MALAYSIA - Kuching POW camp

Day 2 saw us touring the local museums - a great day for a history teacher! This afternoon brought home why we are really here. We visited the site of the Batu Lintang POW camp, Kuching City, Sarawak state, on the island of Borneo. Here Australian, British, Indian, Dutch and local civilians and soldiers were interned by the Japanese. The camp was originally British Indian army Barracks. The camp had a maximum population of 3,000- the number varying with the movement and death of internees. Life in the camp was harsh - with food shortages, disease, forced labour, brutality and a lack of adequate care. Most internees here were British, two thirds of them died. Australian officers and NCOs were transferred here, in an attempt to keep the other Australian soldiers in other areas under control.

The camp was liberated on 11th September 1945 by the Australian 9th division. At that stage there were 178 Australian officers interned there.

Upon liberation Japanese paperwork was discovered that outlined the orders for the complete execution of all internees on 15th September. Obviously the liberation came in time to prevent the murder of over 2,000 persons. The Japanese commandant - Lt.Col.Tatsuji Suga - was to go on trial for war atrocities. He escaped what many considered " their day in court" - he committed suicide within two weeks of surrender.

Internees who died here were exhumed by mid 1946 and reburied on the island of Labuan. This is the only official North Borneo war cemetery - on Labuan Island.

Today this former internee camp, is a teachers training college - a respected place of learning.
Lynne

Lynne- Sent from my iPad