Thirty seven members and friends of Gnoo Blas travelled to Cowra on Sunday 15 September to inspect the Prisoner Of War (POW) Campsite, Japanese War Cemetery and had lunch in the Japanese Gardens Cafe, while some continued their sunny afternoon strolling among the garden’s spring splendor.
At 1:50am on the 5th of August 1944, over 1000 Japanese prisoners launched a mass escape from the Cowra Prisoner of War Camp. It was the largest prisoner of war breakout in modern military history. 231 Japanese prisoners and 5 Australian soldiers lost their lives. Members were able to read interpretive signs, listen to accounts of the breakout and to visually inspect some of the ruins of the Prisoner of War Campsite and the adjoining garrison that are still evident to this day.
