The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Two pieces of terracotta roof tiles distorted and fused together with other miscellaneous debris.
These damaged terracotta roof tiles were collected at Hiroshima by the Australian Military History Section during the Allied Occupation of Japan. The damage to the tiles was caused by the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945. This type of tile is known as a ‘kawara’, a Japanese baked clay tile which were common in buildings across Japan. These tiles were favoured in part because of their fire resistant qualities which is why it has maintained some of its structural integrity although the clay tiles fused together in the blast.
In the Allied occupation which followed the Second World War, Australians served as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) from February 1946 until the treaty in 1951 to assist with the demilitarisation and democratisation of Japan. Australian forces worked within the Hiroshima prefecture and day trips to the site were a common occurrence. With no understanding of the dangers of radiation in the area, Australians collected or purchased damaged items from the site as souvenirs to take home.
The Military History Section operated under the Army and was attached to BCOF Headquarters first in Kure and then Eta Jima, south of Hiroshima. They were responsible for the documentation and creation of an official history as well as the collection of pertinent war relics. They were a small team which decreased as the occupation went on. All the objects they collected were then sent to the Australian War Memorial.
Portion of terracotta tile with other debris including pottery, fused into it. This damaged terracotta roof tile was collected at Hiroshima by the Australian Military History Section during the Alli
Portion of terracotta tile with other debris including metal, fused into it. This damaged terracotta roof tile was collected at Hiroshima by the Australian Military History Section during the Allied
Small photographic plates which have been fused together. These photographic plates were collected at Hiroshima by the Australian Military History Section during the Allied Occupation of Japan. The
Melted conglomerate which appears to contain some form of marble pottery with a piece of iron and a pair of metal hinges fused into the mass. This melted conglomerate was collected at Hiroshima by t
A porcelain saucer that is intact with pieces of other pottery fused to it by molten glass. These broken ceramic and glass pieces were collected at Hiroshima by the Australian Military History Secti
Broken inkwell which appears to be made from glass with other glass fused to it. This broken and melted glass inkwell was collected at Hiroshima by the Australian Military History Section during the
