04/10/2026
From Huskisson to Borneo: A Special Act of Remembrance
What began as a holiday to Borneo for Huskisson RSL sub-Branch members Chris and his wife Rachel has resulted in a meaningful act of remembrance connecting our local community with World War II memorials thousands of kilometres away.
Chris and Rachel travelled to Borneo with a shared interest in its incredible flora and fauna, as well as its significant military history. Both have a personal connection to service, with Rachel having served as a Medic in the Army Reserves and Chris having served in both the Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy.
During their travels through Sabah, from Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu, their local guide, Roger Rajer, took them to three memorial sites associated with prisoner-of-war camps where predominantly Australian, along with British, servicemen were held by Japanese forces during the Second World War.
The history of Australian prisoners of war in Borneo is confronting. Of the approximately 2,400 Allied prisoners held at Sandakan during the war, only six Australians survived the infamous Sandakan Death Marches and the imprisonment that accompanied them.
Today, local communities continue to preserve and care for memorials honouring those who suffered and died. With limited funding available, these sites rely heavily on tourism and the dedication of community volunteers to help maintain them.
While visiting the memorials, Chris and Rachel noticed that the Australian National Flags were faded and in poor condition.
For Chris and Rachel, as members of the Huskisson RSL sub-Branch, it was something that could not simply be forgotten once the holiday was over.
On returning home, Chris raised the possibility of obtaining replacement Australian National Flags for the memorials. Through his military contacts, an unexpected local connection was discovered, with the correctional facility in Nowra, where inmates manufacture Australian flags, with the flags available for the cost of materials.
Through this avenue, the Huskisson RSL sub-Branch purchased three new Australian National Flags, which Chris then sent to Roger in Borneo.
Roger arranged for the flags to be distributed to the memorials, where they are now proudly flying.
The response from those caring for the memorials has been incredibly heartfelt. They were deeply appreciative that the Huskisson RSL sub-Branch, from a community so far away, would make the effort to support their work and ensure the Australian servicemen remembered at these sites continue to be honoured with dignity.
This small but significant project is a wonderful example of what remembrance can look like beyond our own commemorative services and memorials.
It has brought together Chris and Rachel, Roger and the communities of Borneo, the Huskisson RSL sub-Branch, local military connections and those involved in producing the replacement flags here in Nowra all with one shared purpose: to ensure the sacrifices of those who came before us are never forgotten.
The story of the prisoners of war in Borneo remains one of extraordinary suffering, sacrifice and loss in Australia's wartime history.
More than 80 years later, three Australian flags now flying over memorials in Borneo serve as a simple but powerful reminder:
We will remember them.
Lest We Forget.
