Jack Calder's story

Jack Calder served in the senior cadets and militia before the start of World War II.

After he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), Jack served first with the Australian Electrical & Mechanical Engineers in 2/1 Army Field Workshops. Then he transferred to 2/32nd Australian Infantry Battalion.

Jack served in Tobruk and Syria before participating in a battle at El Alamein, in which he was captured.

Jack became a prisoner of war (POW) in Italy. He vividly remembers the mistreatment that was meted out to him and other POWs.

After Italy's capitulation, Jack was sent north to various German POW camps. One night in February 1945, he and another prisoner escaped during an air raid and linked up with Russian forces that had been moving through Bulgaria and Romania.

When the war ended, Jack made his way to American lines and from there, was sent back to England.