Australian War Memorial Logo
Search

Donate Today

  • Collection Open Information Close Information
    • Official Histories & Unit Diaries
    • Understanding the Collection
    • Research at the Memorial
    • Donating to the Collection
    • National Collection Loans
    • Projects
  • People
  • Visit
  • Commemorate Open Information Close Information
    • Last Post Ceremony
    • Honour Rolls
    • Anzac Day
    • Remembrance Day
    • Customs & Ceremony
    • Speeches
  • Learn Open Information Close Information
    • Schools & Teachers
    • Memorial Articles
    • Encyclopedia
    • Understanding Military Structure
    • Podcasts
    • Glossary
    • Magazine
  • Get Involved Open Information Close Information
    • Donations & Bequests
    • Corporate Partnership
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Volunteer at the Memorial
    • Friends of the Memorial
    • eMemorial Newsletter
    • Grants, Scholarships & Residencies
    • Research Papers
  • Shop Open Information Close Information
    • Memorial Shop
    • Images, film and sound
    • Lone Pine Seedlings

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Memorial Articles
  3. blog
  4. Changi Concert Party Programs: Digitisation Projec...

Main navigation

  • Our People
  • Our Work
  • Our Organisation
  • Media Centre
  • Memorial Articles
    • Australians and Peacekeeping
    • Australians at war
    • Gulf War 1990-1991
    • Journal of the Australian War Memorial
    • Korean War 1950 - 1953
    • NAIDOC Week
    • RAAF Centenary
    • Victory in the Pacific Day
  • Speeches

Changi Concert Party Programs: Digitisation Project

12 September 2014

The Australian War Memorial is currently undertaking a project to make available online its collection of Changi Concert Party programs. This collection of programs was created by prisoners of war for performances by the Changi Concert Party during the Second World War. The project will digitally preserve the Memorial’s collection of these programs as well as provide full colour reference copies on the Memorial’s website for research and study purposes.

As part of this project, the Memorial is also seeking contact with relatives of the persons listed below. These people have been identified as a contributing artist to the cover illustrations featured on these programs. If you have any further information about these people, or their descendants, the Memorial would love to talk to you. Please contact Theresa Cronk via PubandDig@awm.gov.au.

Some of these programs have also been selected to appear in an upcoming Memorial publication to mark the 70th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War in 2015. This publication will feature items, artworks, photographs and stories from Memorial’s extensive Changi collection. A significant part of this collection is of course the concert posters. The book will be published in August 2015 by NewSouth publishing. The Memorial would particularly like to hear from descendants of Wray Gibson regarding the publication. Please contact Lachlan Grant (Lachlan.Grant@awm.gov.au) to discuss this further.

Service number unknown - Wray Gibson

Little is known about Wray Gibson but there are several programs in the collection that are signed ‘GIBSON’. One program has been found to feature his name in full in the bottom right hand corner.  Wray Gibson was an accordion player who also appeared in several performances. Together with Des Bettany, it is believed that he contributed to several other programs as part of a team. This working relationship is also evidenced by a calendar that Gibson and Bettany created for the year 1946: http://changipowart.com/archives/2764. [Collection number: RC01143, RC07301, RC07302, RC07304, RC00847, RC07309, RC07311, RC00851, RC00852, RC00854, RC07318, RC07322, RC07325, RC07327, RC07331, RC07332, RC07333, RC07355, RC00848, RC00853, RC07338, RC01141, SC00168, RC07342, RC07344, RC07346, RC07350, RC07351, SC02106, RC07352, RC07353].

VX31236 - Albert Edmund Gay West

Albert West enlisted at Royal Park, Victoria on 24 June 1940 and served as a sapper with the 2/10 Field Company during the Second World War. The Second World War nominal roll shows his date of birth as 29 September 1909 and the name of his next of kin was D West. The program he is associated with was for a performance titled ‘2nd Anniversary Show’ in March 1944 and shows several playbills on a purple background. [Collection number: RC07300].

Service number unknown - Ken Morrison

Little is known about Ken Morrison. He was the writer/producer of a performance of ‘The time of your life’ and also appears to have been the artist behind the associated programs. This program features a banner across the front highlighting the title of the show with the names of performers appearing underneath. One program in the collection features the initials ‘KM’ and a comment signed ‘Ken’. [Collection number: RC07349, RC02523]

Last updated: 30 March 2021

  • Back to Articles
1 The Donations and bequests

Donations & Bequests

Your generous donation will be used to ensure the memory of our Defence Forces and what they have done for us, and what they continue to do for our freedom remains – today and into the future.

Find out more
2 Visit Transcribe.awm.gov.au

Transcribe

Help preserve Australia's history by transcribing records from the National Collection. Enhance accessibility and discoverability for all Australians.

Find out more
The placesofpride

Places of Pride

Places of Pride, the National Register of War Memorials, is a new initiative designed to record the locations and photographs of every publicly accessible memorial across Australia.

Find out more
Visit the Australian War Memorial

Visit the Australian War Memorial

The Australian War Memorial is open for visitors as we work to expand our galleries. Entry is free and tickets are not required.

Find out more
Canberra Highlands in Grayscale

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF
TRADITIONAL CUSTODIANS

The Australian War Memorial acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, sea and waters. We pay our respects to elders past and present.
Location map of The Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial building

The Australian War Memorial

Fairbairn Avenue
Campbell ACT 2612
Australia
View on Google Maps (opens in new window)
Google Map data ©2025 Google
Australian War Memorial Logo
  • Go to AWM Facebook
  • Go to AWM Trip Advisor
  • Go to AWM Instagram
  • Go to AWM Youtube

Footer

  • About
  • Contact
  • Venue Hire
  • Media
  • WM Magazine
  • Donate Today
  • VG Portal

The Australian War Memorial

Fairbairn Avenue

Campbell ACT 2612

Australia

 

Opening Hours

10 am to 4 pm daily (except Christmas Day)

 

In preparation for the daily Last Post Ceremony,

galleries are progressively closed from 3:40 pm.

 

Public entrance via Fairbairn Avenue, Campbell ACT 2612

Sign up to our newsletter

Subscribe

Legal

  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Freedom of information

Copyright 2025 Australian War Memorial, Canberra. All rights reserved