Christmas card made in Changi POW camp

Christmas card, kept by Maxwell (Max) Roy Venables, 8 Division A.I.F., whilst a prisoner of war in the Changi prison camp in Singapore during World War II. The card was handmade by fellow prisoner Eric Wilson.

Max was born in Wirrabara on 24 May 1922; his family moved to Adelaide in 1926. After leaving school and working at various jobs Max enlisted in the Army in July 1940 at the age of eighteen. He was placed in the 8 Division Ammunition Sub Park based at Wayville and then Woodside, Alice Springs and Larrimah. In November 1941 the Unit was transferred overseas with many in the Unit not aware of their final destination. Only when leaving Fremantle did they learn they were going to Singapore. Their troop ship, the HMAT Zealandia was escorted most of the way to Singapore by the HMAS Sydney. On 19 November 1941, shortly after handing over escort of Zealandia, the HMAS Sydney was sunk with all lives lost. (Venables, 2002)

When the Unit first arrived on 20 November 1941 the Japanese attack on Singapore had not quite begun; however this soon changed over the coming weeks and months until the Allied forces, after heavy fighting, called for a ceasefire and surrendered on 15 February 1942. More than 100,000 troops became prisoners of war together with the European civilians living in Singapore who were also interned. (Nelson, 2007)

The Unit was marched to Changi prison camp where the majority of Australian troops were imprisoned. They were intitially confined to the Selarang Barracks where Max began his diary. Along with the other prisoners, Max believed they would be free within a few weeks, so he began his diary by recording brief notes about their daily chores. The staple food in Changi was rice which they ate three times a day. Also of note in the diary are the activities arranged for the prisoners; this was a way to keep the men occupied. However before long another use was found for the men when they were taken from the camps and formed into work parties to complete forced labour for the Japanese. In April 1943 Max left Changi as part of the work teams on the Burma-Thailand railway where he suffered severe malnutrition and exhaustion along with conditions such as dysentery, malaria and beriberi. His accounts of these days on the railway make moving reading. Thousands of Australians died while working on the railway along with other Allied troops. (Venables, 2002; Nelson, 2007)

Despite the deprivation and hardship in the camps, the prisoners tried to make the best of it, as can be seen in the hand drawn Christmas card made for Max by his fellow prisoner and friend Eric Wilson. Although it depicts a rather grim humour in the drawing of a very thin prisoner, there is also real hope in the opposite image of a much happier and well fed man with beer in hand for 1945. Indeed there were signs of hope that the war may be coming to an end as Max records non-Japanese planes flying over the camps in November 1944. But it was not until September 1945 that the war ended and ships were able to take the prisoners home.

After the war Max went on to marry and have three children. In 2002 he published a book called From Wayville to Changi and Beyond which records the history of the 8 Division Ammunition Sub Park and 8 Australian Division A.I.F. The book also contains a full transcription of his diary along with notes added for each entry. Also included are the diaries of several other prisoners. Max was very surprised to find that so many others had kept diaries because it was dangerous to keep them with serious consequences if found by the Japanese.

Max passed away on 26 June 2009 in Adelaide.

Max Venables' diary was chosen for the Staff Favourites exhibition by a staff member who wrote 'this item..., in my opinion, is a unique acquisition in the archival collection and has made quite an impression on me.'

This item is reproduced courtesy of the Family of Max Venables. It may be printed or saved for research or study. Use for any other purpose requires written permission from the Family of Max Venables. To request approval, complete the Quote for Copy/Permission form.