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Changi quilt presented to wounded Australian soldiers

One of three signature quilts made by some of the 400 civilian female internees in Changi Prison during the first six months of their captivity, from March 1942. This one was made for the Australian Red Cross. A second made for the Japanese equivalent of the Red Cross is also held by the AWM. The third quilt is held by the British Red Cross. The quilts were the idea of a Canadian internee, Mrs Ethel Mulvaney, who had been a Red Cross representative in Singapore. The making of the quilts was designed to alleviate boredom, boost morale and to pass information to men in other camps that the women and children were alive [however many of the women who made squares were unmarried or previously widowed]. Mrs Mulvaney secured the permission of the Japanese commandant to pass the quilts, ostensibly made for the 'wounded' as stated on the back of each quilt, to Changi hospitals. It is not known if the quilts ever travelled further than this, or how many men actually saw them. Each woman was asked to put something of herself into her square. As a result some squares contain quite obvious messages, some have concealed meanings [the key to many of these is not known] and others are simply decorative. While the Japanese tolerated the word 'gaol' on the quilts [they may not have been familiar with the word], the word 'prison' was not acceptable so when Mrs Mulvaney came to assemble the quilt she had to unpick the word when it occurred. The work of four Australian women is represented on this quilt: Dr Margaret Smallwood, Sheila Allen, Judy Good and Helen Loxton. It is likely that a quilt was made for the Australian Red Cross not because there were many Australian internees, but because it was assumed that the Australian Red Cross would play a major part in supplying aid to Singapore and POWs in Asia.

The quilt is made up of 66 embroidered squares, each signed in embroidery with the maker(s) name. All the squares are edged with turkey red chain-stitch. The squares are bounded by a broad white cotton border, and the same material has been used as a backing. The back of the quilt has red embroidery stating “Presented by the women of Changi internment camp 1942 to the wounded Australian soldiers with our sympathy for their suffering. It is our wish that on the cessation of hostilities that this quilt be presented to the Australian Red Cross Society. It is advisable to dryclean this quilt”.

Click on the squares of the quilt to view the embroidery on the individual square: