Information sheets

Australian prisoners of war: Second World War
Prisoners of the Japanese: Borneo (Sandakan)

Important general background information - finding your POW
Online Resources
Official records
Private records
Books

Important general background information - finding your POW

The Encyclopedia entry Australian prisoners of war of the Japanese Second World War [link to encyclopedia entry] contains general information about the capture of Australian troops as well as entries on each location of imprisonment.

Online resources

The Memorial's website provides extensive information about our collections. This includes databases of the Roll of Honour, over 200,000 Photograph and Art images, and the Film, Private Records, Books, Serials and Sound collections. In addition, the Memorial's official records collection can be searched on the National Archives RecordSearch database. By consulting these databases, you will identify further information or particular items in the collections relevant to your interests.

Official Records

[8th Division in Captivity - "B" Force (Borneo):] General Report on the activities of "B" Force in Borneo, July 1942 to July 1943 "E" Force Escape Parties, AWM54 554/3/1

[8th Division in Captivity - "B" Force (Borneo):] Information regarding Allied Prisoners of War Sandakan - Jesselton and Ranau. Compiled by 3rd Australian PWC and I Unit, 24/9/45 . Part I - Movements; Part II - Information regarding movements; Part III - Information regarding Jap Officers in charge of POW "B" Information regarding Australian and British POW last seen alive; Part IV - Summary, AWM54 554/3/2

[8th Division in Captivity - "E" Force (Borneo):] Report on "E" Force AIF Prisoners of War, Malaya, by Major J G Stanley, 1945, AWM54 554/6/1

War Crimes and trials. Affidavits and Sworn Statements. Searchable by name and number, AWM54 1010/*

Records of Australian Military Forces prisoners of war and missing, Far East and South West Pacific Islands . Contains nominal rolls and paybook photographs arranged by name, theatre of war and unit, AWM232. The nominal roll is available online.

Private Records

A. W. Walsh, (Lieutenant Colonel) B Force. Nominal roll, EXDOC083

R. Maffey, (Major) E force, Voyage from Singapore to Sandakan, MSS0851

W. McDonagh (Sergeant) B force, Voyage from Singapore to Sandakan, PR00496

B. Young, (Private) 2/29 Btn. Describes POW experiences, MSS1364

W. H. Sticpewich, (Major) Papers regarding Sticpewich's experiences as a POW in North Borneo and post-war duties with 1 Australian Search Party, 31 Australian War Graves Unit. Includes detailed statement describing treatment of POWs at Sandakan, destruction of camp, forced march to Ranau, PR00637

H. Rayson (Major) 2/10 th Fld Amb. Captivity and voyage Sandakan and Kuching, PR00720

Hon. Athol Randolph Moffitt, CMG , QC (Captain, 1914-,). Significant collection of papers relating to War Crimes Trials, Borneo 1945-1946, and to the Sandakan POW camps, PR01378

Books

Gavin Long, The final campaigns, The Official History of Australia in the War of 1939-1945, Series 1 (Army), vol. VII (Canberra : Australian War Memorial, 1963)

Athol Moffitt, Project Kingfisher, (North Ryde, N.S.W.: Angus & Robertson, 1989).

Kevin Smith, Borneo: Australia's Proud but Tragic Heritage (Armidale, N.S.W. : Kevin R. Smith, 1999). Appendices contain calendar of events, AIF Prisoner Movements- Sandakan, Officers of B and E Forces, POW deaths, Australians in Outram Road Gaol.

Allan S. Walker, Middle East and Far East, Australia in the War of 1939-1945, Series 5 (Medical), vol. II (Canberra : Australian War Memorial, 1953).

Neville Watterson, Borneo : the Japanese P.O.W. camps : mail of the forces, P.O.W. and internees (Northampton : W. N. Watterson, c1989).

Lionel Wigmore, The Japanese Thrust, Australia in the War of 1939-1945, Series 1 (Army), vol. IV (Canberra : Australian War Memorial, 1957).