The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Handmade aluminium cigarette box with a curved hinged lid. The lid is engraved with and image of Changi Gaol and a scroll bearing the words 'CHANGI J. McGOWAN GAOL'. The base of the case is engraved 'To John from B & B Xmas 1944'. There are deep score marks on either side of the base where McGowan used it as a bottle opener on the ship bringing him back to Australia in 1945.
Made from Japanese aircraft parts as a Christmas present in 1944 for VX54206 Private John McGowan of 2/9 Field Ambulance, by his friends 'B and B', while they were prisoners of war of the Japanese in Changi. The friends are said to have been from Queensland and Victoria.
Handmade rectangular wooden cribbage board topped with a perforated alloy plate. The plate is engraved with the Australian coat of arms in the centre, in which the shield and crown elements have been
Small presentation tobacco box with hinged lid made from aluminium aircraft wreckage. A catch has been hand riveted to the inside of the lid. The lid is hand engraved with rays emanating from an oval
Hand carved tapered wooden handled tool, with simple round steel pin engraver mounted in the narrower end. The engraving pin has a bevelled cutting edge. This engraving tool was handmade in Changi G
Pressed aluminium box with hinged lid. The top lid of the box has a raised embossed representation of an orchid with a stippled background. The bottom has an engraved view of the Fukuoka POW camp in w
Drinking mug constructed with a soldered vertical lock seam and soldered handle, all made from stainless steel. Base is engraved 'E.W.B. / VX22206'. Scratched faintly adjacent to this is QX21513. Dr
Rectangular tin (empty) wrapped in calico and addressed in black ink: 'A. SOLDIERS PARCEL/ MISS MARGARET FILCOCK/ 14 JAMES STREET/ BALLARAT/ VICTORIA/ AUSTRALIA/ FROM/ PTE J FILCOCK/ 2/9 FIELD AMB/ A.
