Sandakan Prisoner of War MemorialPrint Page 
The memorial commemorates prisoners of war who died in North Borneo in World War Two. It is a topographical model showing the route of the death marches between Sandakan and Ranau. Mt. Kinabula, the highest mountain in South East Asia, in the background.
The memorial bears about 150 names of men known to have enlisted from the Northern Regions of New South Wales. These names are featured on three plaques and a fourth plaque tells the story of the Sandakan tragedy.
787 Australian servicemen died at the infamous Sandakan Prisoner of War camp in North Borneo in the three years from July 1942, or during the even more infamous Sandakan death marches of early 1945.
Location
| Address: | Brisbane & Upper Streets, ANZAC Park, Tamworth, 2340 |
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| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -31.086412 Long: 150.935669 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
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| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | WW2 |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 03-September-1939 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 15-August-1945 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Sunday 31st July, 1994 |
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Plaque :
The memorial was dedicated by Father John Brendan Rogers, O. F. M.
Eighth Division A. I. F. Chaplain, Sandakan and Kuching
Thus memorial was unveiled by the Mayor of the City of Tamworth Councillor David John
31st July, 1994
Plaque :
In memory of 1800 Australians of the 8th Division A.I.F. and 750 British troops. They fought gallantly in the defence of Malaya and Singapore during World War II. Following the fall of Singapore, they became prisoners of the Japanese and were transported to Sandakan in British North Borneo, now Sabah, in 1942 to construct an airfield, where 900 died of ill-treatment.
By the end of 1944, when Allied forces were within striking distance of Sandakan, the Japanese Command ordered the removal of prisoners inland to Ranau 165 miles (265 kilometres) west. On 29 January 1945, 470 prisoners guarded by 500 Japanese marched towards Ranau. Those unable to carry on were killed.
The second march comprising 532 prisoners left Sandakan on 29 May 1945, 183 arrived at Ranau on 26 June 1945. Only eight survived from the first march.
Of the 288 prisoners left at Sandakan there were no survivors.
On 1 August 1945, the surviving 22 prisoners at Ranau were massacred. Six who escaped were rescued by Special Forces.
This memorial honours those men who enlisted from the Northern Region of New South Wales.
We will remember them
Sandakan Memorial Foundation
[ Names ]
Plaque :
The sculptured terrain of Sabah illustrates the route of the Death Marches, shown by a bronze ribbon between Sandakan and Ranau which was substantially swamp and dense jungle in 1945.
Sandakan
[ Names ]
[ Names ]
