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Stolen Years: Australian prisoners of war - Outram Road Gaol

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

The Japanese used Outram Road Gaol in Singapore as a place of punishment for all those who broke their rules – prisoners of war, internees and local people.

It was a place of starvation, torture and terror, a place of madness and, for many, death. Those who survived Outram Road displayed exceptional qualities of endurance, mental and emotional fortitude.

In Outram Road I think I counted about 1,400 deaths.
Dr Jim Taylor, civilian internee and survivor of Outram Road

The place was a hell hole … Many men and a few women died in this place from ill-treatment, both soldiers and civilians.
Lieutenant Maurice Felsch, 2/20th Battalion, a survivor of Outram Road Gaol

Close confinement coupled with inadequate diet not only cramps the muscles it compresses the mind. Thought has to be squeezed from a constipated brain.
Bill Young, 2/29th Battalion, a survivor of Outram Road Gaol

Collection Item C376190

Accession Number: 019200

Private John Macmillan, a survivor of Outram Road. He had been jailed for obtaining radio parts and medicine at Sandakan. When released from Outram Road, his weight had dropped by half.

Prisoners of the Japanese

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

Last updated: 20 January 2020

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Canberra Highlands in Grayscale

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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.
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The Australian War Memorial

Treloar Crescent
Campbell ACT 2612
Australia
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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.

 

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