Drive from Kota Kinabalu town
and you’ll arrive at this town called Ranau where the famous Kundasang
War Memorial Park resides.
The Park It was Established in 1962, this was
one of the first memorials to commemorate the brave Australian and British
Prisoners of War who died in Sandakan and during the infamous death marches to
Ranau during World War II. The memorial also remembers the people of North
Borneo who risked their lives to help the POWs.
The Memorial park is made up beautiful gardens - Australian Garden, English Garden, Borneo Garden and the Contemplation Garden and Pool - to
represent the different nationalities. With its towering pine trees and
blooming roses, a walk in the gardens is reminiscent to that of a stroll in a
quaint English garden. The scent of roses lingers in the air and the serene
atmosphere makes the Kundasang War Memorial an ideal place to contemplate and
remember the heroes of the war. Visitors can also opt to view a brief video on
the history of the Sandakan Death March.
This memorial garden is dedicated to
the memory of the 1,800 Australians and 600 British servicemen who perished in
the P.O.W camps in Sandakan and the 3 forced marches from Sandakan to Ranau and
to the many of Sabahans who suffered death in trying to assist them. They were
forced to march by the Japanese Army somewhat 260+ kilometers through the
jungle of Borneo.
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