The POWs tried to capture machine gun posts , armed only with home made weapons . The Prime Minister John Curtin said this was a `` suicidal disregard of life '' , and had no chance of success . The actions of the POWs in storming machine gun posts , armed only with improvised weapons , showed what Prime Minister John Curtin described as a `` suicidal disregard of life '' , and had no chance of success .