War Memorials in Australia
Cowra Break-out Memorial
Place:
Cowra, New South Wales, 2794
District:
Central Tablelands
Orientation:
Location: Squire Park, Kendall Street (Mid-Western Highway) near Brisbane Street
Position: 33 50 08 S 148 41 46 E
Ref: 20171
__________________________
The memorial is a bronze sheet attached to a brick wall with a
bricked garden bed below. On the sheet are four bas-relief sculptures of guards
killed during the break-out as well as other illustrations of scenes from the
breakout and various symbols. There is a another descriptive bronze plaque on
the south side decorated with birds and plants.
West face
Bronze sheet
4 busts named from N to S
Pt. Ralph Jones
Pt. Benjamin Hardy
Pt. Charles Shepherd
Lt. Harry Doncaster
In centre, surrounded by wreath of
Australian birds and plants
The winding stream flows on,
and knows not to what it flows
And on the surface float
the fallen leaves of autumn.
They, too, are swept on,
unknowing
Shiohibe Makiushuna
d. 5.Aug. 1944
Bronze plaque
In the early hours of 5 August 1944 more
than 1000 Japanese prisoners of war attempted
a mass break-out from the Cowra Prisoner
of War Camp. A total of 231 Japanese died
during the break-out and in the nine days
afterwards.
Four Australians were killed on that
day. Private Benjamin Hardy, Private Ralph
Jones, Private Charles Shepherd and Lieuten -
ant Harry Doncaster. Privates Hardy and Jones
were subsequently awarded the George Cross for
outstanding gallantry.
This memorial is dedicated to the
memory
of the four Australians who lost their lives and
to the spirit of understanding which exists fifty
years after the event.
5 August 1944.
LEST
WE
FORGET
| Bill Peterson | A (Phil) Cooper | Rod Blume | ||
| President | President | Mayor | ||
| Cowra Services Club | Cowra Breakout Assoc. | Cowra Shire Council |
Information current to August 2002