Anniversary of the Cowra Breakout

The Cowra Prisoner of War campsite was the site of a mass breakout of over 1,100 Japanese during World War II.

At 2.00am on 5th August 1944 Japanese POWs launched a mass escape. 231 Japanese lost their lives in the Breakout, 107 were wounded while a further 334 managed to escape into the surrounding countryside.

Three Australian soldiers died during the breakout while a fourth was killed in the subsequent round-up of escapees. It took nine days for all escapees to be re-captured. The Cowra Breakout remains the largest mass prison escape in modern military history.

The anniversary will be commemmorated with a number of services at sites around Cowra including wreaths layings at Squire Park, the POW campsite and the Japanese and Australian War Cemeteries. A number of special events will also be held including a church service and the annual luncheon of the Cowra Breakout Association.