Australian War Memorial Logo
Search
  • Online Shop Use this login for Shop items, and image, film, sound reproductions
    Cart  |  Log In
  • 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
    • Wartime 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
    • Help and Information
    • Lone Pine Seedlings
    • Images, film and sound

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Visit
  3. Exhibitions
  4. Stolen Years: Australian prisoners of war
  5. Stolen Years: Australian prisoners of war - The Se...
  6. Stolen Years: Australian prisoners of war - Prison...
  7. Stolen Years: Australian prisoners of war - Changi
  8. Stolen Years: Australian prisoners of war - Food

Main navigation

  • Other Exhibitions
  • Art in Conflict
  • Current Exhibitions
  • Past Exhibitions
  • Touring Exhibitions
  • Online Exhibitions

Stolen Years: Australian prisoners of war - Food

  • Introduction
  • First World War
  • Second World War
  • Korean War
  • Prisoners of the Germans
  • Prisoners of the Italians
  • Prisoners of the Japanese

 

Food

“Virtually a starvation diet”

 

Ta ra ra boom de ay
We’ve soup and rice today
We had it yesterday
We have it everyday

Aircraftman Ken Parkyns, RAAF, Zentsuji camp, Japan

 

Perhaps the greatest and most prolonged atrocity committed against prisoners of war was that they were always starved of food.

As soldiers, Australians had consumed about 4,000 calories each day. In Changi, they received about 2,000. On the railway, on Ambon, at Sandakan, and in many other places, they received far less. Slowly starving to death, they suffered a range of debilitating dietary conditions. It was no wonder that, for some, collecting recipes became a passion.

Collection Item C340279

Accession Number: P02569.132

Newly-captured prisoners had to adjust to a rice diet. “The first efforts of army cooks to cope with rice defy description. It appeared on the plate as a tight ball of greyish gelatinous substance, nauseous in its lack of flavour and utterly repulsive” (Sergeant David Griffin, 2/3rd Motor Ambulance Convoy).

    Prisoners of the Japanese

    • Surrender
    • Changi
    • The Burma-Thailand Ralway
    • Survival
    • Ambon & Hainan
    • Sandakan
    • Outram Road
    • Nurses
    • Civilian internees
    • Witness
    • War Crimes

    Stories

    • Selarang Barracks incident
    • Occupying the mind in changi
    • The changi quilts
    • Food
    • Murray Griffin works of art

    Last updated: 17 January 2020

    Explore the Collection

    Explore the Collection

    Our collection contains a wealth of material to help you research and find your connection with the wartime experiences of the brave men and women who served in Australia’s military forces.

    Find out more
    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
    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. All visitors require a free timed ticket to enter the Memorial Galleries and attend the Last Post Ceremony.

    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

    Treloar Crescent
    Campbell ACT 2612
    Australia
    View on Google Maps (opens in new window)
    Google Map data ©2023 Google
    Australian War Memorial Logo
    • Go to AWM Facebook
    • Go to AWM Twitter
    • Go to AWM Trip Advisor
    • Go to AWM Instagram
    • Go to AWM Youtube

    Footer

    • Memorial Articles
    • About
    • Contact
    • Media
    • Wartime Magazine
    • Donate Today

    The Australian War Memorial

    Treloar Crescent

    Campbell ACT 2612

    Australia

     

    Opening Hours

    10 am to 5 pm daily (except Christmas Day)

     

    In preparation for the daily Last Post Ceremony,

    galleries are progressively closed from 4 pm.

     

    Public entrance via Fairbairn Avenue, Campbell ACT 2612

    Book your ticket to visit: awm.gov.au/visit

     


    Please enter a valid email address

    Legal

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

    Copyright 2023 Australian War Memorial, Canberra. All rights reserved