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Sandakan Prisoner of War Death Camp MemorialPrint Page Print this page

06-August-2015
06-August-2015

Photographs supplied by Diane Watson / Ian Bevege

Two rain trees commemorate World War Two servicemen from the Cairns region who suffered and died while prisoners of war (POW) in Sandakan and on the death marches to Ranau in North Borneo.

The Sandakan Death Marches were a series of forced marches in Borneo from Sandakan to Ranau which resulted in the deaths of 2345 Allied prisoners of war held captive by the Empire of Japan during the Pacific campaign of World War Two in the Sandakan POW Camp.

By the end of the war, of all the prisoners who had been incarcerated at Sandakan and Ranau, only six Australians survived, all of whom had escaped. It is widely considered to be the single worst atrocity suffered by Australian servicemen during World War Two.

Location

Address:Tinaburra Drive, near Avenue of Honour, Yungaburra , 4884
State:QLD
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -17.250879
Long: 145.582452
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Trees
Monument Theme:Conflict
Sub-Theme:WW2

Dedication

Approx. Monument Dedication Date:2013
Front Inscription

Sandakan P. O. W. Death Camp Memorial

This Rain Tree from Borneo is planted to honour the memory of the World War II servicemen of the Cairns Region who served Australia and its citizens and died from starvation disease or were murdered at the Sandakan Japanese P.O.W. Camp and on death marches to Ranau, North Borneo.  

Four men returned home.

Of 1800 Australian and 750 British P.O.W. sent to Sandakan more than 95% did not survive. Only 6 AIF soldiers escaped from the death marches to be rescued from the horror by the 9th Div. Troops.  On August 27th 1945, 13 days after the war ended, the last 15 P.O.W. were executed at Ranua P.O.W. camp.

May we that are left never forget the horror these P.O.W. from Cairns Region suffered. 
[ Names ]

Lest we Forget
 

 

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au