Sandakan remembered

ABOUT 40 people from across Victoria gathered in Bendigo yesterday to mark the 65th anniversary of the Sandakan Death Marches in East Malaysia.Lilian and Alan Constable of Bendigo organised the informal gathering at Bendigo RSL to remember the 2400 prisoners of war who endured atrocities from the Japanese in Borneo during World War II.Mr Constable’s brother Bill died at a camp in Sandakan in 1942 and thousands of others died on the death marches to the village of Ranau in the Borneo jungle.The couple believe the Sandakan atrocities have not been recognised enough in Australia.Mrs Constable said people from Bendigo, Melbourne, Swan Hill, Shepparton and Geelong, many relatives of the prisoners, were at the gathering.She said the gathering was so successful that another was organised for next year.“It was a happy occasion. We all got together and talked about our relatives and friends, but it wasn’t morbid conversation.“It was nice that at least these men who gave so much and went through such hell are remembered, and remembered with love.’’