Clarrie Wilson

Today we remember Carrie Wilson, who was incarcerated in a Japanese prisoner of war (POW) camp. On 15 August 1945, the end of the Second World War was declared but it took a while for the news to sink in for Clarrie and his fellow captives.

Clarrie Wilson audio file (MP4 23.90 MB)

Clarrie Wilson audio script

75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War

Audio actuality

“Fellow Citizens, the War is over” — (The Hon J B Chifley, Prime Minister of Australia)

On the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War, Australia remembers Clarrie Wilson, who was incarcerated in a Japanese POW camp for three-and-a-half years.

The day the war ended — on August the 15th 1945 — it took a while for the news to sink in for Clarrie and his fellow POW’s.

Clarrie Wilson

The day the war ended, from about half past four till eleven in the morning, the Americans were over bombing Singapore Harbor. The next morning, there wasn't a ship in the Harbor that didn't have its mask sticking up out of the water. The place was virtually in ruins, unless ... well — you know, this is it. They can't carry on. And that day the Japs lined us all up and said, "Yasume”. “Everybody rest”. So, we did nothing that day. And we knew that it was over. But we really didn't realise until the day after the third day that the war had finished. Felt absolutely glorious. Felt that there's a great load had been removed from the mind. Somewhat thunderstruck. You just couldn't believe that the war had actually ended.

Saturday, August 15 marks the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War. Let’s pay our respects to that amazing generation of Australians.