Sandakan’s Legacy Remains Strong

Published on 23 July 2019

Burwood community members will pay tribute to those killed in one of the worst military atrocities in Australia’s history when they gather at Burwood Park on Sunday 4 August.

In the final stages of World World II, Japanese soldiers in Borneo forced Australian and British servicemen to march more than 250 kilometres from Sandakan to Ranau.

The prisoners were often barefoot and marched without rest.

Those not fit to work, or who tried to escape, were killed or left to die.

The Australian and British forces lost 2,345 prisoners from the death marches.

Burwood Council and the Burwood Sandakan Education Committee will host one of only three Sandakan Remembrance Services in Australia to honour those who never returned.

Burwood Mayor Cr John Faker said: “In Australia, we are the beneficiaries of their legacy and we are grateful for their service.

It is events such as our Sandakan Remembrance service that ensures we never lost sight of the bravery our Diggers exhibited in order to protect our freedom”.

“Burwood will forever be linked to Sandakan, with 23 men from our area never returning from the marches.

We must not let the memory of this atrocity fade into obscurity.”

The Sandakan Memorial in Burwood Park was unveiled by then Prime Minister the Hon. Paul Keating in 1993.