Sandakan camp

Layout of the POW camp.

The Sandakan camp, also known as Sandakan POW Camp (Malay: Kem Tawanan Perang Sandakan), was a prisoner-of-war camp established during World War II by the Japanese in Sandakan in the Malaysian state of Sabah. This site has gained notoriety as the Sandakan Death Marches started from here. Now, part of the former site houses the Sandakan Memorial Park.

History

Aerial view of the camp in 1944.

After a large-scale military success during the Second World War, the Japanese had captured large numbers of Allied soldiers as a prisoners of war and distributed them to various lock-up facilities. In July 1942, the Japanese POW camps in Sandakan received about 1,500 Australians, most of them been captured from Singapore and brought here for the purpose of building a military airfield for the Japanese; this date is considered to be the beginning of the camp. In 1943, another 770 British and 500 Australian soldiers were sent to the camp. At the height of 1943, about 2,500 prisoners of war were located in the camp.

In October 1944, when the Japanese increasingly became defensive towards the end of the war, the airfield in Sandakan came under constant heavy bombing by the Allied forces. By January 1945, the damage was so great, and the Japanese no longer able to repair the runway, that on 10 January 1945 work on the airstrip was completely stopped. Also in the same month, a group of about 455 prisoners were sent on forced marches by the Japanese.^[1]^[2]

In May 1945, the Japanese finally decided to close the POW camp. Takakuwa Takuo took over command of the camp on 17 May. On 29 May, he ordered the 536 prisoners to march to Ranau and then set the camp area on fire. Almost all records about the site were destroyed by fire. Other prisoners were marched into the jungle where they perished or were shot by the Japanese guards.^[2]

On 10 June 1945 – 30 prisoners had died in the meantime – a final group march of 75 prisoners towards Ranau was set in motion. The remaining prisoners who were stranded on the burned area either died of malnutrition and disease or were killed by the Japanese guards. By 15 August 1945, none of them remained alive.^[2]

Information about the camp

Location

The camp was located about 1.5 kilometres southwest of the present-day Sandakan Airport.

Background

According to records, the site are once an experimental farm for the North Borneo Chartered Company, where fruit, grain and cattle were kept.^[3]

When the Japanese occupied Borneo, the site then was divided into three main areas; each one bearing part of the Australian and British prisoners of war (Australian compound and the British compound) as well as a site for the Japanese guards and for the residential buildings of the Japanese.

The camp produced its own electricity with a steam vessel, coupled to an alternator. The power house originally was part of the agricultural research station. The wood fired steam vessel propelled the alternator which produced a voltage of 110 V for the illumination of the camp and the fencing. The power house also played an important role for the operation of the clandestine transmitter of the camp underground organisation. From 1942 up to its discovery in July 1943, the voltage was raised secretly in the evening hours to provide sufficient voltage for the transmission equipment.

"The Great Tree" (The Big Tree) – a huge specimen of a Mengarisbaumes (Koompassia excelsa) – was the dominant structure of the POW camp.

Not far away from the Australian part of the camp was a provisions depot and a kitchen for the Japanese, operated by the Japanese quartermaster. Still today, a baseplate as well as a concrete water reservoir of this facility is left.

Leader

Captain Susumi Hoshijima (centre) during the war crimes trial in Labuan.

During the Japanese occupation, the leader who responsible for the managing of the camp was Hoshijima Susumi, who held the rank of lieutenant. As a military engineer, he was entrusted with the task of establishing a military airfield.^[4] Towards the end of the war he was promoted to Captain. Athletically built, and with a body height of 1.8 m, he was an impressive appearance. He revealed his despotic, unscrupulous character to the newly arrived POWs in April 1943 with the words:

“

"You will work until your bones rot under the tropical sun of Borneo. You will work for the Emperor. If any of you escape, I will pick out three or four and shoot them. The war will last for 100 years".

”

In May 1945, the Japanese military leadership gave the order to abandon the POW camp. On 17 May, Captain Takakuwa Takuo and Hoshijima together command the prisoners of war.^[2]

Both Hoshijima and Takakuwa later been brought to the Labuan War Crimes Trials, which they were found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging on 6 April in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.^[5]^[6]

Ill-treatment towards prisoners

A model of the cage today.

The camp was secured by barbed wire to prevent the prisoners from escaping. In front of the guards office, there is a large wooden cage with a size about 1.8 x 1.5 x 1.2 metres, which is quite similar to a dog cage. Originally, cage for punishing minor offences by the Japanese soldiers was already provided; but it was never used for this purpose.^[7]

In June 1943 and October 1944, new cages were built, each are larger than the previous one. The second cage was about 2.7 x 2.1 x 1.5 metres, while the third cage was 4.5 x 2.7 x 2.7 metres. The majority of the prisoners who were placed in the cage were caught stealing food from the camp kitchen.^[7]

The camp rules for the punishment were based on the same rules that were provided to the Japanese soldiers in other occupied places. The maximum duration of the placement in the cage are limited to 30 days. The use of a toilet was only allowed twice a day. Ill-treatment by shock and water torture were also frequent and the victim was be left in the cage with no food, wearing only a loincloth or shorts, the prisoners were also defenceless against the mosquitoes, their constant attacks on the victims weakened body also make sleeping at night almost impossible.^[7]

The camp after the war

The Sandakan Memorial Park been built on the site of the former POW Camp.

All remains of the prisoners of war that were found during the investigations after the war were transferred to a military cemetery in Labuan. The identified victims were buried there and their graves marked with their name, while the names of the others were listed on the corresponding plaques in Labuan and Singapore.

In 1986, a memorial stone was erected on the site, to pay tribute to Captain Lionel Matthews and other resistance movement people in Sandakan as well as the six survivors of the death marches. In 1995, after finalisation of an agreement between the Government of the State of Sabah, Government of Australia, the veterans association of the Returned and Services League of Australia and the City Council of Sandakan, a memorial was built at the POW camp site, which is known as Sandakan Memorial Park. The unveiling of the memorial took place on 18 March 1999.^[8]

References

↑ Richard Reid, Page 22/23
1 2 3 4 Ooi Keat Gin (2011). "The Japanese Occupation of Borneo" (PDF). Routledge. pp. 96–97. ISBN 0-203-85054-8. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
↑ "Daily life (Info of the Sandakan Memorial Park)". Government of Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs. 15 April 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
↑ Peter Pierce (10 November 2012). "Sandakan paints a portrait of hell on earth". The Australian. Retrieved 22 September 2014. (subscription required)
↑ Moffitt, Project Kingfisher, cited in Ooi Keat Gin, Page 47
↑ Athol Moffitt (3 May 2007). "Mr Big and others brought to book". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
1 2 3 WW2 Punishment Cage in Wisma Warisan, Sandakan. Retrieved 22 September 2014
↑ Information on the panel of "The 1986 monument", which was erected by the Australian Government

Historical related buildings, memorials, monuments and sites in Malaysia

West Malaysia

Buildings	A Famosa Abidin Mosque All Saints' Church All Souls' Church Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple Buddhist Maha Vihara Cape Rachado Lighthouse Church of the Risen Christ City Hall Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion Cheng Hoon Teng Christ Church Coliseum Theatre Church of St. Francis Xavier Church of the Assumption Church of the Immaculate Conception Dhammikarama Burmese Temple Dutch Fort Eastern & Oriental Hotel Fort Cornwallis Governor's Museum Holy Spirit Cathedral Hotel Majestic Istana Ampang Tinggi Istana Besar Istana Bukit Serene Istana Seri Menanti Jalan Baru Sri Muniswarar Temple Jehan Chan Art Gallery Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple Jubilee Clock Tower Kampung Hulu Mosque Kampung Laut Mosque Kapitan Keling Mosque Kek Lok Si Kellie's Castle Khoo Kongsi Kong Hock Keong Temple Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan Lebuh Aceh Mosque Macau Gallery Malacca Light Malay and Islamic World Museum Malaysia Architecture Museum Malaysia Youth Museum National Mosque of Malaysia National Textile Museum Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple One Fathom Bank Lighthouse DBKL City Theatre Penang Islamic Museum Perak State Museum Poh San Teng Temple Proclamation of Independence Memorial Pisang Island Lighthouse Undan Island Lighthouse Snake Temple Sin Sze Si Ya Temple Sri Aghora Veerapathra Temple Sri Kandaswamy Kovil Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Penang Sri Marathandavar Bala Dhandayuthapani Alayam Temple Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple Sri Sunderaraja Perumal Temple Sri Sithi Vinayagar Temple Stadthuys St. Anne's Church St. George's Church St. John's Cathedral St. Mary's Cathedral St. John's Fort St. Paul's Church St. Peter's Church Straits Chinese Jewellery Museum Suffolk House Sultanah Aminah Hospital Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque Sultan Abdul Samad Building Sultan Ibrahim Building Taiping Hospital Tamil Methodist Church Thni Kong Tnua Wat Chayamangkalaram Wat Phothivihan

Memorials and monuments	Alor Gajah British Graveyard Batu Tenggek War Memorial Cheras War Cemetery Hang Jebat Mausoleum Hang Li Poh's Well Hang Tuah's Well Kedah Royal Mausoleum Kelantan Royal Mausoleum Kuala Klawang Memorial Lord Murugan Statue Al-Ghufran Royal Mausoleum Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum Heroes' Mausoleum Sultan Abdul Samad Mausoleum Tomb of Sultan Ali Tomb of Sultan Mahmud Shah II Malacca Warrior Monument Millennium Monument National Monument Old Protestant Cemetery Pahang Old Royal Mausoleum Penang Jewish Cemetery Seri Menanti Royal Mausoleum Statue of Kuan Yin Taiping War Cemetery Kris Monument Tun Teja Mausoleum

Site	Batu Caves Fort of Smelly Monitor Lizard Chinese Hill Princess Hill Chinatown, Kuala Terengganu Fort of Ruins Fort of Ngah Ibrahim's Lenggong Malacca General Hospital Markets of Taiping Morib Penang Botanic Gardens St. Paul's Hill Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital Biru Seri Kundang Lake

East Malaysia

Buildings	Atkinson Clock Tower Fort Hose Fort Margherita Fort Sylvia Kinarut Mansion Labuan Chimney Labuan Clock Tower Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sibu Sarawak State Museum St. Michael's Church, Penampang St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Sandakan The Astana Tua Pek Kong Temple

Memorials and monuments	Bronze Globe of Tanjung Simpang Mengayau Brooke Memorial Chartered Company Monument Cho Huan Lai Memorial De Fontaine Memorial Double Six Monument Gunner Cleary Memorial Keningau Oath Stone Kuching Heroes Cemetery Kundasang War Memorial World War II Memorial Last POW Camp Memorial Mat Salleh Memorial North Borneo War Monument Petagas War Memorial Quailey's Hill Memorial Rafflesia Monument Sandakan Heritage Trail Sandakan Massacre Memorial Sandakan Memorial Park Sandakan War Monument Starcevich Monument Tawau Japanese War Memorial Tun Mustapha Memorial Park William Pryer Monument

Site	Agop Batu Tulug Caves Batu Lawi Hill Batu Lintang camp Chinatown, Kuching Gaya Street, Kota Kinabalu Nunuk Ragang Queen Elizabeth Hospital Sandakan camp Sarawak General Hospital

History of East Malaysia

Main history¹	Empire of Brunei Japanese occupation Borneo campaign British Military Administration Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation Malaysia Agreement Proclamation of Malaysia

History of Sabah	Brunei Civil War Sultanate of Sulu Austrian colony North Borneo Chartered Company British North Borneo Antanum Mat Salleh Madrid Protocol Jesselton Revolt Sandakan camp Sandakan Death Marches Battle of North Borneo Crown Colony of North Borneo Self-government of North Borneo Cobbold Commission 20-point agreement Double Six Crash Moro attacks 1985 Lahad Datu ambush 2000 Sipadan kidnappings 2013 Lahad Datu standoff 1986 Sabah riots 1991 Sabah political arrests

History of Sarawak	Kingdom of Sarawak Rentap Liu Shan Bang Syarif Masahor Crown Colony of Sarawak Anti-cession movement of Sarawak Sarawak Communist Insurgency Self-government of Sarawak Cobbold Commission 18-point agreement 1966 Sarawak constitutional crisis 1987 Ming Court Affair

History of Labuan	Crown Colony of Labuan North Borneo Chartered Company Administered under Straits Settlements Battle of North Borneo Battle of Labuan Administered under Crown Colony of North Borneo Part of Sabah Became Federal Territory

1: Covers the three territories.

Coordinates: 5°53′19″N 118°2′50″E / 5.88861°N 118.04722°E / 5.88861; 118.04722

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