Cowra–Japan conversationsHarold Starr as Secretary of the Cowra Breakout Association, 2003 and his daughter Dale Starr
Interviewed by Terry Colhoun at Cowra, New South Wales, on 19 March 2003 (AWM S030086)

TERRY COLHOUN: While we were planning this project sadly we heard that one of the persons we wished to interview, Mrs Marion Starr, had died. Now she was a very significant person in more recent years in developing a better understanding between Japan and Cowra. It would be quite wrong if we did not acknowledge this in some way in the project. It seems the best way to do it is to talk to her husband, Harold, and one of their daughters, Dale, so that we can learn a little of why Marion Starr is so well recognised inCowra for her work. Now, whichever one of you would like to start this, but the first question I would like to ask is why was Marion so interested in doing this work for Cowra–Japan relations? Who wants to start? Dale?

DALE STARR: When she was born she was actually delivered by her Great-aunt, Madeleine Cook, at Tuena in New South Wales, and when the Cowra breakout happened one of the four Australian men soldiers that was killed in the breakout was Ralph Jones who was engaged to Great-aunt Madeleine, and when the breakout happened, as part of the war, a lot of it was hushed up or not told or whatever and I think she wanted to make sure that due recognition…

COLHOUN: That people knew more about what