THE COWRA BREAKOUT….
At 1.50 am on the clear moonlit night of August 5, 1944, the largest Prisoner of War breakout in modern military history occurred at Cowra. More than 1000 Japanese prisoners launched a mass 'suicide attack' on their guards, Australian soldiers of the 22nd Garrison. To the Japanese, the disgrace of capture could finally be overcome by dying in armed battle.
Armed with crude weapons, four groups each of approximately 300 Japanese threw themselves on to barbed wire fences and into the firing line of Vickers machine guns. Protected only by baseball mitts, blankets, and coats and using their comrades as a human bridge to cross the tangled barbed wire, more than 350 Japanese clawed their way to freedom.
All escapees were captured during the following week. A total of 107 POWs were wounded, 234 prisoners died along with 5 Australian soldiers.
From the tragedy of war and the Cowra Breakout came a long-lasting friendship between the people of Cowra and the nation of Japan. There is much in Cowra today which serves as a reminder to these events.
Explore the many historical sites below and immerse yourself in our history.
EXPLORE
Cowra Voices App
The Cowra Voices storytelling app was launched on August 3, 2019 as part of the 75th anniversary commemorations of the Cowra Breakout. The app aims to explore narrative connections between Australia and Japan, encouraging a deeper, more intimate engagement with Cowra’s history through audio/multimedia storytelling.
The app includes stories of the Wiradjuri elders, personal histories of people buried at the Cowra Japanese War Cemetery, and local stories of grassroots peace-building by members of the local Cowra community.
Cowra Voices was developed through a partnership between Arts OutWest, Nikkei Australia, Cowra Shire Council, Cowra Tourism, and Tokai University with support from ABC Central West and app developer Sazae.
The app is available for download on Google Play and the Apple App Store.
You can download the official brochure here.
When the War Came to Cowra
The Cowra Breakout Association are excited to announce the completion of a new project funded by the Commonwealth Government through the Department of Veteran Affairs 'Saluting Their Service' program.
When The War Came To Cowra is a historical video depicting life at Number 12 Prisoner of War and Internment Group.