Hajime Toyoshima

Who is Hajime Toyoshima?

Sergeant Hajime Toyoshima was a Japanese airman in World War II. His A6M Zero was the first of that type to be recovered relatively intact on Allied territory when he crash landed on Melville Island, Northern Territory, Australia. Toyoshima was the first Japanese Prisoner of War to be captured in Australia. While a Prisoner of War, Toyoshima was one of the instigators of the Breakout from the Prisoner of War Camp located in Cowra, New South Wales, Australia, sounding a bugle to signal the commencement of the escape. He died at some time later in the breakout.