Their story: The survival

Their story: The survival

This story is based on the one of the six survivor of the Sandakan POW camp, Mr.Owen Campbell. In newspaper International Herald Tribune by Thomas Fuller in Tuesday 23 March 1999. Mr. Owen, 82, is last remaining of 6 survivor have stood up to coming into the ceremonies held at Sandakan Memorial Park here near Taman Rimbawan, Sandakan.

Sandakan POW survivor, Owen Campbell, 2/10th Australian Field Regiment.
Campbell escaped from the second Sandakan-Ranau death march in June 1945. AWM 041489

Mr.Campbell Gunner Owen Campbell, 2/10th Australian Field Regimen who march in the second wave of death marching along side approximately 536 prisoners in 29 May 1945. He been told by a friendly Japanese soldier that they will be kill when they first arrive at Ranau. Then he alert about that and planning to run he told. Luckily there is one american planes flew low at all of Japanese soldier and prisoner are scattered hiding from been detected. At that time Mr.Campbell and other 7 people were run away opposite from the Japanese side. They flee into brush and hide there till the dusk. They manage their own self by watching animal eat their food and they use it as their food Like, fruit, and all bitter stuff. Finally they were found by local fishing man and bring them back into the Australian Commandos and they manage to be sent out back to home. Therefore, this story told us that War is kind of atrocitas that can surpass our own humanity. For more story please open this link http://www.dva.gov.au/aboutDVA/publications/commemorative/sandakan/Pages/sand09.aspx and http://www.stephen-stratford.co.uk/one_of_six.htm.

Kulang, the headman of Kampong [village] Muanad, who assisted Gunner Campbell during Campbell’s
escape from the second Sandakan-Ranau death march in June 1945.

Bariga, from the Ranau district, during an interview conducted by members
of the Joint Australian-British Borneo Reward Mission, 1946-1947.
Bariga assist in the escape of four POWs from Ranau in July 1945.