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Yass Sandakan Memorial

Yass Sandakan Memorial
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Description / Background

Two bronze plaques located in the foyer of the Yass Soldiers' Memorial Hall.

Inscription

Plaque 1

IN MEMORY OF

1800 Australians of the 8th Division AIF and 750 British troops. They fought gallantly in defence of Malaya and Singapore during World War 2. Following the fall of Singapore, they became prisoners of the Japanese and were transported to Sandakan in British North Borneo, now Sabah, in 1942 to construct an airfield, where 900 died of ill-treatment.

By the end of 1944, when Allied forces were within striking distance of Sandakan, the Japanese Command ordered the removal of prisoners inland to Ranau 165 miles (265 kilometres) West. On 29 January 1945, 470 prisoners guarded by 500 Japanese marched towards Ranau. Those unable to carry on were killed.

The second march comprising 532 prisoners left Sandakan on 29 May 1945. 183 arrived at Ranau on 26 June 1945. Only 8 survived from the first march.

Of the 288 prisoners left at Sandakan there were no survivors.

On 1 August 1945, the surviving 33 prisoners at Ranau were massacred. Six who escaped were rescued by Special Forces.

This memorial honours those men who enlisted from the Yass Shire of New South Wales

Reg Bobbin, Harry Longley, Roland Mabin, Stan Weatherby.

We will remember them.

Sandakan Memorial Foundation.

Plaque 2

Dr James Patrick Taylor OBE, MB, CH.M,

Born at Yass, NSW, 20.11.1897, died at Sydney NSW 19.6.1985.

As organiser of the Sandakan Underground, he supplied Australian prisoners of war with food, medical supplies, radio parts and escape funds. He was responsible for several escapes from Sandakan POW Camp. Arrested and imprisoned by the Kempei-Tai October 1943, Dr Taylor endured repeated severe torture until his liberation by Allied Forces in September 1945.

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Address
Yass Soldiers' Memorial Hall
82-94 Comur Street
Yass NSW 2582
Local Government Area
Yass Valley Council
Setting
Building – inside
Memorial type
Board/roll/plaque/tablet
Recorded by
David Roden
Conflict/s
Second World War, 1939–45