Rifle Company Butterworth Diggers Retrace the Harrowing History of the Sandakan Death March

In the bleak days of World War II, in 1942, the Japanese forces occupied Sandakan, a town in Borneo, Malaysia. They transformed it into a brutal prison camp for Allied prisoners of war, primarily Australian and British soldiers. These prisoners were initially brought to Sandakan with a singular mission: to construct an airstrip for the Japanese military. This labour-intensive project, undertaken in the sweltering heat and under inhumane conditions, was just the beginning of their ordeal.

By late 1944, as Allied forces made significant advances toward Borneo, the Japanese, fearing an imminent invasion, decided to evacuate the prisoners from Sandakan. Over 2,000 emaciated and disease-ridden prisoners were forced to embark on what would become one of the most tragic and deadly events of the war—the Sandakan Death March.

The prisoners, many of whom had already spent nearly three years in captivity, were compelled to trek over 260 kilometres through Borneo’s unforgiving jungle terrain towards the small town of Ranau. Weak from malnutrition, illness, and the relentless brutality of their captors, they were pushed beyond the limits of human endurance. The march was a horrific test of survival; those too weak to continue were either left to die or executed on the spot. Others, who were suspected of conspiring with the local resistance, met the same grim fate. The bodies of the fallen lined the jungle trail, a haunting testament to the cruelty they endured.

Of the 1,787 Australian soldiers who were forced on this death march, only six survived to see the end of the war. These survivors bore witness to the horrors their comrades faced and carried the burden of their memories. The Sandakan Death March stands as the most devastating atrocity inflicted upon Australian soldiers during any conflict.

Eighty years later, the legacy of those who perished on the Sandakan Death March is honoured and remembered. In a powerful tribute to the fallen, personnel from Rifle Company Butterworth rotation 144 embarked on a four-day journey retracing a portion of the route that the Australian soldiers were forced to take. This sombre pilgrimage allowed them to connect with the past in a deeply personal way.

Captain Luke Gollschewski, the second in command, described the experience as both humbling and confronting. “It was an eye-opening experience,” he said. “The Sandakan Death March is not something that is widely known, nor is it something that the majority of Australians have fully grasped the significance of.”

Reflecting on the experience, Captain Gollschewski emphasized the stark contrast between their journey and the ordeal faced by the prisoners of war. “We only completed a fraction of what they did, and we had water, food, and regular breaks. To reflect upon what they went through, in worse conditions, makes you wonder how they even did it.”

The challenging terrain, with its steep ascents, treacherous descents, and dense jungle, tested the modern soldiers’ endurance and resolve. “You’d be lying to say it wasn’t tough,” Captain Gollschewski admitted. “However, the conditions forced us to reflect upon those who had come before us, and just how deeply they suffered at the hands of occupying forces during World War II.”

Throughout their journey, the soldiers of Rifle Company Butterworth 144 engaged in historical lessons, deepening their understanding of the events that transpired along the death march. They learned not only about the suffering and death that marked the route but also about the indomitable spirit of the Australian soldiers who, even in the face of unimaginable adversity, never ceased to resist.

“It was extremely sad, but in a way, it also highlighted the resilience of Australian soldiers throughout World War II. The stories passed down by the locals of Sabah show that the Australian prisoners never stopped fighting, even in the face of death,” Captain Gollschewski reflected. “Throughout the walk, you felt a range of emotions, from anger at realizing how they suffered, to sadness at thinking about what they went through and what their families had to come to terms with at the end of the war.”

The Sandakan Death March is more than just a tragic chapter in history; it is a stark reminder of the horrors of war and the resilience of the human spirit. The soldiers of Rifle Company Butterworth 144, by retracing the steps of their predecessors, have ensured that the memory of those who suffered and died will not be forgotten. Their journey serves as a poignant tribute to the enduring legacy of the Australian soldiers who endured unimaginable hardships in the name of freedom.

 

 

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One comment

  • Greg Bland August 17, 2024   Reply →

    Re 77Sqn; Sometime after the Sqm returned to Australia they carried out flypast of the capital cities of Australia.
    I was going to school at Upper Brookfield west of Brisbane when they flew south of the school.
    For a 12 yo kid who was fascinated with aircraft it was a sight to behold.
    Even though I served 9 years in the RAAF from 61-70, then 20 years in Civil Aviation and been to a number of air shows I have never actually seen so many aircraft in the air before or since. Certainly a unique experience that this 80 yo is not likely to ever see again.

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