We commemorate...

the 80th anniversary of The Cowra Breakout - 5 August 2024.

The Cowra Breakout

During the Second World War, 2,223 Japanese prisoners of war were housed in a compound on the outskirts of Cowra in New South Wales. The 5th of August 2024 marks the 80th anniversary of The Cowra Breakout, which saw the escape of several hundred prisoners – culminating in the death of 234 Japanese POWs and three Australian soldiers.

Learn more about this moment in Australia’s military history in our range of books - available now.

The Man Inside: The Bloodiest Outbreak

By Graham Apthorpe.

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Blankets on the Wire: The Cowra Breakout and its Aftermath

By Dr Steven Bullard (with Japanese translation by Keiko Tamura).

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The Cowra Breakout

By Mat McLachlan.

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Images: Australian War Memorial 064284.