The POW archive of sketches and watercolours painted by CPO Ray Parkin, helmsman of HMAS Perth 1, were made during his three and a half years as a POW. The Parkin family have generously made available these images for the Ex-POW & Relatives Association of Victoria. Their father was Vice President of the committee lead by Sir Edward Weary Dunlop for many years after both men returned to Australia.

The Ex-POW & Relatives Association of Victoria would like to thank the Parkin family for their contribution to this website.

All images within this website are under copyright and are the property of the Parkin family. No reproduction is available.

'Two Malarias and a Cholera' This is the iconic image of the death railway - the Line.  Ray drew this image from memory after watching these three walk back to camp from a work party on the Line. It is now the official emblem of the C… — 'Two Malarias and a Cholera'
This is the iconic image of the death railway - the Line. Ray drew this image from memory after watching these three walk back to camp from a work party on the Line. It is now the official emblem of the Changi Museum in Singapore.

Bandoeng POW camp, Java 1942Water boilers were a way of POWs making money in camp. They provided hot water for bathing or washing. But, it cost. — Bandoeng POW camp, Java 1942
Water boilers were a way of POWs making money in camp. They provided hot water for bathing or washing. But, it cost.

Japanese POW mining camp at Ohama on the main island 1945Ray Parkin and Charles Edwards were there for the last year of the war.There they saw the Nagasaki bomb mushroom. Petty Officer Ray Parkin drew this at the end of the war, completing it in the… — Japanese POW mining camp at Ohama on the main island 1945
Ray Parkin and Charles Edwards were there for the last year of the war.
There they saw the Nagasaki bomb mushroom. Petty Officer Ray Parkin drew this at the end of the war, completing it in the weeks he spent waiting to be repatriated.

Tropical flowers from the Bandoeng POW camp on Java, August 1942. Ray loved nature and the colours of Java tantalised him. — Tropical flowers from the Bandoeng POW camp on Java, August 1942. Ray loved nature and the colours of Java tantalised him.

Ray's tent - if it can be called that - in Hintok Mountain camp. The wet season in January 1944.

Bandoeng POW camp, Java 1942Ray drew Sgt. Pilot Geoff Dewey relaxing at the back of his cottage within the camp. — Bandoeng POW camp, Java 1942
Ray drew Sgt. Pilot Geoff Dewey relaxing at the back of his cottage within the camp.

Ray Parkin painted the butterflies that flew around the Kwai Noi river and its valleys. In February 1943 he painted little else.  He named them and dried others, sticking them to the ceiling of his hut in the camp with slivers of bamboo. &… — Ray Parkin painted the butterflies that flew around the Kwai Noi river and its valleys. In February 1943 he painted little else. He named them and dried others, sticking them to the ceiling of his hut in the camp with slivers of bamboo.

The Will-o-the-Wisp beetle given to Ray Parkin by Weary Dunlop while both were POWs in Konyu POW camp on the Thai Burma railway.

Ray Parkin watercolour.  A view from the POW camp in Ohama, 1945. — Ray Parkin watercolour. A view from the POW camp in Ohama, 1945.