Each week until August this year, the Cowra Guardian will feature a short story from the Cowra Prisoner of War camp in the lead up to the 75th anniversary in August this year.
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Commemorations and wreath layings will take place on August 4 and 5.
Working on the war effort
Apart from being the home to the Military Training Camp and the POW Camp, Cowra had many other activities associated with WWII.
There was a power alcohol factory on the site of the current Lachlan Fertilizer business producing 2.75 million gallons (12 million litres) of petrol each year and an annex of the Lithgow Small Arms factory where Cowra helped to make the Bren .303 light machine gun that was an essential weapon for the Australian Forces in the WWII campaigns.
Not all the components were to be manufactured in one location for security reasons, so feeder factories were set up and Cowra was one of these.
The whole of the original building was used for production and to the Southern side was added an entirely new section comprising from west to east - Mess Room, Male Lavatories and Cloak Room, Foreman's Office, Senior Clerk's Office, Engineer-in-Charge, Conference Room, Female Lavatories and Locker Room, and General Store.
The Feeder factory operated from 1943 to 1945. 92 Machines were installed and at one point there were 257 employees.
Edgells
The town had matured considerably and was capitalising on the largesse of wages and supplies needed to feed the many troops and factory workers.
Jewish Refugees from Nazi Germany who had settled on a farm on the Forbes Road, had shown the Edgells family that large scale vegetable production was a possibility.
In 1943, Australia had to rapidly increase its food production for the war effort, specifically for the large numbers of American troops now in Australia and then expected to launch attacks towards Japan.
After an inspection by USA agricultural experts to assess the worth of the Lachlan Valley a decision was made to build the Edgells Factory to produce food for the Allies.
In addition to the construction of the Edgells Cannery, local landholders benefitted from the delivery of larger scale US machinery needed for this new type of farming.
After operation commenced in early 1943 its one millionth can rolled off the production line in December.
Building Activity
Additional housing was constructed in the 'duration' style, being plain and simple two-bedroom fibro cottages.
The debt for the newly built St Raphael's Catholic Church was being speedily reduced from the proceeds of the regular dances run in its hall for the benefit of the troops.
Dances and the local cinema were regularly attended and often sold out.
Dance partners were in high demand and became a problem in that local employers were complaining that their 'girls ' were so tired from their terpsichorean efforts that they were falling asleep at their daytime jobs! What were you told about and what are your memories of the 1940s?
Next week: The Farm Machinery Pool courtesy of the USA