Australian Death march POWs remembered

[Kyt]

Death march POWs remembered - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Australian prisoners of war who died in the Sandakan death march during World War II have been remembered in a ceremony in Canberra.

In 1942 and 1943 Japanese forces imprisoned 1,650 Australians at the camp at Sandakan in Borneo.

From there they were forced to march 250 kilometres to Ranau through the jungles of what was then British North Borneo (now part of Malaysia).

Weakened by war and malnourishment, only six soldiers survived.

About 25 people gathered at the Australian War Memorial (AWM) in Canberra this morning to mark 63 years since the last marches.

Maureen Deveraux, whose brother John died in the march, says she is grateful for the people who continue to carry on remembrance services.

"They suffered horrendously for the freedom of this country,and thank goodness they're not going to be forgotten now," she said.

Gwen Jackson's brother Leonard also died in the march.

"I think it's extremely important to have these memorials kept up. People must never forget the suffering that went on during the war," she said.

[Antipodean Andy]

Must get to Sandakan one of these days.