Proserpine Museum, Bunny Rudd – Changi Collection.

On a recent visit to Proserpine Museum, I was lucky enough to assist with the rehousing of some significant objects relating to the Second World War.

The collection is made up of personal items belonging to William Rudd (Bunny or Bill) from his time spent at the Changi Prisoner of War (POW) camp, Singapore.

William Rudd

William was born and raised in the North Queensland town of Proserpine and served in the Australian Army during the Second World War. William was deployed to Singapore and captured during the fall of Singapore in 1942. He was imprisoned at the Changi POW camp and worked on the Burma Railway.

The highly personal objects include a pair of shorts made by his friend out of parachute material with a belt buckle and an engraved identification tag made from the wreckage of a plane. William’s Roll Book is also in the collection and is completely filled with notes and annotations. There is also a series of cards written by William home to his mother in Proserpine.

This collection will be on display at the Proserpine Historical Museum for ANZAC Day.

Front view, William Rudd’s shorts
Close up of William Rudd’s belt buckle and engraved identification tag (front)
William Rudd’s identification tag- rear

William Rudd’s roll book, front page and inside cover

Role Book, inside back cover
Letters home to Mother, from William Rudd (Bunny)
Cards home to Mother sent from Changi.

3 responses to “Proserpine Museum, Bunny Rudd – Changi Collection.”

  1. Margaret Piddocke Avatar
    Margaret Piddocke

    Very interesting. Very moving. Lest We Forget.

  2. Margaret Piddocke Avatar
    Margaret Piddocke

    Very interesting, very moving. Lest We Forget.

    1. Ewen McPhee Avatar
      Ewen McPhee

      Thanks Margaret. Another great examples of the objects and stories held by small museums in regional Queensland.

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