[Hainan Island, China, Sarawak and North Borneo 1946- 1947 and 1951]

Accession Number F03316
Collection type Film
Measurement 105 min
Object type Home movie
Physical description 8mm standard/b&w and colour (Kodachrome)/silent
Maker Jackson, Henry Walter Samuel
Place made Australia: New South Wales, Sydney, Australia: Queensland, North Queensland, Cairns, Australia: Victoria, Melbourne, Australia: Western Australia, Kalgoorlie, Australia: Western Australia, Perth, Borneo: North Borneo, Beluran, Borneo: North Borneo, Jesselton, Borneo: North Borneo, Papar, Borneo: North Borneo, Ranau, Borneo: North Borneo, Sandakan, Borneo: North Borneo, Sandakan, Berhala Island, Borneo: Sarawak, Borneo: Sarawak, Kuching, China: Hainan Island, Malaysia: Labuan, Netherlands East Indies: Celebes, Macassar, Netherlands East Indies: Java, Batavia, Singapore
Date made 1946-1951
Access Open
Conflict Period 1950-1959
Second World War, 1939-1945
Period 1940-1949
Copyright Item copyright: © Australian War Memorial
Creative Commons License This item is licensed under CC BY-NC
Source credit to This item has been digitised with funding provided by Commonwealth Government.
Description

Lieutenant Colonel Harold Jackson was Contact Officer (rank at the time was Major) in 3 Australian Prisoner of War Contact and Enquiry Unit and carried out the release and repatriation of POW on Hainan Island and in Borneo where he retraced the Sandakan Ranau marches. His report on the Sandakan death marches was tabled in Parliament and he was sent back to Borneo to make payments to the locals who helped the Australian POWs. [Start of B&W] Aboard the destroyer USS Norris en route to Hainan Island China, April 1946. USN ships minesweeping off Hoihow Hainan. Cyclist main street Yulin, Hainan. Chinese Nationalist troops at Yulin. Views Hong Kong harbour and HMS Duke of York. Unloading our stores and jeeps from USS Norris on to Japanese Navy barge off Hoihow, Hainan. Bombed Japanese freighter off Hoihow. Scenes from a Japanese barge approaching Hoihow. Japanese soldiers unloading boxes for the remains of Australian POWs to be exhumed at Hashio camp. Views of Hoihow and Captain Roger Campbell RAA and local children. Chinese Nationalist troops marching over bridge near Hoihow. Major Jackson with French missionary priests near Hoihow and Lieutenant Commander Max Berman RNAS. Lieutenant Bill Patch US Army OSS and Lieutenant Commander Max Berman RNAS watch puncture repair. Jeeps crossing river by barge at Lingshui. Damaged bridge in the background. Sgt Bob Phillips RAASC drives jeep on to pontoon and looks on as Major Jackson poles to the other bank. A typical Hainanese bridge. Ex Japanese officer’s club where unit stayed for three days rest en route to Yulin. Views in the Yulin area. Party preparing to move to Hashio area L to R Phillips, Patch, Jackson, Whittaker and Vandenburg. Enroute Yulin to Hashio, Hsaiou Ling with Chinese guard of honour. Local inhabitants at Bakli. Japanese train loaded with war refugees. Jeep bogged near POW camp. POW tally board at Hashio POW camp entrance showing deaths marked with a cross. Captain Doug Whittaker AAWG officer points to torture bracket where prisoners were hung by their thumbs and bashed. Views of huts etc in the POW camp. POW graves at Hashio POW camp cemetery. Cross marked with AIF service number VX36466 [Pte RH Williams 2/21 Australian Infantry Battalion died illness 23/09/1943 Hainan Island]. Exhumation 2/21st Battalion PW remains Hashio POW Camp, Hainan. Captain GR Campbell RAA and aboard railway train Bakli-Shek Look mines. Loi tribesman in Shek Look area where Chinese captured 8 Australian POW from Japanese and village where two died. Lieutenant Vandenburg (left) and Lieutenant Patch US Army en route to Shek Look. Loi village in Five Finger mountain area. Sailors from USS Currier riding ponies whilst loading recovered POW remains. Lieutenant Patch watching Hainan party evacuation. 19 NEI Sqn (Dutch) air force aircraft leaving Brisbane Eagle Farm airdrome 29 October 1946. Group Captain Gordon Savage RAAF seconded to 19 Squadron pilot of aircraft. Children at Pine Creek Northern Territory. Views over Dutch New Guinea. Lake and country near Hollandia and landing on Hollandia airstrip. Coastline of Ambon Island, Ceram and landing on Laha airstrip. Views of Makassar, capital of the Celebes, including war cemetery where Damien Parer was buried after Pelilieu. Batavia (now Djakarta) in 1946 when Indonesian rebellion was in progress. Views around Singapore before proceeding to British North Borneo. Departing Seletar RAF base by Sunderland Flying Boat for Borneo. Labuan beach scene and War cemetery. Grave of WX25034 Pte E R Halligan 2/28 Battalion KIA 17 July 1945. Close up of grave of VX115892 Lieutenant K L Brown 2/32 Battalion KIA 18 June 1945. Take off from Labuan for Jesselton and views in Jesselton area. Major Jackson with members of 8 AAWG unit at Mengattal rubber estate 11 miles from Jesselton. Dawn 4 December 1946 and start of journey to Ranau. Colin Simpson author and War Corespondent. Major H W S Jackson leader of the mission. Major R K Dyce British Army representative. Bill MacFarlane ABC sound technician. Boongans containers for stores. Mountainous country East of Tuarean. Major Jackson nearing a peak. Colin Simpson follows leader. Native carriers with Boogans on their backs follow trail to Ranau. First view of Mt Kinabalu 13,455 ft high. A stop to boil the billy. More views of Mt Kinabalu. Major Roy Dyce tries mountain water. Country near Kaung. Colin Simpson takes a swig watched by Major Jackson. Paginatan where the rice carrying parties took rice from Ranau. The Kuanan River and portion of death track Paginatan – Tampias. The remains of a Japanese storehouse on track near Paginatan. Carriers on the death track Paginatan. Views around Ranau village 1946.
Major Jackson (left) and Captain Tom Collins 8 AAWGU with Dusan POW helper. Bill MacFarlane and Dusan POW helper. Major Jackson rewards helpers. Views of Ranau area and Mt Kinabalu. Typical Government Rest House. Country in Mt Kinabalu area. NBAC policemen. On the right is the famous Sergeant Koram MBE who assisted PW at Sandakan and in escapes from Berhala Island. He was a Murut and shows his parang with Dyal scalps their traditional enemies. Europeans enjoy cricket match at Jesselton sports ground. SS Darvel en route to Sandakan. Wreck of Japanese Zero shot down at Kudat. Johnny Funk is seen on top of the wreck. General view of Kudat. Berhala Island at entrance to Sandakan harbor where ‘E’ Force staged for six weeks and from where 8 POWs escaped to the Philippines in June 1943. Sandakan welcomes SS Darvel. Australian POW graves at Sandakan aerodrome. War grave of WX8090 Spr L N Hasluck 2/6 Fld Park Coy died of illness 6 April 1944. Later the bodies were exhumed and transferred to Labuan Island. 31 AAWGU native employees preparing additional burial ground. The Labuk River near Beluran. Travelling to Maunad by Prohau. Maunad natives who rescued Gunner Owen Campbell (left to right) Salium, Ambiau and Lap. Children at Beluran. Beluran on Labuk River (North Borneo) 1947 showing jetty and local children. Orang Kaya Kulang who transferred Gunner Owen Campbell to SRD Force July 1942. Mr Willie Assistant District Officer Beluran district. Being farewelled from Belruan wharf and proceeding to Sandakan 1947. Sandakan town in January 1947 [left to right] Colin Simpson, War Correspondent and Captain Geoff Johnstone OC 31 Australian War Graves Unit and Lieutenant Brazier second in charge and Major Roy K Dyce British Army and Bill MacFarlane ABC sound technician. View of Mile 8 POW campsite Sandakan in January 1947. Australian digger hats left on ground at Mile 8 camp when they died. Colin Simpson writes his story en route to Jesselton by British Yacht Mine Sweeper. Bill MacFarlane fishing from BYMS. Major Harry Jackson also fishing whilst Bill MacFarlane looks on. View of Gaya and other off shore islands near Jesselton and Mr Evans West Coast Resident and his wife at the Residency. View of police barracks Jesselton and widow and child of Sergeant Abin North Borneo Armed Constabulary (NBAC) executed with VX24597 Captain Lionel Colin Matthews GC MC 2 March 1944. Lieutenant Colonel Atkinson Commissioner NBAC and Bill MacFarlane. Jesselton-Papar-Beaufort train passing Jesselton police HQ. Chinese New Year celebrations Jesselton. Borneo coastline near entrance to Kuching River Sarawak and view of the ‘Astana’ the former residence of the white Rajahs Brooke. Views of Kuching 1947. Aboard RAF Sunderland flying boat en route to Singapore. [Start colour ]. Major Jackson driving unit jeep fluing US flag and countryside near Hoihow. Major Jackson in local market with Wong Ah Choi interpreter and guide. Major Jackson and Wong Ah Choi reconnoitre where forces of General Fung Pak Kai have destroyed bridge to impede them. Scenes at and around the Nationalist Chinese Army camp at Natashih, Hainan. Bridge destroyed South of Natashih en route to Yulin and Samah area. Major Jackson proceeding to firing position to cover jeep party crossing water barrier. Major Jackson with Chinese Army conscripts. Views of Repulse Bay, Honk Kong Island. Major Douglas Lightbody RA senior British war graves officer Hong Kong. Queens Road Hong Kong. Departing Hong Kong for Australia 1946. Sunset Torres Straight. Entering river Cairns Queensland aboard RNIS Northern Traveler. Views of Cairns 1946. Major Jackson at sea RNIS Northern Traveler off Queensland coast. Northern Traveler Circular Quay, Sydney. Country between Kaung and Kundarson. Major Jackson and Major Dyce negotiate jungle track near Kundarson. Carriers negotiate sharp incline Demompok. Government rest house Kundarson and nearby country. Black cobra killed near bridle path Ranau. Major Jackson rewards (left to right) Baregah Gunting and Sumpling at rear who rescued Short, Botterill and Moxham at Ranau. Scenes at Ranau. Some of the helpers being interviewed by Major Dyce including 8 year old Balabia. The party on route from Ranau to Paginatan on the death track. Major Jackson drinking at the Kananapan River near Muruk which POW used as a resting place en route to Paginatan. Kampong Segindai half way between Ranau and Paginatan. The widow Bureh who helped POW while passing to Paginatan. Perth WA views in 1947. Kalgoorlie Post Office and Major Jackson with Lieutenant Commander W. Clowser RN and Hay St Perth. SS Gorgon departing for Singapore. SS Asturias being met by pilots at St Phillip Heads. Sunset over Northern Territory en route Borneo 1950. War Cemetery Labuan 1950. Grave of Captain Lionel Collin Matthews GC, MC who was executed at Kuching by Japanese firing squad 2 March 1944 for underground activities Sandakan PW camp 1942-1943. Departure from Labuan for Jesselton. Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs Briscoe Assistant District Officer Jesselton. Sports Club Jesselton. Local sights Jesselton. Jeep railway which ran from Jesselton to Beaufort. Scenes taken from jeep railway en route to Papar. Ex Sergeant Koram (left) and Johnny Funk at Kinarut 24 July 1950. (Sgt Korma died shortly afterward of Tuberculosis). En route to Papar. Papar town. Ex SRD member interviewed for compensation. En route to Koa Belud for start of second journey to Ranau and across North Borneo. Kota Belud 1950. Pack ponies with supplies for journey Kota Belud-Ranau. Geoffrey Falconer looks on. Scenes on journey Kota Belud-Ranau. G Falconer on steep rise near Mt.Kinabalu. Major Jackson on bridle track near Ranau. Geoffrey Falconer sights Ranau and views of Ranau 1950. Major Jackson rewarding helpers. En route Ranau-Paginatan. Nebutan village 1950. Bureh a POW helper and her pet monkey. Liwugi river at Paginatan. Venison from deer caught near Telupid. Labuk river between Telupid and Sapi. Major Jackson with Gunner Campbell’s rescuers Lap, Ambiau and Salium. Party is farwelled from Sapi. The widow of Soo Kim Siew a PW helper who died in imprisonment. Views of Sandakan in 1950. Aerial view of Mt Kinabalu. Sunset and flying bats at Jesselton. Views around Jesselton 1950. Children and views of Kuching 1950. The ex Rajah’s palace (The Astana) Kuching, Sarawak. SS Meluan departing Kuching for Cibu. En route to Cibu showing views along the Kuching River. Binatang on the Rajang River, Sarawak. Young passenger on Meluan and wharf labourer. Views on the Rajan river. A Dyak longhouse between Binatang and Cibu. Cibu the second city of Sarawak. Krok pig tailed monkeys at Cibu home.
Local Cibu beauties. Children of Hon. Robert Aikman CMG Chief Secretary of Sarawak. Amma Soon Lai a PW helper at Kuching. Clearing weed from mass grave of eight Asiatic helpers executed by Japanese firing squad at Kuching 2 March 1944 who were reinterred with Captain Matthews at St Catherine’s. Views around Kuching 1950. Bukit Timah racecourse Singapore. Flying by RAF Auster aircraft to Kluang. Malay procession and views of Kulang in southern Malaya. Flying from Kluang to Changi via Seletar. Qantas Constellation aircraft for return flight to Australia. Views of Government House and Botanical Gardens Melbourne. Major Jackson left and Captain VGE Stevenson RAAOC right. Views of Botanical Gardens Victoria Barracks and St Kilda Road Melbourne.

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  • Part 1 Video of [Hainan Island, China, Sarawak and North Borneo 1946- 1947 and 1951] (video)
  • Part 2 Video of [Hainan Island, China, Sarawak and North Borneo 1946- 1947 and 1951] (video)
  • Part 3 Video of [Hainan Island, China, Sarawak and North Borneo 1946- 1947 and 1951] (video)