We have detected unusual traffic activity originating from your IP address. Why did this happen? This page appears when online data protection services detect requests coming from your computer network which appear to be in violation of our website's terms of use. Please send me more information about the property. Could I have a price guide? What is the property size? When are the inspection times? What are the strata fees/levies/rates? Why am I being asked this information?Search the collectionAsk us a questionUsing the collectionA–Z for researchersFact sheetsFamily historyPopular research topicsSnapshots of the collectionManaging our collectionPreserving our collectionPublications and podcasts Cowra breakout, 1944 – Fact sheet 198 On 5 August 1944, Japanese prisoners of war (POWs) housed in the detention camp in Cowra, New South Wales staged a breakout. Armed with improvised weapons including baseball bats and sharpened mess knives, they stormed the perimeter fences and overcame the machine gun posts.

Never likely to be successful, the breakout resulted in the death of 231 Japanese prisoners with a further 108 wounded. All survivors were recaptured in the surrounding countryside in the days that followed.Four Australians were killed in the breakout – Privates Benjamin Gower Hardy, Ralph Jones and Charles Henry Shepherd. Lieutenant Harry Doncaster was killed when ambushed during the recapture of the prisoners. Hardy and Jones were posthumously awarded the George Cross.A Military Court of Inquiry investigated the incident, and a summary of its findings was read to the House of Representatives by Prime Minister John Curtin on 8 September 1944. The summary indicated the following:that conditions at the camp were fully in accordance with the International Convention;that no complaints regarding treatment had been made by or on behalf of the Japanese prior to the incident, which appeared to have been a premeditated and concerted plan of the prisoners;that the actions of the Australian garrison in resisting the attack averted greater loss of life

, and that firing ceased as soon as control was assured; andthat many of the dead had died by suicide or by the hand of other prisoners, and that many of the wounded had suffered self-inflicted wounds. Curtin’s statement also noted that the attack was characterised by ‘a suicidal disregard of life’. A selection of the most significant records about the breakout of POWs from the Cowra camp held by the National Archives, and by the Australian War Memorial, is provided in the table below. Title or description of recordDate rangeSeries number Escape of Japanese Prisoners of war from Cowra 1944 (includes map of camp, description of events and casualty figures)A373, 10020Prisoners of war in Australia – Japanese escape from Cowra camp, August 1944 (includes correspondence re coroner's findings)A1066, IC45/32/3/2Mutiny of Japanese prisoners of war at Cowra camp (includes prime minister's statement, nominal roll of deceased POWs, and details of court of inquiry)

A1608, AX20/1/1 Outbreak of Japanese prisoners of war at Cowra (includes prime minister's statement and press cuttings)A5954, 674/7History – Directorate of Prisoners of War and Internees – The Cowra Incident (Chapter 22) – important eventstulipa curtains (includes results of court of inquiry and coronial inquiries)tangerine blackout curtainsA7711, volume 1Cowra Camp – prisoners of war – Japanese escapeesmartha stewart curtains morning mist (includes Prime Minister's statement)apple green silk dupioni drapesSP112/1, M 57Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph (Sydney) – breach of censorship regulations by the press on publishing details re the breakoutcurtains and blinds newquay

(includes original press article and a legal opinion)SP195/1, 73/23/32Repatriation Act 1920–63 – theatre of war – Cowra POW outbreak – Captain PP Smyth entitlement (includes legal opinion re compensation)A432, 1964/3179Archival arrangements and request for access – HA Gordon – Cowra POW camp outbreakpalm tree shower curtain kohl's (includes nominal roll of deceased POWs)curtains and blinds newquay Japanese Cowra trialsSP196/1, 1 part 1Japanese Cowra trialsSP196/1, 1 part 2Japanese Cowra trialsSP196/1, 1 part 3Japanese Cowra trialsSP196/1, 1 part 4Japanese Cowra trialsSP196/1, 1 part 5Japanese Cowra trialsSP196/1, 1 part 6Japanese Cowra trialsSP196/1, 1 part 7Japanese Cowra trialsSP196/1, 1 part 8Burials – prisoners of war – Cowra War CemeterySP459/1, 445/1/6640Administrative instructions, general correspondence

, signals etc – Japanese prisoners of war outbreak, CowraSP1048/7, S56/2/1094 Proceedings of a court of inquiry into the search for and recapture of certain prisoners of war who escaped from Cowra POW camp on 5 August 1944, and the death of Lieutenant Harry DoncasterSP1048/7, S56/2/1125Japanese prisoner of war outbreak, Cowra, 1944SP1048/7, S56/2/1302Cowra internment campSP1714/1, N45633 part 6 Cowra mass escapeB2944Photographs of the Cowra mass escapeB5458Cowra POW camp – Department of War Graves Services report on attempted mass escape by Japanese POWs and subsequent death tollMP742/1, 132/1/211ADisturbance at Cowra POW campMP742/1, 255/15/375 Nominal roll of Japanese buried at Cowra Japanese cemeteryAWM54, 780/1/7Findings of a court of inquiry on the mass escape of Japanese prisoners of war, Cowra NSW, including nominal roll of deceased Japanese prisoners of warAWM54, 780/10/3B Findings of a court of inquiry on the mass escape of Japanese prisoners of war, Cowra NSW, including nominal roll of deceased Japanese prisoners of warAWM54