Australia 3rd Military District

The Tatura Camp was actually an Internment Camp and consisted of four sections.

Camps 1 and 2 were at Tatura and Camps 3 and 4 were a few kilometers away in Rushworth. Camp 1 housed primarily German and Italian Internees while Camp 2 first contained German Jewish refugees and later Italian POWs and German officers. Camps 1 and 2 closed in January 1947. Camp 3 was a family camp housing German and Italian families from Australia, Iran, Palestine and the Straits Settlements included in this group were some Jewish families. Camp 4 was initially opened to house European internees but was changed after the entrance of Japan into the war to hold Japanese from Australia, Java, and New Caledonia. Camp 3 was closed in February of 1946 and Camp 4 was closed in August of 1946. Canteen coupons from Tatura are extremely scarce with only a 1 shilling known.

  • note from Australia 3rd Military District