In both world wars, Australians became prisoners to the Germans and their allies. The Turco-German alliance of the First World War meant that the Ottoman Empire supported the German war effort. Members of the Australian Flying Corps, sailors of the AE2 submarine and soldiers in trenches were captured in the Dardanelles campaign in Gallipoli. But majority of the prisoners under Turkish captivity were light horsemen; captured in areas such as Egypt and Sinai-Palestine where fighting was more mobile. In total, the Turkish captured 232 Australians. Meanwhile, German troops captured 3848 Australians on the Western Front in Belgium and France. A third of that measure was during the first Battle of Bullecourt in 1917. Many Australian airmen were also
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The Hague Convention of 1917 prevented the mistreatment of prisoners in World War One, in particular, the officers and the ill. Officers were treated as upper class and were not allowed to work as manual labourers or support their captor’s war effort or economy. Equally important, the wounded and ill were treated in Turkish and German camps but both groups prioritised the treatment of their own, therefore many POWs had to wait days for treatment, which in many cases was too long and resulted in death. Prisoners in contact with the Red Cross received parcels which contained essentials such as food and clothing along with letters from family. In some occasions, Turkish troops would steal the contents of the parcels. But in most cases, camp commandants in World War One abided by the Hague convention and treated their prisoners as best they could in wartime …show more content…
Despite this, Australian POWs experienced more severe persecution than those in the first world war, specifically those in Japanese captivity. Although having signed the convention, the Japanese did not rectify its terms and so ignored their prisoners’ military position or physical well-being. In contrast to the First World War where the wounded were given medical attention, the Japanese punished the ill and wounded. Many were forced to hold up heavy weights for hours on end while being hit and abused. Japanese troops interfered with the work of the Red Cross by keeping parcels from prisoners. However, German and Italian camps abided by the conditions of the convention and distributed parcels to prisoners which reflected camps in WWI.
Many Australian prisoners of war had to endure forced labour, and for some, became their cause of death. 13 000 Australian prisoners worked on the Thai-Burma railway in the second world war. Work varied, from working on the railway to stacking food but prisoners were over-worked with shifts going between 24 to 33 hours. Regardless of the weather, environment or their health and capabilities, prisoners were forced to build the 420km railway or face consequences. Over 2700 died on the railway from overworking, malnutrition and tropical
The Hague Convention of 1917 prevented the mistreatment of prisoners in World War One, in particular, the officers and the ill. Officers were treated as upper class and were not allowed to work as manual labourers or support their captor’s war effort or economy. Equally important, the wounded and ill were treated in Turkish and German camps but both groups prioritised the treatment of their own, therefore many POWs had to wait days for treatment, which in many cases was too long and resulted in death. Prisoners in contact with the Red Cross received parcels which contained essentials such as food and clothing along with letters from family. In some occasions, Turkish troops would steal the contents of the parcels. But in most cases, camp commandants in World War One abided by the Hague convention and treated their prisoners as best they could in wartime …show more content…
Despite this, Australian POWs experienced more severe persecution than those in the first world war, specifically those in Japanese captivity. Although having signed the convention, the Japanese did not rectify its terms and so ignored their prisoners’ military position or physical well-being. In contrast to the First World War where the wounded were given medical attention, the Japanese punished the ill and wounded. Many were forced to hold up heavy weights for hours on end while being hit and abused. Japanese troops interfered with the work of the Red Cross by keeping parcels from prisoners. However, German and Italian camps abided by the conditions of the convention and distributed parcels to prisoners which reflected camps in WWI.
Many Australian prisoners of war had to endure forced labour, and for some, became their cause of death. 13 000 Australian prisoners worked on the Thai-Burma railway in the second world war. Work varied, from working on the railway to stacking food but prisoners were over-worked with shifts going between 24 to 33 hours. Regardless of the weather, environment or their health and capabilities, prisoners were forced to build the 420km railway or face consequences. Over 2700 died on the railway from overworking, malnutrition and tropical