We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the place now called Victoria, and all First Peoples living and working on this land. We celebrate the history and contemporary creativity of the world’s oldest living culture and pay respect to Elders — past, present and future.

Please be aware that this website may contain culturally sensitive material — images, voices and information provided by now deceased persons. Content also may include images and film of places that may cause sorrow.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain culturally sensitive material — images, voices and information provided by now deceased persons. Content also may include images and film of places that may cause sorrow.

Some material may contain terms that reflect authors’ views, or those of the period in which the item was written or recorded but may not be considered appropriate today. These views are not necessarily the views of Victorian Collections.

Users of this site should be aware that in many areas of Australia, reproduction of the names and photographs of deceased people is restricted during a period of mourning. The length of this time varies and is determined by the community.

Reuse of any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander material on this site may require cultural clearances. Users are advised to contact the source organisation to discuss appropriate reuse.

From the collection of B-24 Liberator Memorial Restoration Australia Inc

168 Items featured online

Oral History:, B-24 Liberator Memorial Australia Inc.,Return of the Australian POW's 1945

Historical information

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.

Significance

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.

Physical description

Approx 25 pp printed on A4 paper in plastic sleeve.

Inscriptions & markings

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'