MEDIA ADVISORY: Governor-General to represent Australia at the 65th Anniversary of the Sandakan Death Marches

11 August 2010

The Governor-General, Ms Quentin Bryce AC, and Mr Michael Bryce AM AE will represent Australia at the 65th Anniversary of the Sandakan Death Marches in East Malaysia from Saturday, August 14 to Monday, August 16.

Their Excellencies will join more than 100 Australians, including former Sandakan Prisoners of War, Mr Russ Ewin and Mr Lesley “Bunny” Glover, at a memorial ceremony at Sandakan Memorial Park on Sunday, 15 August.

Between January and August 1945, 2,428 Australian and British Allied Servicemen from the Sandakan Camp died during three marches between Sandakan and Ranau

Of the 450 Allied servicemen in the first Death March between Sandakan and Ranau, only one British and five Australian soldiers survived.

The Governor-General and Mr Bryce will also lay a wreath at the Memorial to Chinese Martyrs after attending the book launch of Blood Brothers, which describes the POWs’ and Sandakan residents’ experiences in during World War II.

Segments of the Governor-General’s program that may be of interest to the media include (all times are local and are two hours behind AEST):
Sunday, August 15:
7.30am: The Governor-General will represent Australia at the Sandakan Municipal Council’s 65th Anniversary of the Sandakan Death Marches at Memorial Park
9.15am: The Governor-General and Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah, YB Datuk Peter Pang En Yin, will launch the book Blood Brothers
11.00 am: A wreath laying by the Governor-General will take place at the Memorial to Chinese Martyrs
2.45 pm: Visit to the Sepilok Orang Utang Sanctuary, Sepilok
 
 
Unless otherwise requested, all media opportunities will be on a picfac basis only. For more information on the visit, please contact Niree Creed at niree.creed@gg.gov.au / +61418 625 595 or Sam Groves at sam.groves@gg.gov.au / +61433 505 930.