The series consists of a single file consolidating the files relating to the Cowra Mass Escape on 5 August 1944 from three different series. The file contains lists of deceased and wounded prisoners, causes of death, related correspondence, burial arrangements and arrangements for return of money to relatives, exhibits from Inquiry into Japanese Prison Camp Deaths, transcript of proceedings of the Inquiry, newspaper clippings, plan of Cowra camp, photographs of Cowra camp after the incident.

The three files top-numbered into the CARO file were from a Director of War Graves Services series (14/2/-), a Second Echelon, Army Headquarters series (778/1/421) and a Prisoner of War Information Bureau series (347/641/167). The Second Echelon, Army Headquarters, files were passed to the subsequent agency, CARO, in 1948.

The files of the Prisoner of War Information Bureau were transferred to CARO c.1950. It is not known when the 3 files and the photographs were amalgamated. Somemore recent newspaper cutting were presumably added later. The three 'top-numbered' files and extra material are held in a manilla folder with the title "Cowra Mass Escape". The cover is stamped "Confidential" and has some comments on the origins and use of informationon file.

Previous series unregistered

Correspondence files, multiple number series, c 1942-c 1953 
CARO [Second Echelon files] 
Correspondence files, multiple number series, c 1940-c 1950 [Prisoner
 of War Information Bureau files]
Subject to further research