Petagas War Memorial Garden, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo - The Kinabalu Guerrillas - A Tribute

Discussion in 'War Grave Photographs' started by bucklt, Nov 17, 2019.

  1. bucklt

    bucklt Bucklt

    On 21st January 1944, 176 resistance fighters were executed by the Japanese in a location now occupied by this present-day war memorial. It's dedicated to them and, in addition, to all those civilians who were executed in Labuan Prison. note: 8 images attached.

    From what I can gather - using www sources and chatting to staff:
    1. Transported by train from Batu Tiga prison at 3am, 176 men were executed between 21st-24th January 1944 on this site. Five of the leaders were beheaded.
    2. Prior to the above event, 96 prisoners were tortured and killed in Batu Tiga Prison
    3. A further 131 prisoners, sent to Labuan Military Prison, were subjected to torture, malnutrition and execution such that only 7-14 survived their ordeal.
    4. Other fighters were also known to have been tortured and killed in other locations (names and numbers unknown?)
    5. During renovations of the memorial in 1979, five stone jars, believed to contain the remains of 122 prisoners who died in Labuan, were discovered in the burial ground. It's believed that, at some stage after WW2, they were re-buried there, in secret, by family members.
    6. In 2018 the names of 8 civilians were added to the memorial column. It's believed they were murdered by the Japanese between June and July 1945
    7. The Japanese officers responsible for this massacre were convicted in Singapore in 1946. The lieutenant and the sergeant were sentenced to death and were hanged. Others implicated received long prison sentences.

    I'm informed that most of the dead are buried in the long rectangular enclosed grass strip fronting the monument and, regarding those who were cremated, their' ashes were placed inside the monument itself. Having said that: I'm still unable to gather exact figures as to the total number of souls who
    found their final resting place within this memorial garden.

    Petagas War Memorial Garden is located a short 10 minute walk from Kota Kinabalu International Airport - see image 08.

    My video here:

    Further details here: Petagas War Memorial - Wikipedia and Petagas War Memorial

    Book: Kinabalu Guerrillas by Maxwell Hall Kinabalu Guerrillas - AbeBooks and Maxwell Hall - Wikipedia


    LEST WE FORGET

    Tony Buckley :poppy: www.asiawargraves.com
    01. Main entrance to Petagas War Memorial Garden, Sabah, Borneo © asiawargraves.com.JPG 02. Memorial plaques pedestal, Petagas War Memorial Garden,  Sabah, Borneo © asiawargraves.com.JPG 03. Commemoration plaque, Petagas War Memorial Garden, Sabah, Borneo © asiawargraves.com.JPG 04. Overall view of Mausoleum -  Petagas War Memorial Garden, Sabah, Borneo © asiawargraves.com.JPG 05. Side view  -  Petagas War Memorial Garden,  Sabah, Borneo © asiawargraves.com.JPG 06. Memorial column -  Petagas War Memorial Garden,  Sabah, Borneo © asiawargraves.com.JPG 07. IN PERPETUAL MEMORY -  Petagas War Memorial Garden, Sabah, Borneo © asiawargraves.com.JPG 08. Google map -  Petagas War Memorial Garden, Sabah, Borneo.JPG
     
    Recce_Mitch and CL1 like this.

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