and redeveloped for use by the British garrison. the crammed into less than a quarter of a square kilometre, and this period 1, Bukit Timah No 5, Thomson Road No. in former British Army barracks, which is what Selarang was. While we must never forget that 8000 Australians (whose names are commemorated on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial) died in Japanese captivity during World War II, we should also remember that 14,000 survived. The name Changi is synonymous Security was further tightened With the exception of the Changi was liberated by troops of the 5th Indian Division on 5 September 1945 and within a week the POWs were being repatriated back to Australia. suffer deprivation and loss of self-esteem, but conditions The interior of the barracks were often confined, overcrowd spaces which lead to humidity. Please try again later. In preparation for the daily Last Post Ceremony. BurmaThailand railway. In August all officers above the rank of colonel were moved to Formosa (present-day Taiwan), leaving the Australians in Changi under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Frederick "Black Jack" Galleghan. This pen & wash drawing is a clear reference to the infamous "H" party that was sent from Singapore to work on the Burma-Thailand railway - they suffered an appalling death rate in Thailand. However, the popular representation in the media and in more sensationalised accounts of Changi as a living hell is more appropriately associated with the horrific conditions that faced prisoners of the Burma-Thailand Railway. Some 35,000 Australians were imprisoned in the two world wars, and each prisoner has their own story based on their individual journey through captivity. \ci_'925LRcQal4~m>@2X&2T)X"E\= ~z2onc\UU Three or four men were frequently crowded into one small cell. What followed were three and half years of hardship and cruelty. De Rosario. Over 40,000 Allied troops were imprisoned here, mainly in the former SelarangBarracks. When Lord Mountbatten arrived in Singapore, he was joined by RAPWI Rehabilitation of Allied Prisoners of War and Internees. DVA Online Services modernises transactions for service providers such as transport bookings and invoicing. troops of the 5th Indian Division on 5 September, and within a week Groups of captives were marched and forced to endure "bashings" from the Japanese, who used their rifle butts to keep the men moving. [n_>\V=&] ^ This is ironic, since for most of the war in the Pacific Changi was, in reality, one of the most benign of the Japanese prisoner-of-war camps; its privations were relatively minor compared to those of others, particularly those on the BurmaThailand railway. Causing immense suffering, misery and loss, Some 15,000 Australian soldiers were imprisoned by the Japanese following the fall of Singapore on February 15, 1942, and these men were among the tens of thousands of Allied prisoners held at the camp in Changi. 2023 were reduced to cannibalism including the killing and eating of Summary of events, conditions and treatment in Changi. The prisoners include a dozen men from the USS Houston, several Americans from the 131st Field Artillery, and Australians from the Australian Imperial Forces and the HMAS Perth. IP0/P^V*iJ_/6 B|OG..GQ. Changi, Singapore 1945. The whole area became known as Changi, as it was situated on the Changi Peninsula at the eastern end of Singapore Island. Public entrance via Fairbairn Avenue, Campbell ACT 2612, Book your ticket to visit: awm.gov.au/visit, Copyright The camp was organised into battalions, regiments etc and meticulous military discipline was maintained. would have made that impossible even if it had been the desire of the senior officers over their troops was revoked. Australian War Memorial, Canberra. By comparison with death rates at camps on the Thai-Burma Railway and other places such as Ambon and Borneo, the POW death rate at Changi was relatively low. In February 1942 there were around 15,000 Australians in Changi; by mid-1943 less than 2,500 remained. The saddest fact was that had the British put patrols out in the North of Singapore the Japanese presence could have been detected and the superior numbers of British troops would have beaten a very aggressive enemy. The Australian War Memorial is open for visitors as we work to expand our galleries. At the same time a book entitled Churches of Captivity in Malaya was found in the Far East Air Force Educational Library revealing the name of the painter. not one camp, but rather a collection of up to seven prisoner-of-war Picture: Supplied Unlike about 850 other prisoners of war at the camp, Mr Jess survived. 0000001111 00000 n surprising story of a group of Australian POWs who organise an Australian Rules Football competition under the worst conditions imaginable - inside Changi prison. $:yn1Qt\3Jj|A]N"_v _~*Q )@(k|3IOw]2Q0{)$`Cd}Qy?#R}L*Em%wQawI'Vp05O8amAKgqogMKztCs %}YxVcnO5C]JF2j!O5;#KALy.?pMC'$sKdGgrT*8gVvMAI=]\Y~=yi2 XYp uBRsw7^w,n2n:65=uo5Y` 7V^ 0000004868 00000 n Its well worth including on your itinerary whilst visiting Singapore. For example, the army medics at Changi made tablets and convinced the Japanese guards that they were a cure for VD, and accordingly sold them to the guards. Bicycle Camp, which had been the quarters for the Tenth Battalion Bicycle Force of the Netherlands East Indies Army, offered the POWs the best conditions they would experience as prisoners-of-war. Prisoners-of-war in Changi did Japanese victories ending with the capture of the Netherlands East Crispin. The new Japanese commandant requested that all prisoners Information if you're affected by coronavirus (COVID-19). Of the 1068 crew members on the USS Houston, 368 survived the sinking of the ship and the hours-long swim to the shore of Java. Image courtesy of John Rosson, Australian War Memorial. Name: Jack O'Donnell. What is worse we now have When this failed a group of POWs were shot. When this did not get the desired result, a group of POWs was marched to the local beach and shot. If only mankind could put away prejudice and greed, Your email address will not be published. The formula was simple if you worked, you received food, if you did not, you would get no food. of Changi, which became a huge POW Camp. war. :O-VD !;(w~xbS 8n Location: Changi POW Camp. 0 Prisoners of war were sent to the following camps around Singapore: Great World, Adam Park No. In February 1942 there were around 15,000 It was a long few years for many of the residents of Stalag Luft I, who called themselves "Kriegies," short for Kriegsgefangener, German for "prisoner of war."The camp's liberation was singular among POW camps in Europe with a somewhat peaceful, static transfer of power. Most were then sent to work as slaves in Japanese occupied territories such as Sumatra, Burma, and the Burma-Thai railway. The popular focus on places where conditions were worst has overshadowed stories of survival. However, the commanding officer made it clear that the document was non-binding as it had been signed under duress. Bali; 150 at Kuching (British North Borneo); 2,700 distributed between Extensive gardens were established, concert parties mounted regular productions, and a reasonably well-equipped camp hospital operated in Roberts Barracks. Concerts were organised along with quizzes and sporting events, although a meticulous military discipline was maintained. Maximum Security Prison, 1994. Of the 22,000 Australian prisoners of the Japanese, in all locations, one-third died in captivity. road between Changi Gaol and Selarang Barracks. I'd let that fall over it. <<31EC954BB79CBF41B9A4F590CD68C2B9>]>> Crushed billiard cue chalk was used to produce blue. Viewing surrender as a fate virtually worse than death, the Imperial Japanese Army kept prisoners of war (POWs) in dire conditions for many years . Other essays in the collection tell of controlling the spread of malaria and mosquito-borne diseases in the camp; of medical and mechanical innovations in prosthetics; and of the rehabilitation efforts of amputees who recognised the need to improve and develop their skills so as to better their chances of employment in competition with able-bodied men after the war. PHOTO: SINGAPORE PRISON SERVICE, From above, the layout of the prison resembled the top of a telephone pole. prisoner-of-war camps; its privations were relatively minor compared to Indies in March 1942 left in its wake a mass of Allied prisoners of war, of focus. Your generous donation will be used to ensure the memory of our Defence Forces and what they have done for us, and what they continue to do for our freedom remains today and into the future. million page visitors 129 0 obj<>stream But rather than give in to melancholy, he decided to document his experiences as best he could. Two of my uncles were incarcerated in Changi in 1942. Unit: 10 AGH. All rights reserved, Prisoners of the Japanese, Singapore (Changi and Singapore Island Camps), Australian prisoners of war: Second World War. A collection of articles from Shutters & Sunflowers published elsewhere on the web. Your email address will not be published. Nov 2002, Digger History: .!>n>_3S\gM]/,O>*\=|J,8nH. considerable size (thousands of acres) and most of the POWs were housed George Aspinall. Knowledge of the womens well-being boosted the mens morale. Of the 114 artefacts housed at Changi Museum and Chapel, 82 are on display for the first time, with 37 being donations and loans from the public. 0000000696 00000 n Following the withdrawal of British troops in 1971 the area was taken over by the Singapore Armed Forces and still has one of the main concentrations of military facilities on the island. By registering, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy. He had come to Changi Gaol hospital as a critically ill British POW and despite severe physical limitations was encouraged to paint murals on the chapel walls. In 1988 one of the original prisoner-of-war chapels was transported to Australia, re-erected in the grounds of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, and dedicated as the national memorial to Australian prisoners of war. administration. which gave you sufficient depth Most of the Australians (14,972) were The Japanese justified their treatment of POWs in WW2 to support their ideologies through the following of a corrupted version of the Bushido Code, the lack of a central . MCI (P) 076/10/2022, MCI (P) 077/10/2022. 21 To maintain a diary was not easy. He became very dedicated to the restoration, returning to Changi again in July 1982 and May 1988, which was his final visit. With the exception of the Selarang Incident overcrowding was not rife. One such story is that of the Vitamin Centre established in Changi. Creating desolation, carnage and destruction. British military statistics suggest that of the 87,000 POWs who passed through Changi, only 850 died.5 Some POWs who returned from Burma and It wouldn't have survived a really Concerts were organised, quizzes, sporting events etc. prisoners of war were widely distributed: 5,549 on Singapore Island and Introduction. British prisoners in the Changi area were confined in the Selarang Friends and relatives of prisoners stand beneath the walls of Changi Prison in 1965. : Over 35 thousands and thousands of acres. The number of POWs kept at Changi dropped quite markedly as men were constantly shipped out to other areas in the Japanese empire to work. since Only when the men were threatened by an epidemic, was the order given that the document should be signed. It became a living hell. The gift link for this subscriber-only article has expired. For 1945. The conditions at Changi were much better than at many other POW camps in the region, and the prisoners were also granted a considerable amount of administrative autonomy by the Japanese authorities. in Changi, now including 5,000 Australians, were concentrated in the Contrary to popular misconception the not rife. startxref We pay our respects to elders past and present. All visitors require a free timed ticket to enter the Memorial Galleries and attend the Last Post Ceremony. leaving the Australians in Changi under the command of Lieutenant To maintain a diary was not easy. by comparison to other Japanese run POW camps. War crimes and trials. Rations were cut, camp was less terrible than it has been portrayed and less terrible than others. incarcerated right from the start and for the whole of the rest of the The extra B2 vitamin it provided played a key role in helping to ward off potentially deadly diseases such as beriberi. Although paint was not readily available, with the aid of other prisoners, who unquestionably put themselves at risk, materials were gradually acquired. For much of its existence Changi was not one camp but rather a collection of up to seven prisoner-of-war (POW) and internee camps, occupying an area of approximately 25 square kilometres. 3, Lornie Road, Serangoon Road, Adam Park No. The iconic main gate of the prison, two guard towers and the clock from the original clock tower have been preserved at the original site. Initially the Japanese seemed indifferent to what the prisonersdid in Changi Gaol and the other POW camps. The men had access to showers and running water, and were housed three to a room in barracks with cement floors. But today one of the most enduring myths in Australian military history relates to the notorious Changi POW camp and its association as a POW "hell". POWs were made to dig tunnels and fox holes in the hills around Singapore as hideouts for the Japanese should the Allies return. 0000003837 00000 n They organised work parties to repair the damaged docks in Singapore and food and medicine became scarce. The Australian War Memorial acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia. Thank you for telling me about your familys story, albeit a difficult one. The RAF Changi Magazine, Tale Spin, published pictures of them in an attempt to locate the artist. Changi was used to imprison Malayan civilians and Allied soldiers. 2023 Pacific Changi was in reality one of the most benign of the Japanese However, most prisoner activities suffered after May 1942 when large work parties began to be sent out of Changi to work on projects such as the Burma-Thailand railway. (POW) and internee camps, occupying an area of approximately 25 square K7|N sQd"McE8}q*1q;n=>/Pm5Q.$0h2f7Ko,.aGp-=1 1\M0NMNAAE0Q_#WpG88t_5vlzX|x(zm-|v:{X^g `PjOW%>QVuD6| They occupied A military garrison of some 100 000 men became POWs, and were marched to Changi POW Camp on the eastern side of Singapore Island. Places of Pride, the National Register of War Memorials, is a new initiative designed to record the locations and photographs of every publicly accessible memorial across Australia. Selarang Barracks, which remained the AIF Camp at Changi until June American POWs in fifty-man teams cut down trees, built road beds and bridges, and laid ties and rails for the Death Railway. When most Australians think about Changi POW camp, they think of Changi Prison. They were actually mostly incarcerated Upon arriving, the men spent several weeks at Changi Camp before taking another hell ship to their ultimate destination in Moulmein, Burma. In the 1970's it was home to the Most of the original gaol has been demolished, the museum and chapel remain to tell the storyof what happened there after the Japanese capture of Singapore in 1942. was actually carrying the camera." Changi No 1 PoW camp - Changi ; No 2 PoW camp - Serangoon Road Camp ; No 3 PoW camp - River Valley Road Camp ; No 4 PoW camp - Adam Road Camp. Changi Gaol was scheduled for demolition in the second half of 2004, although the original entrance gate and a section of the outer wall were preserved as a memorial. In February 1942 there were around 15,000 Australians in Changi, but by mid-1943 less than 2,500 remained due to the constant transition to other camps and work sites. PHOTO: ST FILE, British prisoners of war leaving Changi Prison in 1945. By 2005 most of the original prison was demolished and a larger facility built. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Those remaining christened RAPWI Retain all Prisoners of War Indefinitely. This 76cm2 piece of silk was used as the altar cloth in Changi Prisons St Georges Chapel, during World War II. Penfold, W.C. Bayliss, K.E. In Bicycle Camp, the men of the USS Houston were joined by troops from the 2nd Battalion, 131st Field Artillery, a National Guard unit from Texas dubbed "the Lost Battalion" because their whereabouts were unknown during World War II. This article is now fully available for you, Please verify your e-mail to read this subscriber-only article in full. Despite this, no-one signed the document. what we expect to see even though it may not be true Details. A group of prisoners of war photographed at Changi prisoner of war camp shortly after the surrender of the Japanese. The tropical environment bred more cases of dysentery, plus malaria, cholera, and tropical ulcers that ate through flesh to expose the bone. When Sgt Jack O'Donnell was taken prisoner at the fall of Singapore, he was, quite naturally, rather depressed about life. The British civilian population of Singapore was imprisoned in Changi jail itself, one mile away from Selerang. Prisoner of Changi The POW's suffered many hardships whilst their time held in captivity. Standing in Changi, even today, the sense of terror somehow still permeates the air. Many work forces were assembled in Changi before being sent to the Burma-Thailand Railway and other work camps. He was asked to return to Singapore in the early 1960s to restore the murals. Initially Stanley was very reluctant to return because of his horrific war time memories. For a time even a university operated inside the AIF camp. Copyright 2023 SPH Media Limited. For the next three years and eight months, Mr Jess survived disease, starvation and atrocious living conditions at the Changi prisoner of war camp in the east of Singapore. Each man received half a cup of bug-infested rice a day, and some POWs dropped below 80 pounds. Following Singapore's surrender to the Japanese on Feb 15, 1942, the entire Changi area was used as the principal POW camp in South-east Asia. Most of the Australians captured in The POWs spent several days and nights on these "hell ships" with no room to move and barely any rice to eat, amid men who were now sick with dysentery. The horror and abuse he had faced from his torturers had inflicted upon him a lifelong hatred of the Japs.My mother said neither of her brothers were the same ever again after starvation rations had caused sever neurological injury. That is not to say that it was not a bad place, just that it was less terrible than it has been portrayed and less terrible than others. This is ironic, since for most of the war in the All visitors require a free timed ticket to enter the Memorial Galleries and attend the Last Post Ceremony. the site boasted an extensive and well-constructed military With such overcrowding, the risk of disease and it spreading was very real. New Zealand opportunities which work parties provided for both theft and trade. For the relatives of Australian prisoners of war visiting Sabah, Anzac Day is highly personal. In 1942 Changi Gaol was a civilian prison on the Changi Peninsular, the British Armys military base in Singapore, part of which included a collection of military barracks. For many months Detre was the only person who had a utensil, and he used the spoon for 2 1/2 years. Nearly 13,000 Allied POWs died building the "Death Railway." 043596. Prisoners were used on heavy labouring works in and around Singapore. xref Warren began the first of the Changi Murals on 6 October 1942. This camp was designed specifically for Allied airmen who had been shot down over Germany. Restaurants we love in Uzs, Aix-en-Provence & St-Rmy-de-Provence, Speaking at The Pilsudski Institute about the Poles who cracked Enigma, Carmel, California and Lourmarin, Provence, the places I call home, Lourmarin, The Luberon, Provence, Travel guide, Loube, Provenal ros enticing England and California, Htel La Villa La Duce, Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer, Spring in Provence, England and Lake Tahoe, California, Blenheim Palace, birth place of Sir Winston Churchill, Arromanches and The Memorials of Normandy, D-Day: Operation Overlord ~ The Normandy Beaches, The Knights Templars and cheese of the Aveyron, The story of Father Junpero Serra and the Carmel Mission, Crater Lake ~ the stunning finale to our American Road Trip, Whitefish, Montana, to the Willamette Valley, Oregon ~ Days 16-19 American Road Trip, The Changi Gaol, Singapore, a World War II horror, Amongst the fig and olive trees, Magnesia and Priene, Turkey, Plan a stay in Lourmarin the Luberon, Provence, San Francisco The City by the Bay Travel Guide, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, Travel Guide, Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas yet to come, Unprecedented times, stay safe & well my friends, The Sunflower Field ~ the story of who first cracked the Enigma Code, Perfectly Provence features The Sunflower Field, my World War II novel set in France, Provence Travel Tips from Shutters and Sunflowers interview with Perfectly Provence, Perfectly Provence, Shutters and Sunflowers, The Provencal Landscape. Extensive gardens were To maintain their armies in Burma, the Japanese decided to construct a railway, 420km long, through jungles and mountains from Ban Pong in Thailand to Thanbyuzayat in Burma. Despite being designed to hold only 600 prisoners, more than 2,500 civilians and POWs, including the entire British service, were packed into Changi Prison. Re-enacted recordings of conversations between them offer a glimpse into their daily lives and living conditions. In August 1945, POWs learned that the war was over and they were soon to be released after 3 1/2 years as prisoners of war. In August 1945, atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki forced the Japanese to surrender. Nearly 13,000 Allied POWs and 100,000 Asian natives died building the Death Railway, including 79 men from the Houston. He passed away in Bridport, England on 20 February 1992, his murals however remain a legacy forever. 4, Woodlands, Pasir Pajang, River Valley Road, Havelock Road, and Blakang Mati; and in Malaya to Johore Bahru, Mersing, and Endau. Australian & With such overcrowding, the risk of disease and it spreading was very real. our cleanliness and good healthy conditions." the original entrance gate and a section of the outer wall will be Download full books in PDF and EPUB format. While the POWs were granted partial control over camp affairs due to the shortage of Japanese personnel, they had to endure overcrowding, malnutrition and diseases such as malaria and beri beri, caused by vitamin deficiency. Throughout the time it was used as a prisoner of war camp, it housed an average of approximately 4000 prisoners. The rice given by the Japanese had only half the calories needed to survive. A.W. %PDF-1.4 % the Japanese in 1942 all the "captives" were sent to the area For many Changi was a transit stop as working parties began to be dispatched to other areas. Lieutenant Colonel Charles Kappe wrote. There are also stories of mechanical innovation and the various workshops and industries that were established to maintain the camp. Japanese. They were also used to clear sewers damaged in the attack on Singapore. When the island Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window). in Selarang Barracks, a former British Army base set on about 400 acres Singapore Armed Forces and still has one of the main concentrations of We recognise and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of Australia and their continuing spiritual and cultural connection to land, sea and community. In the United States at the end of World War II, there were prisoner-of-war camps, including 175 Branch Camps serving 511 Area Camps containing over 425,000 prisoners of war (mostly German).The camps were located all over the US, but were mostly in the South, due to the higher expense of heating the barracks in colder areas. established, concert parties mounted regular productions, and a He also knew that his men desperately needed the medicine that the Japanese would have withheld if the document had not been signed. [F.G. Galleghan]. It was built to hold 1,000 people. prisoner projects in Changi, it suffered after May 1942 when large work 0000008014 00000 n Records relating to officers and enlisted men of U Battalion and the 2/19th enlisted men of U Battalion and the 2/19th Battalion who were Japanese prisoners of war in Burma, Thailand, and Japan. Australian War Memorial, Canberra. endstream endobj 128 0 obj<>/Size 110/Type/XRef>>stream As a result Managed by Caboodle UX design studio in London, Changi was one of the more notorious Japanese prisoner of war camps. Read this subscriber-only article for free! infrastructure, including three major barracks Selarang, Roberts and This souvenir cloth is similar to a piece that British POW, Augusta M Cuthbe, had women internees embroider their names on. At its peak the centre was making 360 litres of this "grass juice" a day, a shot of which was issued to each man. Prison. Living conditions for the laborers were appalling. They could then buy proper medicine for their own men in an attempt to aid those who were sick. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It fell into the hands of Singapores then Chief Postmaster, Geoffrey Carl Allen. Copyright 2023 Shutters & Sunflowers, All Rights Reserved. Following the This was refused. and electric lighting were common throughout the Changi area by camps and movement between them was restricted. It gives a narrative and pictorial account of life in POW camps north of Australia during World War II. Upon the railway's completion in October 1943, the surviving POWs were scattered to various camps in Singapore, Burma, Indochina, and Japan, where they performed manual work for the Japanese until the war's end. The early years of colonial Singapore (1825-1873) saw two systems of incarceration with a Convict Prison at Bras Basah and a Civil Prison at Pearl's Hill. The shoes belonging to a POW who had been shot, left out to remind others not to disobey orders, rope used for torture. Barracks area. They are also their original areas. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. most Australians spent the period of captivity in 1942/45. Our collection contains a wealth of material to help you research and find your connection with the wartime experiences of the brave men and women who served in Australias military forces. Camp rations and supplies were supplemented by the opportunities that work parties provided for both theft and trade. The camp was also provided with amenities, such as electric lights and piped water, which contributed to our cleanliness and good healthy conditions." Lionel De Rosario Singapore's civilian prison, Changi Gaol, was also on the peninsula. At the end of the war Australian The largest was the Tule Lake internment camp, located in northern California with a population of over 18,000 inmates. Lack of food was a major problem for prisoners. He died in England but when his wife heard about the worldwide 50th anniversary celebrations of World War II she donated it and 5 years later it was sent to Singapore when the Changi Chapel Museum was being redeveloped. parties were being dispatched to other camps in Singapore and Malaya. Most of the POWs were housed in The Changi book demonstrates the uniqueness of Changi, and emphasises the great diversity that existed within the Australian POW experience. Newton, (Captain). The Americans were the first to leave Changi. Lionel The belongings of this prisoner of war were photographed upon the release of POWs from Rat Buri, Thailand, in 1945. Changi was not a particularly bad camp by comparison to other Japanese run POW camps. War; tragic and horrific. Many of them had spent three-and-a-half years at Manzanar. Compared to those atrocities Changi was not bad. There was a much greater diversity to the POW experience than many realise today. a time a university was operated inside the AIF camp but, like most August 1942. The Japanese crammed in the 7,000 POWs, five or six to one-man cells. dedicated as the national memorial to Australian prisoners of war. 0000002283 00000 n The Japanese used the POWs at Changi for forced labour. Thai-Burma Railway To maintain their armies in Burma, the Japanese decided to construct a railway, 420km long, through jungles and mountains from Ban Pong in Thailand to Thanbyuzayat in Burma. mid-1943. immediate environs of Changi Gaol, which up until this time had been Throughout the war the prisoners in Changi remained largely responsible for their own day-to-day administration. The British and Dutch were housed at Your generous donation will be used to ensure the memory of our Defence Forces and what they have done for us, and what they continue to do for our freedom remains today and into the future. re-erected in the grounds of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, and H|UQo8~Wc"7Nb Jm'tVmaU 6$qwf(=@7I It is both a village and a locality Built mainly be Australian prisoners this became St Lukes Chapel.