| Place | Asia: Japan, Shikoku |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | REL33282 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Heraldry |
| Physical description | Bone, Ceramic, Paint |
| Location | Main Bld: World War 2 Gallery: Gallery 2: Rabaul |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Date made | Unknown |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
Two dice, Zentsuji Prisoner of War Camp : Lieutenant W H Larkin, Lark Force
Description
Two dice used by Lieutenant William Henry Larkin while a prisoner of war. One larger die is made from ceramic with different coloured inset painted pips on each face. The smaller die is made from bone with black inset pips.
History / Summary
These two dice are from a collection of items of Lieutenant William Henry Larkin, an engineer who served with Lark Force and was interned at Zentsuji prisoner of war camp, after being captured by Japanese forces near Rabaul, New Britain in January 1942.
During the little time that these overworked, often tortured and malnourished prisoners of war had spare, playing games amongst themselves such as those involving dice was an important social support and morale mechanism.
Larkin was born in Kew, Victoria in 1920 and served in the Militia prior to the outbreak of hostilities in 1939. At this time Larkin was a member of 34 Fortress Company and in 1940 he volunteered for overseas service with Lark Force, being commissioned as Lieutenant and disembarking for Rabaul in April 1941.
Lark Force, like other bird forces in Ambon (Gull Force) and Timor (Sparrow Force), was charged with defending Allied interests in the islands north of Australia and also to provide early warning of Japanese movements there.
When the Japanese invaded New Britain, Lark Force was overwhelmed and the officers, Larkin included, were captured on 28 January 1942 and eventually transported to Zentsuji prisoner of war camp in Japan.
Here, the Australians were joined by a large contingent of Americans, as well as soldiers and some civilians of British, Dutch, New Zealand and Fijian origin.
In June 1945, the camp was split up into its various nationalities and transported to other camps throughout Japan. The Australians from Rabaul were sent to Sendai on the island of Honshu, though they were liberated just a few weeks later. Larkin was repatriated to Australia shortly after, officially leaving the Army in November 1945, though remaining on the Officers' Reserve list.