recovered. Those unable to continue were killed; those too weak to march had been left behind in Sandakan, where all died or were killed. Only six – all Australians – out of about a thousand sent to Ranau survived the war. The Sandakan “death march” remains the greatest single atrocity committed against Australians in war.Circular badge with green background and black text and figures. Six soldiers are silhouetted next to a tree. Safety pin clasp on back."LEST WE FORGET" "Sandakan Ranau / Death March"pow, world war two, death march, sandakan death marches, borneo -
Returned Nurses RSL Sub-branch
Newspaper - Newspaper clipping, Ross Brundrett, Wilma recalls war horror, Friday, 13 August 1999
... Vyner Brooke and her time as a Japanese prisoner of war (POW... Vyner Brooke and her time as a Japanese prisoner of war (POW ...Article and photograph relating to former nurse Wilma Young recounting her experiences as a survivor of the sinking of the SS Vyner Brooke and her time as a Japanese prisoner of war (POW) on Bangka Island Indonesia. Her talk was part of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the revised Geneva Conventions.Page of a newspaper with multiple headlined articles, a colour photograph, logo and advertisement. Photograph of three women looking at the camera, two are in nurses uniforms with white wimples and the third wearing a multicoloured jacket with four medals and various pins attached.wwii, world war 2, world war two, wwll, australian army nursing service, aans, bangka island, ss vyner brooke, wilma elizabeth forster oram, wilma elizabeth forster young, geneva convention -
Wangaratta RSL Sub Branch
Newspaper - Framed newspaper article, The Age, 15/1/2024
The Age newspaper dated Monday January 15, 2024, page 30 - Obituaries - Frank McGovern October1,1919-May 24,2023 WW2 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 -
Bendigo Military Museum
Magazine - THE AUSTRALASIAN/ WW2, The Australian, 3 Nov 1945
Item in the collection of "William John SULLIVAN" VX57829. Refer Cat. No. 9523P for his service details.Cover - missing. Magazine 60 pages - cut, plain, off white paper. Illustrated in color, black and white photographs, maps and sketches. Contains a "PRISONER - OF WAR SOUVENIR" pages 25 to 40. Spine - metal staples.magazine, ww2, pow, william john sullivan -
Wangaratta RSL Sub Branch
Work on paper - Envelope
One of several letters sent to Mrs M MacDonald of Grey Street Wangaratta by soldiers during the second world war. This one is from Private Peter Alan ANDERSON VX 33905 Born 17/2/1910 Enlisted 21/2/1941 Served with 2/24th and 2/29th Battalions Prisoner of War - B Force / Japanese Died 25/2/1945 due to illness in Borneo - Labuan Memorial Malaya - POW No 282 Victoria's 2/24th Infantry Battalion was raised in Wangaratta in July 1940. They were welcomed with open arms by the local community as they rapidly built up their numbers. The people of Wangaratta adopted the Battalion and they became known as "Wangaratta's Own" because of the time the battalion spent in the town during its formative period prior to deployment overseas. Many of the soldiers maintained life long friendships with the people of Wangaratta. Even though the Battation was disbanded in 1946 members and their families return each year, in November, for a commemorative service at the 2/24th Battalion Memorial Wall at the Wangaratta Cemetery.Cream paper envelope with censor stamp and stickerTop left - By air mail Left side - AIF Censor stamp and sticker along fold "Opened by Censor" Right side - Mrs M MacDonald "Monald" 32 Grey Street Wangaratta Victoria Australia Rear VX33905 Pte P Anderson R.O.D A.I.F Malaya ww2, pow, private peter alan anderson vx 33905, 2/24th batt, 2/29th batt -
Wangaratta RSL Sub Branch
Photograph - Unframed Photograph, Italian Prisoner's of War - WWI
Black and white photo of Italian prisoners of war.On back: 21 Italian prisoners awaiting transport to the internment camp in their own lorries. Publicity section Cairo.wwi, pow, italian -
Alfred Hospital Nurses League - Nursing Archive
Book - Illustrated book, Barbara Angell 1935, A woman's war; the exceptional life of Wilma Oram Young, AM, 2003
This is the story of one of Australia's most remarkable women. As a prisoner of war for three and a half years during World War II, Wilma Oram, a young Australian nurse experienced the very worst of human brutality: starvation, deprivation and degradation. Yet, through the comradeship of her fellow prisoners, she also experienced humankind at its best. Following her return to Australia, Wilma was inspired to help her fellow ex-POWs and war veterans through her tireless work with the RSL.Illustrated book, with three black and white photographs of Wilma Oram Young (as student nurse, in army uniform and in older age). There is a mid-brown band above this photo on which the title is printed in black and white, below the photos there is a black band on which the author's name is printed in light brown. Spine has mid brown background with title printed in black, author's name in light brown, and publisher's mark in white. The back cover has a summary of the book printed in black ink on a light brown background.non-fictionThis is the story of one of Australia's most remarkable women. As a prisoner of war for three and a half years during World War II, Wilma Oram, a young Australian nurse experienced the very worst of human brutality: starvation, deprivation and degradation. Yet, through the comradeship of her fellow prisoners, she also experienced humankind at its best. Following her return to Australia, Wilma was inspired to help her fellow ex-POWs and war veterans through her tireless work with the RSL.wilma oram young, nurses-australia-biography, world ward 1939-1945-prisoners and prisons-japaneses -
Ringwood RSL Sub-Branch
Souvenir - Framed object German and RAAF from Tom Fiedler RAAF Collection, WW2 onwards
Cased items 10 German, 4 RAAF and 5 Prisoner of War. plus a cigarette case made from Italian Dixie by a Russian prisoner. Tom Fiedler collectionMemories of traumatic period as a POW 7th Jan. 1944 to 28th May 1945. by a RAAF Air Gunner. Tom Fiedler Collection -
Bendigo Military Museum
Badge - ACTIVE SERVICE, MEMBERSHIP BADGES, All post 1945
.1) badge, brass, "Returned From Active Service". Crown at top over wings. Rising Sun and Anchor. Boomerang at base with "Returned From Active Service, rear has 2 lugs and pin. Rear is stamped with a number. .2) Membership badge, metal, centre has 3 figures, crown at top with pin date 1954 membership. Front of badge "Returned Sailors, Soldiers and Airmans Imperial league of Australia. Numbered stamped badge on rear with 2 lugs and pin. .3) Membership badge, metal centre has 3 figures crown at top with pine date 1994 membership. Front of badge "Returned Services League Australia". Numbered stamped badge on rear with 2 lugs and pin. .4) Membership badge, metal, 5 star shape with wreath around. Centre in light blue circle "Ex POW R.A". Small pin at bottom in red with "50" denoting membership 1950. rear has 2 lugs and is stamped with number. .5) Membership badge, metal, crown at top, centre has depiction of barbwire through blue background. At bottom is a "v" then scroll with "Ex Prisoner of War Assn" in red. rear lhas 2 lugs and pin. .6) Membership badge, metal cone shape with small hole at top. Pin with "73" under denoting membership 1970. At bottom in blue "Rising Sun, Wings and Anchor surrounded by "Chelsea Returned Servicemens Club". Rear is numbered stamp..1) Issued by Commonwealth Government of Australia” .2) “Property of League V41531” .3) “Property of League V80354” .4) "593" .6) "470"”numismatics - medals /military, membership -
Bendigo Military Museum
Badge - MOTHERS AND WIDOWS BADGE WW11, 1942
One star on the clasp means " One son K.I.A in WWII" This Mothers and Windows Badge was issued to Mrs M Baldwin, the mother of Pte Walter Robert Baldwin who died as a prisoner of war in Burma on the 27th of May 1943. He rests at the Thanbyuzayat Prisoner of War Cemetery, which is in what is now called Myanmar. This is a Death Railway related POW cemetery. Walter Baldwin was born in Mildura on the 12th of May 1921, and prior to enlisting lived at Iron Bark in Bendigo with his parents. He enlisted as No VX55835 in the 2nd AIF on 14.5.1941 in the 2/29th Batt aged 20 years. Embarked for Singapore on 30.7.1941 and disembarked 15.8.1941. He contracted Malaria in a December 1941. Taken POW early 1942 he is listed as died suffering from Cholera on 27.5.1943. “The 2/29th Infantry Battalion was formed at Bonegilla in Victoria in October 1940. It was part of the 8th Division's 27th Brigade, which was the last AIF infantry brigade raised for service during the Second World War.” Badge, metal, "for Australia." Circular section depicting a woman, wreath and an arm. suspended by two rings is a clasp with one star =. Rear has 2 lugs and a pin." issued by C'wlth govt A12229”numismatics - badges - military - army, mothers, widows -
Alfred Hospital Nurses League - Nursing Archive
Book - Illustrated book, Patsy Adam-Smith 1924-2001, Prisoners of war: from Gallipoli to Korea, 1998
This book has not been written for ex-prisoners: they know the homesickness of exile, the tyranny of bondage; it was written for those people of today who know little of the experiences of these men and women, of their courage, endurance and pain. It has been written for the generations to come.Illustrated book. The front cover and spine have the same black and white photograph of six men walking ("the guards were old, the soldiers young. Bertie Giles is third from left) Front cover has full title in red and black print, authors name in white print. Spine has abbreviated title in red print, authors name in black and white print and publishers name in black print. Back cover has a black and white photograph of a group of women (Australian nurses, (civilian and army) after being held POW for almost three and a half years by the Japanese). Under this photograph is a summary of the book and information about the author.non-fictionThis book has not been written for ex-prisoners: they know the homesickness of exile, the tyranny of bondage; it was written for those people of today who know little of the experiences of these men and women, of their courage, endurance and pain. It has been written for the generations to come.prisoners of war-australia, world war 1914-1918-prisoners and prisons, world war 1939-1945-prisoners and prisons, korean war 1950-1953 - prisoners and prisons -
Alfred Hospital Nurses League - Nursing Archive
Magazine - Illustrated magazine, Philip J Turner & Rex Curtis-Griffiths, Wartime: Number 7 Spring 1997, 1999
The Australian experience of war: the magazine contains other war related articles, the ones referring to nursing experiences are Florence Nightingale, Fanny Hines (died of pneumonia in the Boer War), Catherine Tully (awarded the 1914 Star with clasp) other World War One Experiences, Jessie Simmons (World War Two POW) Ann Mackinnon (served with the 2/6th Australian General Hospital), RAAF medevac nurses in Vietnam, nurses in Rwanda, and a review of the film Paradise Road.Illustrated magazine. The front cover has a copy of a painting by Hilda Rix-Nicholas: Australian soldier of the Great War. The man is wearing a metal helmet and combat uniform. Title and list of contents are printed are printed in gold and red brown on front cover also. non-fictionThe Australian experience of war: the magazine contains other war related articles, the ones referring to nursing experiences are Florence Nightingale, Fanny Hines (died of pneumonia in the Boer War), Catherine Tully (awarded the 1914 Star with clasp) other World War One Experiences, Jessie Simmons (World War Two POW) Ann Mackinnon (served with the 2/6th Australian General Hospital), RAAF medevac nurses in Vietnam, nurses in Rwanda, and a review of the film Paradise Road.military nursing-australia-history, world war 1914-1918, world war 1939-1945, vietnam war, world war 1939-1945 prisoners of war, rwanda, nurses, nursing -
Bendigo Military Museum
Furniture - TABLE, POW, c.1943 - 1944
This table was made by Italian POW's at the Land HQ Cartographic Company for the Officers Mess, Fortuna, Bendigo in 1943-44.Coffee table made from timber & masonite, has bottom shelf, all sections held together by wedge & groove, timber section has been varnished.Plaque etched & attached to table: This Table Was Hand Made By The Italian Prisoners Of War Attached To The Land Headquarters Cartographic Company For The Officers Mess 1943 - 1944army survey regiment, royal australian survey corps, rasvy, army svy regt, fortuna, asr -
Wangaratta RSL Sub Branch
Photograph - Framed photograph, Cpl Sperry BODSWORTH
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 -
Narre Warren and District Family History Group
Book, Douglas McLaggan, The will to survive : a Private's view as a POW, 1995
This book is about the life and times of Doug McLaggan starting with the vanished era of the 1920s and 1930s, which led up to the Second World War in which so many youngsters eagerly enlisted. McLaggan among them, saw action only briefly before becoming a POW after the fall of Singapore. It shows the young private soldier's viewpoint of the POW experience; of the mateship, humour and above all the courage and determination and willpower to live under circumstances ranking among the the most appalling of the 20th century. Even during the most trying periods, McLaggan risked his own security by keeping a meticulous diary. From these diaries emerges an extraordinary account of one man's will to survive when men unfit to work on the railway were so cruelly treated by the Japanese engineers in charge of its construction. The story of the POWs under the Japanese has been told before, but McLaggan's account, simply and honestly told, combined with his often forthright views makes this a fascinating and moving story of an ordinary man faced with an extraordinary test of body and mind. (Back cover)non-fictionThis book is about the life and times of Doug McLaggan starting with the vanished era of the 1920s and 1930s, which led up to the Second World War in which so many youngsters eagerly enlisted. McLaggan among them, saw action only briefly before becoming a POW after the fall of Singapore. It shows the young private soldier's viewpoint of the POW experience; of the mateship, humour and above all the courage and determination and willpower to live under circumstances ranking among the the most appalling of the 20th century. Even during the most trying periods, McLaggan risked his own security by keeping a meticulous diary. From these diaries emerges an extraordinary account of one man's will to survive when men unfit to work on the railway were so cruelly treated by the Japanese engineers in charge of its construction. The story of the POWs under the Japanese has been told before, but McLaggan's account, simply and honestly told, combined with his often forthright views makes this a fascinating and moving story of an ordinary man faced with an extraordinary test of body and mind. (Back cover)doug mclaggan, world war 1939-1945, prisoners of war -
Monbulk RSL Sub Branch
Book, Hugh V. Clarke and Colin Burgess, Barbed wire and bamboo : Australian POWs in Europe, North Africa, Singapore, Thailand and Japan, 1993
A collection of stories of capture, imprisonment and escape in World War I and II. Covering experiences in Europe and in South East Asia, the book presents contrasting PoW experiences - of daring escapes from Colditz Castle, and of endurance and slow suffering in Japanese camps.Ill, maps, p.159A collection of stories of capture, imprisonment and escape in World War I and II. Covering experiences in Europe and in South East Asia, the book presents contrasting PoW experiences - of daring escapes from Colditz Castle, and of endurance and slow suffering in Japanese camps.world war 1939 – 1945 - prisons and prisoners - japanese, world war 1939 – 1945 - prisons and prisoners – germany