Sandakan War Memorial Park Sabah

One of the ponds at the Sandakan War Memorial Park.

During my trip to Sandakan in December 2009 to visit and document places of interest, I made a point to stop here, as I had also visited the Kundasang War Memorial a couple of years prior.

Getting to the Sandakan War Memorial Park was relatively easy. It is located 11 kilometres from Sandakan town, and my tour guide, Ben, arranged this at my last-minute request.

We arrived at the Sandakan War Memorial Park at about 5.00 pm, just as it was about to close, and as we walked in, we saw several locals who utilised this park for their evening walks and exercise. Once you step inside the park, you will see a beautiful pond filled with water lilies.

Well-manicured lawns and concrete pathways indicate that the place has been well-maintained. It was an easy walk through the park, but bring mosquito repellent if you need it.

As you walk into the park, you will find numerous plaques and notices dedicated to this place. Stop and read them as they will tell you in detail about what happened at each spot.

A substantial, polished granite memorial is situated within the original boundary of the POW camp. The famous ‘big tree’ and the camp guardhouse stood near the monument. Also, beside the big tree was the ‘cage’ in which many prisoners suffered brutal punishments during Borneo’s Japanese occupation.

Remains of a World War Two boiler are seen along the walk around the park. Walking around the park would take 45 minutes to an hour. The path goes one big round, and along your walk, you will see remnants of the camp scattered around the park’s grounds.

A World War II excavator is also on display along the park walk. In addition to the two items, there are some other remains of the original POW camp here. One was a kitchen area and a water storage unit just next to the mini-museum.

A plaque with some information about the Sandakan death march.

In a statement published on December 16, 2008, Australian Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Alan Griffin ranked the Sandakan Memorial Park as one of the very best memorials built to remember fallen Australian soldiers he has visited.

“I have been to many memorials around the world, and this centre ranks as one of the very best. I am very pleased with what I have seen here,” Griffin told reporters after visiting the Sandakan Memorial Park in Taman Rimba. Griffin said he had heard a lot about the memorial park and wanted to see it for himself to gain a better understanding of what had happened there.

Located within the park is a small museum or commemorative pavilion where the inside is filled with wall-mounted displays of documented accounts of the prisoners’ lives at the camp, plus text panels, maps, and photographs that tell the story of the Sandakan POW camp and the ‘death marches’ to Ranau.

 

An intricate model of the actual POW camp is also displayed in one section of the mini-museum, providing an accurate representation of the camp’s details.

Exiting the mini-museum at the park, we saw a book dedicated to all the soldiers who lost their lives.

This memorial book’s numerous pages feature pictures of soldiers accompanied by notes from their loved ones. Informative flyers are also available here, so check with the attendant if you are still looking for them.

Anzac Day Sandakan Sabah

Finally, an official Anzac Day Ceremony is held here every year in memory of the Australians, British and New Zealanders who suffered and died in this area.

Please check with your local travel agents if you are interested in participating in this annual event.

Also, to commemorate those who died and suffered the terrible atrocities, relatives and friends in Australia have initiated August 15 as the Sandakan Memorial Day.

Sandakan Death March Tours: Various tours dedicated to the Death March Track in Sandakan are organised by local and Australian tour companies.If you are interested, the following are some examples. You can also contact the Sabah Tourism Board‘s information centre for more information.

Conclusion