Almost 850 Sandakan PoWs could have been rescued, historian reveals
Two rescue missions were planned but cancelled due to command failures, though they could have saved almost 850 Australian and British prisoners.
Historian Lynette Silver's book reveals the 1945 Sandakan death marches, the greatest single atrocity against Australians in war. Failed rescue attempts and cover-ups made it worse.
A first rescue planned by April 30, 1945 could have freed almost 850 Australians and 193 British prisoners. A second mission planned weeks later could have saved 37 Australians and 16 British prisoners in the camp.
The two missions were cancelled due to poor decisions and lack of competence. Field intelligence officers wrongly relied on villagers' reports that the camp was empty.
They did not check for themselves. General Tom Blamey later falsely blamed US General Douglas MacArthur for refusing air transport.
He made up this cover story to hide the real failures. Only six Australians survived from over 1,000 PoWs sent to Ranau.
In all, 2,428 allied prisoners died at Sandakan or on the three death marches.
- By April 30, 1945
- Planned date
- 260km through jungle to Borneo's interior
- March distance
Why it mattersThe revelations show how military command failures and false accounts allowed one of Australia's worst wartime losses to happen unchecked.
AustraliaThe findings reframe Australia's Sandakan memorial, showing that widespread rescue was possible but prevented by avoidable command errors.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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