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THE story of Sandakan and the death marches is one of the most tragic of World War Two. Incarcerated at Sandakan POW camp by the Japanese were a contingent of 2434 Allied forces, 1787 were Australian and 642 British.

The six Australians who escaped were the only survivors.

The POWs were captured by the Japanese at the surrender of Singapore in 1942 and taken to Sandakan to be used as a labour force. In 1945 the first of three forced marches commenced. The POWs, already in shocking condition from three years of captivity, were to attempt walking the 260kms to Ranau.

A special Memorial Service will be held in Sandakan on August 15 to honour the allied servicemen and locals who died at Sandakan-Ranau.

The Governor General of Australia, Ms Quentin Bryce will be a special guest at the Sandakan Memorial Service.

To honour these brave men and to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the death marches, Wayne Wetherall, Managing Director of Wild Spirit & Kokoda Spirit, is leading a group along the last 140kms of the route and across the mountains in August. His group has also been invited to the Memorial Service prior to heading out on the trek.

Mr Wetherall said so few survived the atrocities set upon them by the Japanese, yet their heroism, the determination and the indomitable spirit of these brave POWs are testimony to their strength and to the human spirit.

“To be invited to this special Memorial Service and wreath laying, to be able to hear two veteran’s reminiscence about this part of our history and with our Governor General present, is an honour and I know it will be a humbling experience,” he said.

The service will be held at the Sandakan Memorial Park (Sabah Borneo) on Sunday, August 15 at 7.00am. The group will depart Australia on Friday, August 13.

Among Wayne’s group undertaking the trek is well known local breakfast radio personality Mark Darin from 92.7 MIX FM Breakfast with Mark & Caroline. Mark plans to document the Memorial Service and trek.