Anniversary of the Cowra Breakout - Cowra
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The Cowra Prisoner of War (POW) campsite was the site of a mass breakout of over 1,100 Japanese during World War II. At 2am 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 commemorated with a number of services at sites around Cowra including wreath laying 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.