Sandakan Prisoner of War Memorial

Details

Location New Farm Park, Oxlade Drive, New Farm, Brisbane - Queensland, Australia
Type memorial
Description

Red granite block with grey granite slab top with bronze mountain range
Brass plaques with names

Built Not yet discovered
Opened 20 September 1995 by Sir Walter Campbell A.C. Q.C.
Inscription

SANDAKAN

[ Names ]

Left Side Inscription
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. (History Plaque )

In Memory Of
1800 Australians of the 8th Division AIF 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 33 prisoners at Ranau were massacred. Six who escaped were rescued by Special Forces.
This memorial honours Queenslanders who died at Sandakan, on the death marches and at Ranau.
We Will Remember Them.
Sandakan Memorial Foundation.

Back Inscription
This Memorial Was Unveiled By
The Honourable Sir Walter Campbell, AC, QC,

And Was Dedicated By
Father John Brendan Rogers, OFM,
Eighth Division AIF Chaplain, Sandakan and Kuching.

24th September 1995.
[ Names ]

Right Side Inscription
[ Names ]

Condition

Good

Names

Showing 8 people of interest from memorial

DE COSTA, Gordon Francis

Service number QX13139
Private
2nd/26th Infantry Battalion
Australian Military Forces (WW2)
Born 12 Aug 1918

HUTTON, Arthur Cleland

Service number QX17002
Warrant Officer Class 2
2nd/26th Infantry Battalion
Australian Military Forces (WW2)
Born 2 Oct 1902

COUSINS, Stanley Joseph

Service number QX21876
Private
2nd/19th Infantry Battalion
Australian Military Forces (WW2)
Born 8 Apr 1921

BANCROFT, Errol David

Service number QX9488
Sergeant
2nd/26th Infantry Battalion
Australian Military Forces (WW2)
Born 15 Jul 1919

PARKINSON, Desmond Stanley

Service number QX13579
Sergeant
Born 30 Oct 1910

STICPEWICH, William Hector

Service number 1905032
Warrant Officer Class 1
8th Australian Army Service Corps
AIF WW1
Born 4 Jun 1908

BALGUE, Douglas Neville

Service number QX13672
Private
2nd/10th Field Regiment
Australian Military Forces (WW2)
Born 16 May 1919

HARSTOFF, Douglas Percy

Service number QX22382
Private
Born 11 Mar 1920

Showing 4 of 13 images.
Click images to start slideshow.