Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of NX65767 Private James Picken, 2/18th Battalion, ...

Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of NX65767 Private James Picken, 2/18th Battalion, Australian Infantry. He was one of over 2000 Allied prisoners of war (POW) held in the Sandakan POW camp in north Borneo, having been transferred there from Singapore as a part of E Force. The 500 Australian and 500 British POWs who made up E Force, left Changi on 28 March 1943, on board the S.S. DeKlerk arriving at Berhala Island (adjacent to Sandakan Harbour) on 15 April 1943. The POW's were held there until 5 June, when they were taken by barge to Sandakan. The next day they were transferred to the 8 Mile Camp, which was about half a mile from the B Force compound. Private Picken, aged 23, died while a prisoner of the Japanese on 3 April 1943. He was electrocuted after grabbing the strand of barbed wire to steady himself that supplied the camp with electricity. He was the son of Edward and Amy Catherine Picken, of Greta, NSW. He is buried in the Labuan Cemetery Section L, Row D, Plot 8.