点评:Sandakan Memorial Park commemorates the sacrifice and suffering endured by both Australian and British soldiers who were held by the Japanese as Prisoners of War between 1942 and 1945 during WWII.
Allied prisoners of war were transferred to Sandakan from Singapore by the Japanese to build a military airstrip. They were imprisoned at a camp which is now the site of the Sandakan Memorial Park.
A boardwalk leads to the remains of an excavator, a generator, a boiler and concrete water tanks which still lie in their original positions within the well maintained park and gardens.
A Commemorative Pavilion and interp signs throughout the park tells the story of how between January and June 1945, more than 1,000 malnourished POWs were force-marched to Ranau, 260 kilometres from Sandakan.
About half died on the way, killed by the effects of the mountainous jungle terrain, tropical illnesses, malnutrition and brutal treatment by their guards. Anyone who could not keep up was killed. Those who survived this gruelling ordeal succumbed to starvation and illness at the destination camps.
The remaining 1,400 prisoners at Sandakan, too weak or ill to be moved, died in appalling conditions. Only three POWs survived.
Local people, who remained loyal to the Allied cause, also suffered terribly. Many were executed. It is estimated that 14% of Sabah’s population died under Japanese rule, from starvation and brutal treatment.
翻译:山打根纪念公园是为了纪念二战期间被日军俘虏的澳大利亚和英国士兵所遭受的牺牲和苦难。1942年至1945年间,盟军战俘被日军从新加坡转移到山打根,用于修建军用机场。他们被囚禁在一个营地里,也就是现在的山打根纪念公园所在地。
一条木板路通往挖掘机、发电机、锅炉和混凝土水箱的残骸,它们至今仍安放在维护良好的公园和花园内的原址上。
公园各处的纪念亭和指示牌讲述了1945年1月至6月期间,1000多名营养不良的战俘被迫押送到距山打根260公里外的拉瑙的故事。
大约一半的战俘在途中丧生,他们死于山区丛林地形、热带疾病、营养不良以及警卫的残酷虐待。任何跟不上的人都会被杀害。那些在这场残酷考验中幸存下来的人,最终在目的地营地死于饥饿和疾病。
山打根剩下的1400名战俘,由于体质虚弱或疾病缠身,无法转移,在极其恶劣的环境中死去。只有三名战俘幸存下来。
忠于盟军的当地民众也遭受了巨大的苦难。许多人被处决。据估计,沙巴14%的人口在日本统治下死于饥饿和残酷的虐待。