Insight into lives of prisoners of war

A NEW exhibition at The Black Watch Castle and Museum in Perth will offer a fresh insight into those young men forced to endure “Life Behind the Wire” as prisoners of war.

It will uncover the lives of Black Watch soldiers captured and imprisoned during the 20th Century’s many theatres of war.

The exhibition explores their experiences shared through letters, photographs, art and objects brought home as mementos of their time in captivity.

The term “prisoner of war” can conjure images of deprivation, hardship and harsh treatment and in many cases that perception was true.

For others, captivity — while not pleasant — proved at least to be safe.

The initial shame and trauma of capture gave way to an understanding that boredom and physical weakness rather than bullets were now the greatest enemies.

Prisoners would battle against these foes by trying to educate and entertain themselves.

Alongside the wartime artefacts, the exhibition invites visitors of all ages to write their own prisoner of war letters to loved ones at home.

These letters will feature on The Black Watch Castle and Museum’s social media in the coming months.

The “Life Behind the Wire” exhibition runs until November 30.