Cowra Commemorates 77th Breakout Anniversary

Cowra POW Camp, 1 July 1944. Japanese POWs practicing baseball near their quarters, several weeks before the Cowra breakout. IMAGE CREDIT: wikipedia

Cowra hosted a low-key commemoration of the 77th anniversary of the Cowra Breakout last Thursday, with dignitaries from the Japanese Embassy attending wreath laying ceremonies at the POW Camp and War Cemeteries.

Japanese dignitaries included Mr Shutaro Omura, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Japan, Colonel Satoshi Yasugi, Airforce Attache, Embassy of Japan, and Mr Tatsushi Furuki, Second Secretary, Embassy of Japan. They joined Cowra Mayor Bill West, Deputy Mayor Judi Smith, Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke, Cowra Breakout Association President Gordon Rolls, Japanese Garden Chairman Bob Griffiths and Cowra RSL Sub-Branch representatives Peter McNamara and Ken Guihot to lay wreaths at the POW Camp, as well as the Australian and Japanese War Cemeteries.

Representatives from the Cowra Seikei Exchange Porgram and SES Unit also laid wreaths.

Both the Last Post and Reveille were played, and 14 guests attended a morning tea follow-ing the formalities.

Cowra Breakout Association Secretary Graham Apthorpe said it was very pleasing to once again have the Japanese dignitaries at the event.

“It proves that our long, special and continuing relationship with Japan is recognised and appreciated by the Japanese Embassy,” he said,

Mr Apthorpe said in the early years following the Cowra Breakout in 1944 there was ill feeling towards the Japanese, but a respectful move by the RSL Sub-Branch in the 1950s to start maintaining the Japanese War Cemetery began the reconciliation process.

“It was one of Cowra’s distinguished leaders, Mr Ab Oliver, who said quite simply that it was the right thing to do,” he said.

“Cowra is now considered the spiritual home of Japan in Australia.”