On December 8, 1941, 13-year-old Evelyn Yamashita woke to find that a barbed wire fence had been built around her entire community on Thursday Island. The island’s Japanese population were kept there for two weeks until they were transported south to larger camps. Evelyn’s family were interned at Tatura for five and a half years.
Category Archives: Oral history of internment
Remembering Internment #2: Maurice Shiosaki
“Kite fighting”, sumo wrestling… Maurice Shiosaki has mostly fond memories of being interned at Tatura family camp as a boy. The saddest moment for his family was when it was time to leave.
Remembering internment #1: Mary Nakashiba
Former Tatura internee Mary Nakashiba reflects on her time in internment as a teenager—the vitriol of Australians who called for them to be killed, the difficulties her family had mixing with the imperialist Japanese at camp and the internee reaction to the bombing of Darwin.
Do you have a story about Japanese civilian internees?
As part of my research into Japanese civilians who were interned in Australia during World War II, I’m looking for people who would like to share personal or family stories about Japanese civilian internees (particularly Japanese who were interned at the Loveday camps in South Australia). Can you help? If you are a former internee,Continue reading “Do you have a story about Japanese civilian internees?”
Japanese civilian internment in Australia 