Cowra’s Prisoner of War Breakout remained firm in the memory of one man who witnessed the event as he joined others in marking its 69th anniversary.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Maurie Miles was the only surviving soldier involved in the breakout’s events to attend their commemorations Monday.
He joined Japanese Ambassador Yoshitaka Akimoto, Cowra mayor Bill West and members of Cowra’s RSL Sub-Branch in marking the event at the Australian and Japanese War Cemeteries.
A service at the Prisoner of War Campsite also commemorated the Breakout.
Maurie and his son Mal travelled from Albury to attend the ceremony in Cowra despite fears the former soldier was too ill after suffering a recent stroke.
In 1944 Maurie Miles was training at the Infantry Battalion near the POW camp at 18 years of age when the breakout happened.
In the following days Maurie helped scour the countryside looking for any escapees, given a bayonet with two bullets and told to use ammunition sparingly.
At 1.50am on August 5, 1944, more than 1000 Japanese prisoners aiming to escape the disgrace of capture launched a mass breakout.
All escapees were captured the next week, and in the breakout 231 prisoners were killed along with four Australian soldiers.
Mr Miles joined Mr Akimoto and Cr West laying a wreath at the Australian War Cemetery Monday morning, followed by representatives of the Buddhist Koyasan Shingon Mission, Cowra Breakout Association, RSL Sub-Branch, National Servicemen's Association and local schools.
Friends and family of Breakout veterans helped remember the day at the POW campsite, where three wreaths were laid at its memorial monuments.
Cowra-Japan Society director Tony Mooney said he was pleased to see many students at the war cemeteries’ wreath laying service.
“That’s important for the future, they get an appreciation of it and an appreciation of Cowra’s unique history," Mr Mooney said.
“It invariably attracts quite a lot of interest not only in Cowra but throughout Australia.”