77th Sandakan-Ranau Death March sees locals experiencing arduous historical trail

 By Olivia Miwil - April 27, 2022 @ 11:51am

A group of six people trekked through arduous Sandakan-Ranau death March to experience the atrocity perpetrated against 2,434 Australian and British prisoners of war who had to walk about 260 kilometres during World War 2 in 1945. - Pictures courtesy of Tham Kim Leng.

SANDAKAN: As Dr Sen Nathan went through the arduous Sandakan-Ranau Death March (SRDM) historical trekking trail, he wished he had gone earlier.

The 48-year-old local veterinarian said he had always been fascinated by war history and read many books on the death march.

"I am overwhelmed at how one can treat another heinously. The SRDM could be one of the worst events that happened in World War 2, not only in Sabah but also the world.

"I have been thinking about doing this death march trail for years and finally decided to do it this year. 

"I contacted Tham Yau Kong, who is the expert on the SDRM trail, and managed to rope in five other like-minded people to join the trek," said Dr Sen, who took part in the six-day 77th SDRM trekking tour from Sandakan to Ranau to honour fallen heroes.

The death march route was made in January 1945 to move the first group of 455 prisoners of war (POWs), followed by the second group of 536 POWs in May 1945. All POWs from the third group, which left Sandakan in mid-June, died after reaching Beluran.

Of the 2,434 Australian and British POWs involved in the forced marches, only six Australians survived after they managed to escape assisted by the locals.

"It was exhilarating but emotionally and physically challenging even for healthy trekkers like us.

"Imagine how difficult it was for the starving, undernourished, malaria and dysentery-stricken POWs to have to endure," he added.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the tour was only participated by members of the armed forces or family members of the Australian and British servicemen to experience the 260 kilometre-long death march.