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Prisoners of War

Main prisoner-of-war camps in which Australians were held

Photo Credit: Australian War Memorial

Experience of Australians in WWII

Prisoners of War

This is a visual Secondary source that presents the the main camps in which Australian prisoners were held.

Prisoners of War

The Australian POWs were kept in unsanitary and filthy areas where there was little or no toilets and where insects were always present. This also caused other infections, diseases and illnesses such as malaria. Their illness made the area a more infectious and unhealthy environment. They also faced tropical ulcers and the most contagious and fatal disease they were able to catch was cholera which caused diarrhoea and dehydration. . Around 60-80% of the POWs died from this within a few days.

An Australian POW, malnourished

Photo credit: WW2 Australia

This is a primary source and it shows the state in which the prisoners were whilst in incarceration.

Prisoners of War: Germany

From the June of 1941, the 5000 Australians captured in Greece were transported to Germany. They were transported via rail in closed goods wagons. The journey lasted almost a week.

Almost 8600 Australians became prisoners of the Germans. The 8600 Australians consisted of 7115 Australian soldiers that were captured in North Africa or Greece, 1476 airmen, and a few sailors.

Prisoners were held in over 40 major camps all over Germany- from Lithuania to the Rhine.

"A week in cattle trucks in the height of sweltering summer … No seats or other amenities. All of us weak and suffering from diarrhoea, many with bleeding bowels and no sanitary arrangements whatsoever."

An extract from an Australian prisoner's diary.

Credit: Australian War Memorial

This is a written Primary source as it is from an Australian prisoner's diary. It describes the harsh and unsanitary conditions that the Australian prisoners experienced on their way to Germany from Greece.

Prisoners of War: Italians

Conclusion

The Australian prisoners of the Italians had initially been captured in North Africa. The first Australian man had been captured in December 1940, and in 1941, a thousand more had been captured.

The prisoners were sent to Italy (from North Africa), risking attack from Allied ships and aircraft while crossing the Mediterranean Sea.

As a result of Italy surrendering in September 1943, some prisoners were able to escape, while others were rounded up and sent to Germany to be prisoners for a further 18 months.

Overall, the Australians experienced harsh conditions as a result in their involvement in the war. Many of the experiences of Australian prisoners were recorded in journals and diaries- many of which tell stories of courage and communicate various cruel encounters.

Main prisoner-of-war camps in Italy in which Australians were held

Photo Credit: Australian War Memorial

Prisoners of War

This is a visual Secondary Source that portrays the main camps in Italy in which Australian prisoners were held.

Due to the food that they were given each day, they lacked in a lot of protein and any other essential nutrients to help the body function properly. As a result of this, malnutrition was caused and many of the prisoners had died due to this illness. This diet also caused an infection within the digestive system and cause severe diarrhoea.

Prisoners of War: Japan

In 1942, Australian prisoners were sent to Sandakan to build an airstrip.

In late 1944, 2000 Australian (and British) prisoners were sent from the Japanese to move westward to Ranau. The prisoners staggered approximately 260km along jungle tracks. On the way, many died or were severely injured and anyone who was unable to continue were killed or left behind in Sandakan. Out of the 2000 or so prisoners sent to Ranau, only 6- all Australians survived the war.

Australians in cramped, filthy areas within the camps.

Photo credit: POWs of Japan

This is a primary source that portrays the living conditions that the Australians faced each day.

"The interviewer produced a small piece of wood like a meat skewer, pushed that into my left ear, and tapped it in with a small hammer. I think I fainted some time after it went through the drum. I remember the last excruciating sort of pain, and I must have gone out for some time because I was revived with a bucket of water. Eventually it healed but of course I couldn’t hear with it. I have never been able to hear since."

Lieutenant Rod Wells, describing torture by the Kenpeitai in Sandakan, 1943

Credit: Australian War Memorial

Kenpeitai- Japanese secret police

Sandakan "Death March"

Photo Credit: Australian War Memorial

This is a visual Secondary Source. This image demonstrates the route of the Australian prisoners that were sent from Sandakan to Ranau.

Rod Wells helped Lionel Matthews (an Australian Army Signal Corps officer) to build a radio at Sandakan. They both were then arrested and taken in as prisoners by the Japanese Police.

This is a Primary written source. This source describes the torture that some Australian men went through from the Japanese police if they were interrogated or arrested. It is in the perspective of an Australian Lieutenant.

Prisoners of War: Japan

In all Australian wartime history, the treatment of the Japanese towards the Australian captives was described to be the most brutal and the most harsh treatment. The POWs were forced into labour, working in factories, construction sites and on railways. They were also fed only half a cup of rice each day with watery, vegetable soup.

Camps across South-East Asia in which Australians were held in.

Photo credit: Australian War Memorial

This is a secondary source as it displays the varying camps over Japan as well as the rest of South-East Asia in which the Australian prisoners were held in.

Experiences of Australians in WWII

Non-attempts of Escape

Many of the Australian POWs did not think or even attempt to escape the camps as they came to the conclusion that there was no point. They were already very sick, ill and lacking in energy so they did not have the strength to have to run, they were in very remote and isolated areas which were far from towns and villages and if they did ever make it to a town or village they would have been turned in by those who found them.

On September the 3rd in 1939, the Prime Minister of Australia, Robert Menzies announced that Australia would be involved in the Second World War. As a result of this, virtually a million Australians- both men and women served. But during the years of 1940-1945, majority of these men and women were taken in as prisoners by other forces such as the Japanese, Germans and Italians. During this time, they faced heavy hardships and faced the most brutal treatment. One third of those who went had died.

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