In 1945, as the Second World War drew to a close in the Pacific, the gates of the infamous Changi Prisoner of War Camp in Singapore finally opened. Inside were hundreds of Allied soldiers — including many Australians — who had endured years of brutal captivity under the Japanese.

For over three years, these men had faced unrelenting hardship: chronic malnutrition, harsh forced labour, rampant disease, and the constant fear of execution. Food was scarce, medical care was minimal, and the tropical heat was unforgiving. Survival depended on resilience, solidarity, and sheer willpower.

The photograph, beautifully colorized by Christos Kaplanis, captures a rare and moving moment: a group of liberated Australian soldiers, their bodies frail but their faces carrying the first signs of relief. Some sip tea or coffee, others glance at a newspaper — ordinary acts that must have felt extraordinary after years of deprivation.

They were the lucky ones. Thousands of their comrades did not survive the harsh conditions of Japanese POW camps. For those who walked out of Changi in 1945, freedom was not only a return to life beyond the camp’s barbed wire, but a testament to human endurance in the face of unimaginable suffering.

This image remains a powerful reminder of the cost of war, the resilience of the human spirit, and the profound joy of liberation.