Category Archives: Marrinup PW Camp No. 16

Welcome… Benvenuto

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Welcome to Footprints of Italian Prisoners of War a comprehensive archive of documents, artefacts, testaments, photographs and research relating to this compelling chapter in Australian history.

This is an international community history project involving Australian and Italian families from sixteen countries who have shared their stories so that this history is not forgotten.

The website operates as a ‘virtual museum’.

Sneath Murray Bridge

Over 18000 Italian Prisoners of War came to Australia from 1941 – 1945. Captured in theatres of war in North Africa, East Africa and Europe, they were transported to Australia  via staging camps in Egypt, Palestine and India.

This research features Italian prisoners of war and their farming families in Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales. Articles cut across a range of topics: the battles in Libya, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Greece; the movement of prisoners from the place of capture to prisoner of war camps in Egypt and Palestine; interment in the camps of India; transport to Australia; repatriation from Australia and arrival in Naples.  

The stories and memories of Italian and Australian farming families gives this history a voice.  The diversity of photos and relics shared personalises what would otherwise be a very black and white official report.

The articles featured on the project’s website brings colour and personality to this almost forgotten chapter in Australia’s history.

list-of-articles-may-2021-2Download

The Italian prisoners of war were more than just a POW.  They were fathers, brothers, sons and husbands from across Italy and from diverse backgrounds and occupations.

Follow their journey…. Walking in their Boots

 

The Footprints Project

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Footprints of Italian Prisoners of War Project is a community project supported by Australians in six states and Italian families in sixteen countries.**

Did you know?

The website operates as a ‘virtual’ museum and library.

Over 300 articles have been written for the website.

The website has a wide reaching readership to over 120 countries.

What makes this research unique and diverse?

Perspective.

Contributions have come from far and wide:  farmers, farmers’ wives, farming children, the town kids, families of Australian Army interpreters, children of Italians who were prisoners of war, Italians who were prisoners of war, the local nurse, the mother of an ex-POW, government policy and reports.

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What does the research encompass?

Website: italianprisonersofwar.com

Facebook Page: Prigionieri di guerra Italiani in Australia

Music Book: Notations for songs and dance music by Ciccio Cipolla.

Farm Diary: daily notations regarding farm life during war time including information on Italian POWs and Land Army Girls.

Feature article in Corriere della Sera [Italy] in March 2021.

Memories in Concrete: Giuseppe Miraglia from Enna Sicily and Adriano Zagonara from Bagnara di Romagna Ravenna.

Donations to the Australian War Memorial of two artefacts made by Gympie Italian prisoners of war

Two publications: Walking in their Boots and Costanzo Melino: Son of Anzano (in collaboration with Rosa Melino)

Journey of two Italian families from Italy to visit Queensland and ‘walk in the footsteps of their fathers’: Q1 Stanthorpe and Q6 Home Hill

POW Kit Bags: Adriano Zagonara and Sebastiano Di Campli

The Colour Magenta: The Australian prisoner of war uniform for Italians, Japanese and Germans.

Theatre Productions: Details of  plays performed by the Italians

Handbooks: L’Amico del Prigioniero, Pidgin English for Italian Prisoners of War, Piccolo Guido per gli Italiani in Australia

Voices from the Past:  testimonials from Italian soldiers who worked on  farms.

Letters written by Italian prisoners of war to family in Italy, to their Queensland farmers and to the children of farmers, written by mother of an Italian POW to a Queensland nurse, written by the Italians to their interpreter, Queensland farmer to Italian, letters written between Italian POW places in different states.

Photographs of Italian soldiers in full dress uniform, Italian soldiers in Italian and Libya during training, Italians as POWs with their farming families, Italians on their Wedding Day and with their families, Italians in POW camps in India.

Handmade items: embroideries, wooden objects, cellophane belt, silver rings, paintings, cane baskets, metal items, chess sets, art work, theatre programs.

Contributions by Italian families whose fathers and family returned to Australia as ‘new Australians’.

Identification of buildings used as prisoner of war accommodation.

Publication of three guides for Italian families to assist in their search for information about their fathers and grandfathers.

Collaboration with numerous Italian and Australian families; local museums and family history associations; journalists; translators; collectors of historic postal items; local libraries.

Discussion about our Queensland research at conference in Catania Sicily May 2019 on prisoner of war experiences.

My Wish List

In the beginning:

I had one wish, to find one Queensland family who remembered the Italians working and living on their farm. Thank you Althea Kleidon, you were the beginning with your photos and memories of Tony and Jimmy.

My adjusted wish list, to find three photographs of Italian POWs on Queensland farms. Then came Rosemary Watt and Pam Phillips with their collection of photos, a signature in concrete and a gift worked in metal.

….

Now:

To have the three Finding Nonno guides translated into Italian.

If I win Gold Lotto, to have Walking in their Boots translated into Italian or an upgrade to the website.

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**Background

What started out as a personal journey to read about the Italian POW Camp outside of Home Hill has resulted in a comprehensive, diverse and rich collection of stories, letters, photographs, testimonies, artefacts, music, newspaper articles spanning over 80 years: the battles in the Mediterranean and in Libya 1940 to the present.

Over the past seven years, I have heard these words many times over, “but you have it wrong, there were no Italian prisoners of war in Queensland”.

And this became a focal point for the research: to record this chapter in Queensland’s history before it was completely forgotten.

But like ripples in a pond,  Queensland’s history of Italian POWs expanded across and was part of a greater history and so the project extended and expanded: to other Australia states and to Italian families in sixteen countries around the world.

Join the journey and follow the footprints of the Italian prisoners of war.

Friendship down the generations

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Alessandra Garizzo stumbled across the article on Marrinup Prisoner of War Camp Western Australia; and was amazed to see her father’s Prisoner of War Identity Card.  I had a number of identity cards to choose from for this article but I was drawn to Giuseppe Garizzo for two reasons: he was tall – 6 ft and he was from Venice.  There is a  generalisation that all Italian POWs were short peasant farmers from the south of Italy, and I wanted to counter this myth as not only was Giuseppe tall, he was also from the north of Italy.  The second reason is a little closer to home for me: my nonna and nonno migrated to Australia for a small village, Palse near Pordenone north of Venice.

Garizzo Identity Card 1

(NAA: K1174 Garizzo, Giuseppe)

However, there is another reason, which is less tangible, for I sometimes think decisions are made for me; that maybe Alessandra’s father touched me on the shoulder and in that moment I chose his card.  Now Alessandra via ‘The Footprints of Italian Prisoners of War’ project has new background knowledge of her father’s time in Australia: Marrinup, the repatriation voyage on Chitral,  details of the Battle of Bardia, photos and stories from the camps on India.

Garizzo 1

Gino* and Giuseppe Garizzo with Graeme Stewart at Rocky Glen 1944-45

(photos courtesy of Alessandra Garizzo)

Alessandra grew up with her father’s stories of  Jack Stewart and his family on Rocky Glen via Muradup.  Four precious photos of Giuseppe’s time at Rocky Glen are kept close and in Alessandra’s mobile gallery.  The connection between the Stewart and Garizzo families is a story that spans over seven decades with Stewart family members visiting Giuseppe Garizzo in Venice several times.

Garizzo 2

Giuseppe Garizzo and Gino  with Graeme Stewart at Rocky Glen 1944-45

(photos courtesy of Alessandra Garizzo)

In September 2014, Alessandra journeyed to Australia and Muradup to visit Graeme Stewart and his childhood friend Max Evans.  Both men shared memories of ‘Joe’ [Giuseppe’s Aussie name]. The local newspaper captured this special connection and history in: War friendships endure

Garizzo Reunion - Copy

Sandra Garizzo with Max Evans and Graeme Stewart.

Picture: Marcus Whisson d426086

Jack Stewart’s grandson David Carlin has written about the special relationships between the two families and Joe’s prisoner of war journey in The Bronzista of Muradup   The article is a beautiful and poignant tribute to the special friendship of Jack Stewart and Giuseppe Garizzo.

* There were two men named Gino who arrived in Western Australia on board Ruys** and were sent to W4 Kojonup on 11.3.44, the same journey as Giuseppe Garizzo.  Gino Appetito [PWI59376] was from Rome [5′ 6″]  and Gino Lucchini [PWI 59103] was from Verona [5′ 9″].

**Ruys was the only transport which disembarked Italian prisoners of war at Fremantle, before sailing to Melbourne and disembarking the remainder of Italians.

 

What a journey!

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Today I introduce you to Pasquale Landolfi from Frattaminore Napoli. Pasquale was 20 years old when he was captured at Tobruk 21.1.1941.

From 13.10.41 and his arrival on the Queen Mary into Sydney NSW until his departure on 28.6.1949 from Sydney NSW on the SS Surriento Pasquale travels through five states of Australia.

Tracing his journey Pasquale went from NEW SOUTH WALES: Sydney to Cowra Camp to VICTORIA: Murchison Camp. He transited through SOUTH AUSTRALIA on his way to WESTERN AUSTRALIA: No 8 Labour Detachment Karrakatta and Marrinup Camp.

Pasquale then crossed Australia again and returned to VICTORIA: Murchison Camp and then NEW SOUTH WALES: Hay Camp.

The next stage of his journey took him to QUEENSLAND: Gaythorne Camp and Home Hill* Hostel. After escaping from the Home Hill Hostel, he briefly ‘visited’ Bowen until his arrest and return the Home Hill Hostel.

He returned to Gaythorne Camp before a return to VICTORIA: Murchison Camp and the Dandenong after he escaped from a Murchison working party. Upon capture he was sent to NEW SOUTH WALES: Holdsworthy Military Barracks for detention.

Three Italian prisoners of war boarded the SS Surriento in Sydney on 28.6.49: Pasquale Landolfi, Giacomo Tagliaferri and Isidoro Cammaroto. The ship sailed from Sydney to Brisbane QLD before departing for Italy.

The newspaper article below records this unusual situation of a passenger liner carrying three prisoners of war and two political deportees.

Brisbane Telegraph (Qld. : 1948 – 1954), Thursday 30 June 1949, page 8

1949 ‘Line­­r Has Unwelcome Quintette’, Brisbane Telegraph (Qld. : 1948 – 1954), 30 June, p. 8. (CITY FINAL), viewed 20 Jul 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article212190014

*Home Hill is 97 km south of Townsville. Bowen is 104 km south of Home Hill and 84 km north of Whitsundays.

POW Camp 16 Marrinup

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LG Hoey wrote an article June 1947 about the Marrinup Prisoner of War Camp Western Australia.  The equipment from the site was being sold at action which prompted the journalist to reflect upon the camp’s history.

Marrinup Camp was home to both Italian and German prisoners of war.  The Italians were sent to work on farms and the Germans remained at camp undertaking firewood cutting and collection in the local area.

Marrinup 2

Marrinup: Plan of PW Camp No. 16

(NAA: K121430/32/4)

LG Hoey writes about both the German and Italian prisoners of war:

During the day the camp presented an animated and colourful scene.  Trucks were continually arriving and departing with Italian prisoners, carrying the sick from the rural districts for medical attention at the camp and transporting further supplies of labour as replacements. Outside the R.A.P. a long line of men in burgundy would be awaiting the doctor’s ministrations; it was estimated that 10 per cent of these were genuinely sick.  Malingering was not unknown amongst the descendants of Caesar’s legionaries.

In spite of superficial differences between their respective cultures there was a strong fraternal bond between the two groups of Axis prisoners.  Often at night a German could be seen teaching his language to an Italian, shouting out lists of verbs and nouns through the dividing wire.  On one occasion, as punishment for some offence, the Italians were refused permission to attend the A.M.F pictures [movies]. The Germans immediately staged an impromptu concern for them from their side of the barbed wire.

Marrinup Italian

Marrinup, Australia. 29 July 1944. Two Italian prisoners of war (POWs) interned at Marrinup POW Camp. 48742 Domenico Chiono (left), and 59046 Giuseppe Andretta. Note: The number is an assigned POW number. (AWM Image 030213/06) Both are Lieutenants and Doctors.

On Saturday afternoons during the winter months soccer [football] matches were often played between the Germans and Italians at the siding. Before each match, the indispensable centre forward on the German side, who was also an habitual escapee, was required to give his parole [word] that he would not try to escape whilst outside the camp confines.

With Latin dash, the Italians would execute some remarkable feats during the game, obviously performing to the ‘house’, whilst their opponents, a heavier type in many ways, would fight back efficiently and stolidly.  Amongst the spectators, the Italians on the one side would dance with every move of the game, shouting and jostling, whilst the Germans opposite would permit an occasional “Wonderbar!” to pass their lips.

After the match the crowds of prisoners would swarm back to camp through the bush, and at its entrance the guards would discover them waiting.  At a work, the Germans would fall in and march to attention past the administrative buildings and the Italians would bring up the rear, cigarettes in mouths, an untidy, talkative rabble.

What memories have these men back in their wrecked homelands? Do the Italians remember the oft-cursed road, the darling of the C.O.? And the Germans, have they forgotten the lovely garden which they created at the drabness which is Marrinup siding: the vases hewn from stone and the terraces, the stream and the rustic bridge, the stone gate posts inscribed P.O.W.G.?

German POWs

Marrinup, Australia. 29 July 1944. Group of German prisoners of war (POWs) interned at Marrinup POW Camp. Back row, left to right: 35197 Walter Harms (Cook); 35185 Alfred Madaus (Sailor); 35268 Richard Pitscheneder (Cook); 35194 Walter Koniarsky (Seaman); 35321 Karl Vetter (Steward); 88021 Heinrich Peters (Engineer). Front row: 41632 Alwin Opitz (Miner); 42297 Hans (Johann) Meier (Gardener); 42179 Hans Ziegler (Baker); 42253 Friedrich Lindel (Coal Miner); 41817 Werner Schwarz (Student). Note: The number is an assigned POW number. (AWM Image 030213/36)

Many of the German prisoners of war had come from England as internees particularly those from captured ships. Some came to Australia onboard the infamous Dunera which also transported English resident England German Jews to Australia.

 

Marrinup: May 1944

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Marrinup PW Camp No.16 was in operation from August 1943 to July 1946.  It was built to house 1200 Italian and German prisoners of war.

The footprints of the camp are still visible today in the concrete foundations and barbed wire at the site: POW Camp Marrinup Trail

Marrinup PW Camp was the parent and administrative camp for all prisoners of war in Western Australia.  Italians en route to their farm placement in one of the 27 Prisoner of War Control Centres (PWCC) or work placement in one of 4 Prisoner of War Control Hostels (PWCH) had time at Marrinup.  Identity Cards were issued at Marrinup and all mail was processed through the camp.

Garizzo

Identity Card for Giuseppe Garizzo

(NAA: K1174)

In May 1944, a comprehensive report was written by an independent delegate on behalf of the International Red Cross.  Some of the pertinent points relate to cigarette issue, recreational activites and correspondence.

The layout of the camp was dependant upon the terrain of the site and is very different from the hexagon layout of Hay, Cowra and Murchison PW Camps.  It was also a much smaller camp than those on the east coast of Australia.

Marrinup 2

Marrinup: Plan of PW Camp No. 16

(NAA: K121430/32/4)

Marrinup 1

Aerial View of Marrinup Prisoner of War Camp

(www.wanowandthen.com/Marrinup.html)

Correspondence

As per regulations, Italian prisoners of war have the right to dispatch the following number of letters and cards:

Fighting staff … 2 letters or 2 cards per week, or a letter and a card.

Protected staff … 2 letters and 2 cards per week.

A major concern for the Italian prisoners of war related to not receiving news from their families.  This is causing a great deal of anxiety. [May 1944, the allies were fighting the Germans at Monte Cassino.  Rome was liberated on 4th June 1944]

During the month of April 1944, the men  sent 2715 letters, of which 415 were sent by airmail. Airmail charges were at the expense of the prisoners of war.

However, in the same month, the prisoners of war of this camp, and including all the centres of control in Western Australia, received only 217 letters and 2 packets.

At the time of the visit, military authorities announced that 73 letters from Italy have arrived for prisoners of war in Western Australia.

Prisoners of war have the avenue to enquire through the International Red Cross for information about their families.

Reading Material

The camp did not  have a library but it was noted that prisoners of war had the option of acquiring books of their choice, subject to the approval of the camp commander. They could also receive Australian newspapers and periodicals which are censored but not cut.  Since many prisoners of war did not have adequate English, the main need was for Italian books.

Australian Red Cross, Division of Western Australia had been contacted and assurances were made that efforts to buy Italian books would be made.  Arrangement was made for   the purchase of 50 English-Italian dictionaries.

Movie Theatres and Radio Broadcasts

Movie theaters are allowed. But equipment is not in place.

From time to time, concerts and theatrical sessions are organized for the Australian Garrison and prisoners of war are allowed to attend these evenings.

The camp has a gramophone and a number of discs.

Radio broadcasts were allowed BUT  the apparatus and the installation had to be at the expense of the prisoners of war and the broadcasts are controlled by the commander of the camp. No radio is in place.

Recreations and sports

The camp had a table tennis. A small sports field is located at a distance of about one kilometre from the camp. Another large piece of land is five kilometres from the camp and prisoners of war go there on Sunday.

Other Items of Note

The precautions against air strikes have not been considered necessary in the camp, given the security of the area in which they are located.

Prisoners of war have the right to wear their uniforms and rank insignia. They have the opportunity to celebrate their national and patriotic festivities.

Kitchen and Mess

The refectory is furnished with long tables and benches; it has electric light. The refectory is heated in winter.

Canteen is in a special hut is reserved for the canteen.

The kitchen is in the same barracks as the refectory. It includes a room for meat, provisions and a cooking.

Regulatory rations of Italian prisoners of war included meat, bread, potatoes, onions, legumes, butter, lard, cheese, jam, sugar, milk, tea, coffee, salt, pepper, rice, barley, blue peas and macaronis.

The menu is set by the prisoners of war themselves within the limits set by the regulatory rations.

Noodles and macaroni are made in the camp. A vegetable garden provided a supplement of vegetables.

V-P-HIST-E-00223.JPG

Camp Marrinup September 1943

(ICRC V-P-HIST-E-00223)

Living Arrangements and Ablutions

The dwellings of this camp are composed of raised huts, with doors and shuttered windows.  The dormitories are six men per hut. The bedding includes a wooden bed, a bench and 5 covers. The dormitories are filled with shelves for personal effects. The lighting is in oil. Officers share a hut with one other non-commissioned officer.

The dormitories are swept daily, and once a week a soap cleaning is carried out.

Marrinup 4

Footprints of Marrinup Prisoner of War Camp

(www.wanowandthen.com/ghost-towns14.html)

The shower stall contains a cloakroom, two hot showers, four cold showers and eight cold water faucets for ablutions.

The shack of the toilets contains six covered seats and two urinals. A closed compartment is reserved for non-commissioned officers.

Marrinup-22 Laundry

Footprints of Marrinup Prisoner of War Camp

(www.wanowandthen.com/ghost-towns14.html)

The laundry room consists of a boiler, two sinks and four hot and cold water taps.

Meet some of Marrinup’s Italian Prisoners of War

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Image 030213/04 Marrinup, Australia. 29 July 1944. Group of Italian prisoners of war (POWs) interned at Marrinup POW Camp. Back row, left to right: 59611 Rocco Ciocia; 48326 Antonio Saponaro; 47616 Tripolino Nunziati; 63279 Angelo Nenciolini; 49260 Francesco Iodice; 47775 Domenico Vallone. Front row: 48556 Renzo Menicucci; 48631 Franco Riva; 48343 Enrico Varone; 48381 Alfredo Bertini. Note: The number is an assigned POW number.

Image 030123/02 Marrinup, Australia. 29 July 1944. Group of Italian prisoners of war (POWs) interned at Marrinup POW Camp. Back row, left to right: 49724 Narciso Tognarelli; 45340 Carlo Consalvo; 59646 Nicola Di Sciullo; 59250 Giovanni Risi; 47908 Ugo Bottone. Front row: 59139 Dante Maranca; 59227 Vitaliano Parentela; 59109 Giuseppe Luongo; 59985 Giovanni Sera; 59110 Gaetano Lanzetta. Note: The number is an assigned POW number.

Image 030123/03 Marrinup, Australia. 29 July 1944. Group of Italian prisoners of war (POWs) interned at Marrinup POW Camp. Back row, left to right: 58185 Francesco Maellaro; 48123 Francesco Gallone; 59224 Vincenzo Palma; 47640 Agostino Perna; 59614 Cosimo Collecola; 59822 Michele Parisi. Front row: 59820 Gabriele Licenziato; 60045 Giuseppe Vitucci; 48599 Giocondo Orciani; 59997 Lorenzo Scaccaborozzi. Note: The number is an assigned POW number.

Image 030123/07 Marrinup, Australia. 29 July 1944. Group of Italian prisoners of war (POWs) interned at Marrinup POW Camp. Back row, left to right: 46213 Vincenzo Muto; 59989 Fioravante Speranza; 59871 Antonio Massimo; 49202 Giuseppe Scanella; 59870 Francesco Mascia. Middle row: 59279 Cammillo Spada; 59309 Giovanni Salvi; 59102 Rosindo Ingolingo; 59884 Raimondo Nicolai; 59674 Nicola Di Sciorio. Front row: 59064 Michele Conte; 56964 Nicola Settani; 48682 Angelo Terlizzi; 59645 Beradino D’Alessio; 62003 Pasquale Criscuolo. Note: The number is an assigned POW number.

Image 030123/05 Marrinup, Australia. 29 July 1944. Group of Italian prisoners of war (POWs) interned at Marrinup POW Camp. Back row, left to right: Unidentified (only half shown); 47640 Agostino Perna; 47916 Domenico Cammarano; 48748 Domenico Chiono; 59046 Giuseppe Andretta; 47908 Ugo Bottone. Front row: 47501 Giuseppe Giuffrida; 59458 Filippo Ciconte; 59301 Luigi Savini; 48999 Emanuele Piro.

The above information is compiled from a report written by the delegate for the International Red Cross who visited Marrinup 18 to 21 May 1944.

Where is Popanyinning?

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A farm in the wheat growing district of Popanyinning WA was home to Enrico Riga for two years from March 1944 to March 1946.

Enrico Riga working on a farm in WA (photo courtesy of Maria Riga)

From Lamon Belluno, Enrico was captured on 5th April 1941 in Addis Abeda, Abyssinia before being sent to prisoner of war camps in India.

Enrico arrived in Fremantle Western Australia on the Ruys.  This was the only ship to disembark Italian prisoners of war on the west coast of Australia. The ship boarded 2028 Italian prisoners of war in Bombay destined for Fremantle and Melbourne. 

The town of Popanyinning was originally given the name: “Popaning”; the local Aboriginal Noongar word for waterhole.  It was built alongside the Great Southern Railway line, servicing the wheat and sheep farmers in the district.

The photo of Enrico captures the landscape, the vegetation of this part of Australia as well as the work he did while living with a farming family.

Enrico was repatriated on the Chitral on 30th September 1946.

1946 ‘2500 ITALIAN P.O.W. LEAVE ON MONDAY ‘, The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 – 1950), 27 September, p. 10. (HOME EDITION), viewed 13 Aug 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78267376

Popanyinning is referred to as “Hard to Say, Nice to Stay”. 

I hope that this is how Enrico might have remembered his time in the district: it was a funny word to pronounce but it was a good place to live and work.

Welcome Sign for Popanyinning

(photo courtesy of Gordon Stewart)

Dr Georges Morel

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Georges Morel was a Swiss Doctor of Economics who was appointed to Australia as the officially accredited representative of the International Committee for the Red Cross, Geneva in February 1941.

Dr Georges Morel [1941 ‘HAS KEY TO CAMPS OF INTERNEES’, The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 – 1954), 1 March, p. 2. (LAST RACE ALL DETAILS), viewed 07 Feb 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article231204582]

He was responsible for visiting internees and prisoners of war held in camps in Australia and to ensure that the conditions of the Geneva Convention regarding prisoners of war were upheld.

With an understanding of ten languages, Dr Morel was free to enter any camp at will, reside in a camp if so desired and leave without permission. Internees and prisoners of war were at liberty to speak freely with Dr Morel and communicate any complaints.

His comprehensive reports were shared with the Australian Government via the Minister of State for External Affairs. All reports were written in French, the language of the ICRC.

Copies of Dr Morel’s reports are archived in the National Archives of Australia and three files covering the period 1942-1944 are available for viewing: search terms to use – Red Cross Dr Morel.

In May 1944 on a visit to Western Australia, he was reported as saying, “My main task is to visit the camps whether the POWs are Germans or Italians…in addition I must keep in permanent touch with Australian Government departments, the Army and various branches of the Red Cross. However the first task is to see that the convention is being strictly applied and from my observations elsewhere [in Australia]I can say quite frankly that the conditions in Australian camps are very good. The treatment, food and clothing are in fact, excellent. Australian officers and guards have tried to help in many minor matters as well as in more important subjects, and I have received 100 per cent co-operation at Army Headquarters, Melbourne and from the Government.

Naturally there are complaints at every camp and these are quite minor matters. The complains have been rectified. Australia actually applies the International convention very generously in regard to POWs and internees, and in all my reports to the International Red Cross Committee I have stressed that conditions in Australia are good.” [1944 ‘VISIT TO P.O.W. CAMPS’, The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 – 1954), 19 May, p. 6. , viewed 07 Feb 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44809894%5D

Hand in hand with the written reports are the photographic records of Dr Morel’s visits. These photos can be found at : Archives of the ICRC . You will need to register as a user but this process is easy.

Guerre 1939-1945. Nouvelle-Galles du sud, camp de Cowra. Camp A, Série B. Groupe 24 avec le délégué CICR. War 1939-1945. New South Wales, camp of Cowra, camp A, serie B. Group 24 with the ICRC delegate.

Cowra Camp A September 1942 Dr Morel seated centre with officials of the camp including Padre Lenti (ICRC V-P-HIST-01881-02)

Dr Morel died in October 1945 and his wife Eugenia continued his work temporarily until the arrival of Dr Pierre Descoeudres in May 1946.

It is with thanks to the Red Cross and the work of their delegates like Dr Morel that there is a comprehensive and neutral record of the internee and prisoner of war camps in Australia.