Leles - Java

Leles – Java

Leles is situated southeast of Bandoeng (West Java)

From March 1942 to April 1942 this location served as a prisoner of war camp. At the time of capitulation of March 8^th 1942, there were many Allied military personnel on Java. They were ordered to turn themselves in at nearby military encampments or public buildings, to await internment in prisoner of war camps. Australian military personnel went to a plantation near Leles for provisional internment.

The site was originally the square where the Javanese held their markets. The area had several buildings about 12 feet wide with just enough covering overhead to shade the vendor’s stalls. Most of the POWs were moved to the Bicycle Camp at Batavia between 30^th March and 14^th April 1942. The first group of about 50 prisoners left late March as the advance party with the intention they would build a camp prior to the main group arriving.

This never eventuated as they were billeted at Koan School at Glodok, a suburb in Batavia when they were moved to the Bicycle camp at Batavia in May 1942.

Reference to https://www.indischekamparchieven.nl/

Read about POW Camps Java