This story was originally published in the Victorian RSL Newsletter and is now being published here posthumously.

Les Balsarini, or Gooza to family and friends, joined the Australian Army in March 1940 along with his brother, Skeeter. At the time he was a young man of 21.

During his time in the Army, he was posted to the Middle East. It was here that he was captured by the Germans and became a prisoner of war. After a total of five years and eight months as an Australian soldier and prisoner of war, he returned to Australia.

UPDATE - 21/11/2016

We've had contact from readers who suggested we re-title this transcript. As a result, we've renamed it March to Freedom (from Death March). 

We have also been asked about the reference to a woman cooking the food: As the POWs marched through villages and towns accommodation was sought. The guards expected the women to cook the rations so they could eat too. Few men would have been around at the time.