The Largest POW Escape of WWII

 

                                   

The "Great Escape" gets a lot of attention for the sheer scale of its operation and lets be honest ... tunnels. But its not the largest escape of WWII. Only 76 allied airmen escaped from Stalag Luft III. The Cowra Breakout was the largest but also the bloodiest.

The Cowra Breakout: The Largest POW Escape of World War II

-Their aim was not to live longer, but to get shot and killed by guards.

The Cowra Breakout remains one of the many extraordinary and tragic events of World War II. It was a dramatic and desperate mass escape attempt by 1100 Japanese prisoners of war (POWs) held in an Australian internment camp. Taking place in the small rural town of Cowra, New South Wales, on the night of August 4-5, 1944, it resulted in the deaths of 231 Japanese prisoners and four Australian soldiers, making it one of the largest and bloodiest POW escapes in history. 

The Cowra POW Camp: A Ticking Time Bomb

During World War II, Australia became a holding place of thousands of enemy combatants that were held in multiple POW camps across the country. The Cowra POW Camp was one such facility, located 300 kilometers west of Sydney. By 1944, it housed over 4,000 POWs, including Italians, Koreans, and about 1,100 Japanese soldiers and officers.

The Japanese Attitude Toward Captivity

Unlike other POW groups, the Japanese viewed surrender as dishonorable. The Bushido code instilled in their soldiers dictated that dying in battle was preferable to being captured. This deep cultural belief created a volatile situation in all the prisons. Many Japanese prisoners did not just want to escape—they wanted to die in battle to regain their honor.

Planning the Great Escape

By mid-1944, rumors spread that the Australian military planned to transfer the Japanese POWs to a different camps. This movement and splitting of the prisoners was seen as an insult and a further humiliation. Secret meetings were held within the camp, where senior-ranking Japanese officers devised a plan: overwhelm the guards in a mass escape.

The Preparation

Despite limited resources, the prisoners crafted makeshift weapons:

• Knives and clubs made from scrap metal and bedposts

• Garrotes fashioned from torn clothing

• Fire and smoke diversions to create confusion among the guards

The plan was simple : overwhelm the Australian guards with sheer numbers, create chaos, and escape into the surrounding countryside.

The breakout was scheduled for just before dawn on August 5, 1944, to maximize the element of surprise. However, a last-minute decision changed the timing, leading to an earlier attack than initially planned.

The Execution: Night of Chaos and Bloodshed

The Charge Begins

On the night of August 4, at around 2:00 AM, over 900 Japanese prisoners launched their attack. With a bugle call, they surged out of their barracks, charging at the camp's fences and guard posts. Armed with clubs, knives, and torches, they attacked machine gun positions and guard towers. With blankets they covered and laid down on barber wire to let others cross over them. 

Note: The bugle in the top photo is the actual one that was used by Toyoshima, a naval pilot and a POW leader, he was also one of the first Japanese POW's

Within minutes of the breakout, Privates Benjamin Gower Hardy and Ralph Jones took position at the No. 2 Vickers machine gun, opening fire on the first wave of escaping prisoners. However, they were soon overwhelmed as Japanese POWs breached the barbed-wire fences and stormed their position. Before being killed, Private Hardy managed to remove and discard the gun’s bolt, ensuring it could not be turned against the guards. They were both awarded the George Cross posthumously 

A total of 359 prisoners managed to overwhelm the guards and escape, while others committed suicide or were killed by fellow prisoners to avoid capture. Some escapees also took their own lives rather than face recapture. Within 10 days, all survivors were tracked down and recaptured.

The Australian Response

The Australian guards, caught off guard, scrambled to contain the assault. The camp was defended by elements of the 22nd Garrison Battalion, who, despite being outnumbered, managed to regain control of the situation using rifles, machine guns, and searchlights.

As fires raged through the camp, many prisoners set their own huts on fire in a suicidal bid to prevent being captured again. Several POWs attempted to kill themselves rather than face recapture.

The Aftermath: The Bloody Toll of the Escape

When dawn broke over Cowra, the full scale of the disaster became clear. The attempted escape resulted in:

• 231 Japanese POWs killed

• 108 wounded

• Four Australian soldiers killed in action

Hundreds of Japanese prisoners managed to flee the camp, scattering into the surrounding farmland. Most had no clear plan and little knowledge of the Australian terrain or survival skills for the environment.

The Recapture

Over the next nine days, Australian military units, assisted by local civilians, hunted down the escapees. Most were found hiding in the bush or on farms, weakened from exposure and hunger.

• Many prisoners voluntarily surrendered, realizing they had no chance of escape.

• Others chose to commit suicide rather than be taken prisoner again.

• By August 14, the last escapees were either dead or recaptured.

Despite the massive loss of life, no Japanese POWs killed any Australian civilians, reflecting the prisoners’ primary focus on escaping, not attacking locals.

Impact of the Cowra Breakout

On Australia

The breakout shocked Australia and highlighted the fanaticism of Japanese soldiers. It reinforced the belief that Japanese troops would fight to the death rather than surrender, which influenced Australia’s approach to the Pacific War.

The event also prompted changes in POW camp security, with more reinforcements and precautions put in place.

On Japan

For decades, Japan largely ignored the breakout, as it was seen as an embarrassment rather than an act of heroism. However, in later years, the Japanese government recognized the event as a symbol of Bushido spirit and honored the fallen prisoners.

Cowra Today

Cowra has since become a symbol of reconciliation between Japan and Australia. The town now hosts the Cowra Japanese War Cemetery, the only one of its kind in Australia, and the Cowra Japanese Garden, a memorial dedicated to peace and understanding.

Conclusion: A Legacy of Honor and Tragedy

The Cowra Breakout remains one of the most dramatic POW escapes in history. It was a testament to the unwavering spirit of the Japanese soldiers, but also a deadly reminder of the extreme ideology that fueled the Pacific War.

Would you have attempted the breakout, knowing the odds? ....... perhaps a tunnel instead. 

If you want to learn more Australia did make a mini series in 1980's