Matron (Major) Olive Dorothy PASCHKE No VX38812 enlisted in the AAMC on 3.8.40 age 35 years. Promoted to Matron 8.1.1941, posted to 10th AGH on 11.1.1941, embarked for Malaya 3.2.1941 disembarking 18.2.1941, awarded the RRC 1st Class 1.1.1942 in the New Years Honors list signed by Gordon Bennett, detached to 2/4th CCS on 6.1.1942, embarked from Singapore 12.2.1942 for Australia. She was serving in Singapore when the Japanese invaded. She with many other Nurses during the bombing left on the ill fated "Vyner Brooke" which was later bombed by the Japanese in the Sundra Straits near Banka Island. Abandoning the ship she and 5 other Nurses drifted away on a raft and never seen again on 14.2.42. Many others became POW,s, drowned or murdered by the Japanese. Her records state believed killed on or after 11.2.142 dated 8.6.1944 then Now reported missing and for official purposes presumed dead, dated 11.4.1945. Records state she was granted the promotion of Major in 1943. CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) RRC ( Royal Red Cross) AGH (Australian General Hospital)Five page "order of service" re the unveiling of a memorial to "Matron O.D. Paschke RRC AANS 10th Australian General hospital." at the Dimboola Memorial High school." A sepia tone photo of O.D Paschke is stapled inside the order of service." printing is in blue & Brown. Front page has the Australian coat of arms at the top.documents - pamphlets, religon - christian, paschke, pow

The items in this Archival folder relate to Arthur Edmund TRANTER V50166, VX52843 POW, his wife Pat and Daughter Brenda. There are two more Archival folders, Cat No's 7957.2 & 7958.2. Refer Cat No 7944 for A.E. Tranters service history..1) Black Archival folder container. .2) Black Archival folder, 3 ring binder with plastic inserts. This has the following: 1. Certificate of Service 2nd AIF 1941 - 45 2. Certificate of service CMF 1939 - 1941 3. Corporals certificate 38th BN 1939. 4. Certificate relating to a "mention in Despatches" 5 &6. Letters re the awards of the "Efficiency Medal" 7. Black and white photo with "Streader, Drake and Tranter" 1939. 8. Ships menu "TMS SIBAKAK" Sept 1941. 9. 2/29th BN reunion menu 50th Anniversary. 10. Document on "How to learn Morse Code". 11. Document, Grant of a War pension, Tranter 1951. 12. Document re War pension Payments. 13. Document re "Return to Civilian life for POW"s. 14. Exercise book from Singapore with names re 2/29th BN. 15. Cartoon copy, Medan Melbourne Frog Cup 1942. 16. Hand drawn sketch black pencil of "Tranter" by E.W. Porter 17th Dec 1942. 17. List of recommendations for an "MID" re POW's in captivity. 18. POW working party list and casualties 8.3.1944 at "Atjeh". 19. POW casualties on the "Harukiki Maru"26.6.1944. 20. Eight newspaper cuttings re casualty lists and War news. 21. List of Australian POW's in Sumatra. 22. Menu Sheraton Hotel 2/29th BN Reunion. 23. Five photos of the Tranter Family re wife Pat and Daughter Brenda. 24. 2/29th BN Xmas card 1942. Card, General Base AIF Malaya 1941 - 42. 25. Twenty four POW Post cards via Australian/Japanese Red Cross. 26. Nineteen telegrams re "Welcome home 1945" 27. Two photos re "Welcome home, Shire of McIvor. 28. Letter written at sea to Pat and Brenda. 29. Welcome home luncheon menu Shire of McIvor 8th April 1946. 30. Letter dated 15.9.1945 to Pat and Brenda. album pow, documents, tranter

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

Last issue of newsletter published by Australian Prisoners of War Association to families and friends of individual internees.Small 16 page newsletter. Yellowing paper with black writing containing pictures, articles and letters relating to P.O.W.'s and civilian internees.No inscriptions.prisoner of war, newsletter

Lecture was from Capt. "F.J.S. Hoad", 7th Battn., on his experience as a POW in Germany during WW1. Hoad enlisted 18.8.14 No. 641, Rank Sgt F. Company, 7th Battn., embarked 19.10.1914. Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant 24/8/15, RTA 20/12/18, was reported missing 18/8/16 POW Germany. Part of the collection of William (Bill) Thomason.Cream coloured invitation to Capt. W. Elliot to attend a lecture by a former WW1 POW. Itemised it's location, Date ad time, who from and some key attendees. Blank on the reverse side,Invitation addressed to “Capt. W Elliot", dated “Wed 20th May 1936” and from “Camberwell North Progress Association”f j s hoad, collection of william (bill) thomason, invitation

Robert JACKSON VX36296 enlisted in the 2nd AIF on 5.7.1940 aged 39 years. Taken POW in Malaya. Discharged from the Army on 12.12.1945. Born in Eaglehawk.Cigarette lighter, metal, round, silver, has push knob on top to open, lighter at side to ignite.On rear: “VX36296 S R JACKSON POW BURMA”accessory, lighter, cigarette, pow

Suitcase was made by Italian POW's at the prison camp in Murchison, Victoria in the 1940's. Refer Cat No 3673 for other items re POW's. Suitcase made from varnished timber & masonite. Metal handle hinges & locks.container, suit case, pow, italian

Item was made by Italian POW's at the prison camp in Murchinson, Victoria in the 1940's. Refer Cat No 3672 for other items re POW's.Cupboard made from varnished timber & masonite. Inside has 3 x masonite shelves, hinges are metal, door handle is plastic.container, cupboard, pow, italian

The main sepia photo is Francis A Burchnall VX58285 POW. The small inset photo is Francis R Burchnall 1666 and VX64477 WW1, WW2, POW WW2. Refer Cat No,s 1116P and 1117P for their service details.Main photograph sepia tone of a soldier in uniform minnus a hat, small B & W photo glued on top left hand corner, frame is metal with a plastic covering protecting the main photo, Small photo is not protected.“Vincent Kelly Bendigo”photopaper, framed, pow, sandakan

The notebook contains a list of KIA, WIA, Missing, & POW's during April 1941. Book belonged to Allan Frederick LEACH VX13568 2/8th Batt AIF. He enlisted on 2.3.1940 & taken POW on Crete. He was discharged from the 2nd AIF on 31.8.1945. He also held two other Regt No's, 373749 and VX504180..1) Cardboard case covered in leatherette cloth. .2) Army Field notebook insert..2) No 153.documents, military, notebooks

Ill, maps, p.359.non-fictionHell′s Heroes is the story of the POW camp that never was − so dubbed by one old soldier because the atrocities that occurred there went largely unreported at the time. For while the Burma−Thai railway‚ the Bataan death march and events at Changi and in many other parts of Asia became synonymous with Japanese brutality‚ most of the camps which were set up to provide slave labour for the enemy military machine at home were slowly forgotten in the aftermath of World War II.world war 1939 – 1945 - prisons and prisoners - japanese, atrocities - japan

Letter written from (unknown) POW imprisioned by the Japanese on Morotai Island from 1942 - 1945 to (unknown) friend. Descriptive of life and treatment in POW camp. The island was captured by the Japanese in early 1942. Morotai's southern plain was taken by American forces in September 1944 during the Battle of Morotai, and used as a staging point for the Allied invasion of the Philippines in early 1945, and of Borneo in May and June of that year. Japanese soldier Teruo Nakamura was discovered in the Morotai jungle in 1974, as one of the WWII Japanese soldiers who held out subsequent to the Japanese military's surrender.Photocopy of letter, 4 pages, originally written in ink on (unofficial) Australian Red Cross form.Added to head of letter at a later date is inscription ' First letter written home for 3 1/2 years'.Top left hand- FOR SAFETY/ IN YOUR LETTERS DO NOT REFER TO:-/ The name of your ship or other ships in the convoy, or its escorts./The date of sailing, ports of call, or probable destination./ The description of troops, their loca-/tion or any other information/ which, if intercepted, would be of/ value to the enemy. In your Top right hand- Australian Red Cross Society/ (UNOFFICIAL)/ 25-8-45/ (added at later date 'Morotri Island')/ Alex, Have witten this especially/ as i don't wish our women folk to know the tougher side of life./Well Alex for the first/ 2 1/2 years as POWs we lived reasonably/ well, but the last 15 months was like /hell. Heres the worst lot of b-s/ you could find on earth, they worked /us from 7AM till 6 PM, & fed/ us on muck you wouldn't feed to/ Pigs. I'm nothing at all they would 2, pow, morotri island, morotai island, world war, prisoner of war, australian red cross society

These 2 cupboards are in what was the “Writing Room” of the Soldiers Memorial Institute Pall Mall Bendigo where the Bendigo RSL held occupancy from the day the building was opened in 1921. The room is now known as the “Building and RSL History Room”, of the Bendigo Military Museum. The four Units on the 2 cupboards had large Associations in Bendigo. The 57th Bn basically had one Whole Company of Soldiers from the Bendigo region during WW1. The POW’s which were mostly from WW2 and held many great reunions in the Main Hall. The 38th Bn was raised in Bendigo in 1916 for the 1st World War, after the war it became a CMF unit up into the 1960’s. The 6th Bn was one of the first Victorian Bn’s to be raised for WW1. Third photo. A third cabinet was built on top of the L/hand side one at a later date. The photo gives a layout of the the 2 cabinets and fireplace..1).2) Both cabinets are built into the recess beside the fireplace, both are timber with 4 doors on each. Each set has brass or gold painted wording on..1) One above the other, in brass, “57th Bn”, in gold paint “Ex POW Social Club”, in brass “38th Bn”. .2) In brass, “6th Bn”.brsl, smirsl, associations

The Bugle was played by the British over 2000 times to warn of impending air raids in the Middle East. When a new electronic siren was installed Bill Nicholls souvenired it and carried it in his haversack until he reached home. William Bona Nicholls No VX36468 2/24 Batt 9th Div. (Born Bendigo, enlisted Royal Park) on 12.8.40, embarked 16.11.1940 for the Middle East, promoted L/Cpl 8.5.1941, served in the Seige of Tobruk, El Alamein and Middle East Campaigns. He was taken POW at Derna and escaped after 8 hours. Embarked for Australia 1.2.1943 and disembarked Melbourne 25.2.1943. Embarked for New Guinea 1.8.1943, hospital 5.12.1943 with Degue Fever, rejoin unit 9.12.1943, served in the Lae and Finschafen campaigns. Promoted Sgt 11.2.1944, embark for Australia from Finschafen 28.2.1944 and disembark Brisbane 7.3.1944. Evacuated to hospital 16.3.1945, appears to be Anxiety State. Discharged from the Army 3.9.1945 with the rank of S/Sgt.Copper & brass army bugle with nozzle & holding chain.Main section of bugle has: a lettered crest, & Besson & Co, London, 1940musical instruments - wind, military history, bugle, tobruk

Six POW postcards sent by Private Stanley Pascoe CHANDLER VX57554 to his mother Christina Chandler in Wahgunyah Victoria. Chandler was born in Wahgunyah and enlisted on the 11/6/1941 at Royal Park in Victoria. Chandler served with the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion and was reported missing in Java in April 1942 during WW2. He was discharged on the 15/1/1946 The post cards were printed by the Imperial Japanese Army for POW's to send home that describes the good climate, food, medicine and clothes. They also allow room for a brief message. Chandler wrote that he was interred with his friend Frank Allen, received 10 cents per day and has not had any illness. POWs were supposed to be able to communicate with their family at home through the International Red Cross under certain conditions. For example, they were limited to 100 letters. However, in reality it was impossible for them to communicate with family more than once or twice during the duration of imprisonment, and there were camps where the POWs were not allowed to communicate with the world outside the camp at all. The average number of cards which the Japanese allowed to be sent out was from four to five for the whole period of captivity, and only some of these reached their destinations.Timber frame containing six POW postcards mounted on cardboard. Postcards printed by Imperial Japanese Army for POW's to send to families, describing their health and living conditions.Postcards have messages home, "Dear Mother, prisoner of war, unwounded and well. Hope all well at home. Love and kisses Stan".pow, world war 2, burma, wahgunyah victoria, prisoner of war, stanley pascoe chandler

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. There was more than one concert party in Changi as indicated on the rear of the violin. The details of the Dutch, British and American Concert Parties scratched in to the varnish. There are the some well known names scratched into the violin including: The English author and cartoonist, Ronald Searle; Australian entertainer, Frank Rich; and Australian Author, Russell Braddon. Mr Arnel died in 1982 and the violin was presented to Melbourne Legacy for preservation, safe keeping and display. Further research found that one of the AIF comedians, Harry Smith, had a catch phrase, 'You'll never get off the Island' which became almost the watchword of the prisoners throughout the captivity. That ties with the phrase etched around the outside of the violin, "We'll never get off the island."A very valuable piece of equipment brought back from World War II now on display in Legacy House function room.Violin (00078.1): Violin case (00078.2): Bow (00078.3): Bag of violin parts (00078.4):Around the edge of the instrument's body: "We'll never get off the island" On the front body of the violin: "AIF concert party"; "P.O.W. camp Singapore" Names inscribed on the front body of the violin in columns from left to right: Ray Tullipan, Fred Stringer, Herb Almond, L Jacques, Keith Harris, Jack Garrett, Dave Goodwin, H Sabin, Fred F Brightfield, Jack Boardman, Ern Warne, Ern Banks, T Hoffman, Roy P Arnel, Harold W Reid, W Middleton, Douglas Matthews, Bob Picken, Harry Smith ('appy Harry), Ted Druitt "VIOLIN PLAYED BY" VX30301, (DVR) R S Arnel AIF Concert Party in POW Camp Selerang and Changi Gaol Singapore 1942-1945; T Mack O.C and Producer Harry Tennall; Jack Smith; Walter W Dains; Keith C Stephens; C E Trotter; W Sullivan, Syd Piddington; John Nibbs; Doug Peart; John Wood; Jack Geoghegan; Berry Barton; Barney Bolton; Tom Hussey; Kim De Grey; Clarrie Barker; Ron Caple; Russ Bradon; Bernard McCaffrey; Bart Galbraith; Charles Wiggins; Stan “ Judy” Garland. Rear of Violin has inscriptions top to bottom, left to right. Hans???en; Dutch Concert Party; H.S. Van der Linden; M Bark; B Freunbusch; F Horguine; H. J. Hurgarden; Lt H. J. Scholer (Violin); H.A.F. Pet; M Van Dyk; W J Witte; G H Fransen; E Ewig; M Ruwart (Hypnotist); A V Korem(Dancer) C N Rob (Violin) C H Kuipers (Guitar); W C Emmenes (Cellist) L H R???? (Violin) British Concert Party Alex????; P Holland ( “ Dutchy” Accordian); Wray Gibson :AH!; E J Bawer (Drums); Clem (Lofty) Relf(Clarinet); Bill Williams (Piano); Ken Luke; Ronald Searle; Charles Dobman “Good Luck”; Dan Harts(”Professor”); Gil Mitchell ( Violinist); John Fitzgerald; E Botor (Tenor Horn); Ronald Lewis; Ronnie Horner; Robin Wilbury; Jack M Wood ( Producer); Denis A S Houghton (Bass); C J Buckingham; Stan Mesurier; E B Dobson USA Concert Camberts Party Don Smith; Owen Baggett; Denis Roland; Stan Willner; Albert “ HAP” Kelley (Trombone); Joe Manella; Charles Kelleher. Internal manufactures tag “ “Excelsior” Brand Specally made for the Tropic and reputed for good ton and workmanship Made in Czechoslovakia”changi violin, pow

Maurice Miles served in the Australian Army in World War Two and was present at Cowra when the Japanese POW breakout occurred. He joined Citizien Military Forces in 1965, serving with 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles till 1985. He was a keen rifle shot and this shield was a way of fostering the skill within the regiment.Representative of community efforts to foster military skills in citizen soldiers.Wooden shield with 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles badge at centre and plaques arranged around edges recording winners of competition.Donated by / S Sgt Maurie Miles / & Family / upon his retirement / 8/13 VMR / 1965-1985cowra, cmf, vmr, military, world war two, marksmanship

Earnest Victor Rider Taken in the 1940's. Two photographs in uniform, One photograph is of his grave in 1943, Was a POW sent to "Siam" and died from Beri Beri Refer ND7764>e v rider, ww2

Nursing a memory Several of the nurse survivors of the Banka Straits tragedy share their stories and personal recollections of the war. Some nurses wrote books, some talk about staying optimistic while being prisoners of war (POW), others say they've never stopped being stunned by the war years. Fifty years after the Banka Straits tragedy and the years the POWs spent in camps in Sumatra, the poignancy has not been dulled, and has been etched into the memories of the nurses who survived. Betty Jeffery, now in her 80's, says that despite the hardships she faced, it change her life for the better. When the ship, the SS Vyner Brooke, was bombed she was in the water for seventy hours. In the POW camps they slept on concrete floors and starved as food was allowed to rot just out of reach. The nurses that endured so much together have stayed in touch. Betty has also written a highly successful book, 'White Coolies', based on diaries of her experience. Of all the nurses Vivian Bullwinkel is the most celebrated, her story being one of ultimate survival. One of a group of about 100 survivors after the sinking of the SS Vyner Brooke, she and the others thought the Japanese wouldn't kill such a large number when they surrendered to them. The soldiers were bayonetted, the nurses and civilians were lined up in the sea and shot. Vivian played dead. A tribute to Aussie courage A brief recounting of the sinking of the SS Vyner Brooke and the survivors' three and a half years as prisoners of war (POW) of the Japanese. Of the sixty-five who attempted to evacuate Singapore on the SS Vyner Brooke, twenty-four made it home to Australia. A memorial to the brave Australian nurses has been organised to ensure their contribution is remembered forever.A large newspaper clipping consisting of two stories with titles and four columns of text each. The larger story also has two black and white photos, on of an older woman holding a book, and the other of two young women leaning in toward each otherww2, wwii, world war two, vivian statham, 13th agh, aif, vyner brooke, florence nightingale medal, muntok, malacca, iole harper, australian army nurses, katong, perth, red cross, heidelberg repatriation hospital, fairfield hospital, wilma oram, 13th australian general hospital, murtoa, warrnambool, singapore, johore baru, wilma young, cardinia, jessie simons, in japanese hands - australian nurses as pows, jessie hookaway, tasmania, british, singapore harbour, banka island, empire star, prisoner of war, palembang, sumatra, malay, dutch, ex-prisoners of war association of australia, sir edward 'weary' dunlop, jenny greer, ahs wanganella