Italian POW Farm Workers
Italian prisoners of war became an essential part of rural life in New South Wales during the Second World War. Working under supervised release on farms, they helped address labour shortages while building unexpected friendships and mutual respect with the communities that hosted them.
Ashes and Sakura: an Australian story of the making of a Pacific nation
Set against the remote Pacific island of Morotai and the ruins of postwar Japan at war’s end, Ashes and Sakura follows Tom Darcy, a young Australian soldier serving with the British Commonwealth occupation forces in Japan after the Second World War. As he encounters the devastation of a defeated nation and forms unexpected bonds with those on the other side of the conflict, the novel explores war, memory, love and reconciliation.
Italians Employed on Farms in the Coonabarabran District
More than 40 Italian prisoners of war were employed on farms in the Coonabarabran district to ease wartime labour shortages, with numbers expected to double. While local farmers reportedly praised the prisoners' work and conduct, the scheme drew criticism from some who argued that Australian servicemen with farming experience should have been released to work the land instead.
Wife Accused of Taking Italian POW as Lover
A Sydney company director petitioned for divorce, alleging that his wife had committed adultery with an Italian prisoner of war employed on his family's farm near Oberon. The wife denied the allegation, while the prisoner admitted to acts of familiarity but denied adultery. Evidence was heard from the farm manager and the case was adjourned for further hearing.