SANDAKAN CIVILIAN EXECUTIONS MAY 1945 IN RETALIATION OF AN ALLIED ATTACK

 

AT SANDAKAN IN  RETALIATION OF A SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED THREE HOUR ALLIED AIR & NAVAL ATTACK BY U.S. & AUSTRALIA ON THE MORNING OF 27 MAY 1945 

RESULTED IN THE DEAHS OF MORE THAN 28 SANDAKAN COMMUNITY LEADERS (INCLUDING 24 CHINESE CITIZENS)  EXECUTED 27 May 1945.

This atrocity occurred during the same time of the infamous Sandakan Death Marches (January to August 1945), during which approximately 2,400 Australian and British Prisoners of War (POWs) perished due to starvation, disease, and execution. Local villagers often risked their lives and their families to provide food and assistance to the POWs, and many were executed if caught by the Japanese……
  • On 27 May 1945 at 6 am nine American PT boats, supported by RAAF Kittyhawk fighters and US Navy PBM Mariner bombers entered Sandakan harbour and attacked Japanese targets for about three hours. The Japanese  were enraged, particularly the Kempeitai (military police).   Sadly for the local population, the Americans and Australians departed and did not return.   In retaliation at least 30 of Sandakan’s prominent persons were almost immediately executed.
    • 27 of the victims were already in custody of the Kempetei – mostly leading members of Sandakan’s Chinese community and prominent citizens. Many were part of an underground movement or had pre-war roles in anti-Japanese fundraising efforts (such as the China Relief Fund).
    • Yau Kam Chung,  Kwan Loke Ming , Kwan Yun Hin, Ho Shou Fah and Ng Seah Wah were the prominent Chinese merchants in Sandakan, and they were also leaders of the Chinese community. They were the main promoters of various fundraising activities in the local Chinese community to support war resistance in China against the Japanese, and they were also the ones who contributed the most money. These five along with other civilians were murdered by the Japanese, angered by the American PT boat attack on 27 May 1945.
    • At 10 o’clock, Yau Kam Chung saw the Americans PT boats appearing in the harbour and he thought that the war was over. However, the Americans did not land and soon sailed away. Following this event, the Japanese Kempeitai came to Yau Kam Chung’s home and asked him to come to the “meeting”.  Yau was allowed to lunch with his family and children and changed his clothes  before the Kempetei took him away in the afternoon. 
    • Yau Kam Chung was executed together with another 27 community leaders of Sandakan on that night. The massacre took place nearby the headquarters of the Kempeitai at Mile 1.5.
    • Other leading citIzens were called to the Kempeitai HQ on the pretext of a meeting.  The Japanese assumed the local Chinese community was assisting the Allies.  On the basis of alleged confessions, they were convicted in absentia by the District Court of Sandakan.
  • The victims were taken to a ravine near Kempeitai HQ, shot in groups, and buried in nine pre-dug pits. Some sources indicate victims may have been beheaded.
  • Included was an unnamed Indian doctor. Not all those executed are known by name and it is generally believed  the number of victims is far greater than the recorded list of names on the memorial stone.
    • After the war, the Sandakan Chinese Chamber of Commerce recovered the remains and reburied them at a memorial site near the Chinese cemetery on Red Hill. The memorial is located near the entrance to the Sandakan Chinese Cemetery.
    • The Japanese captain in charge, Nakata Shinichi, was later tried as a war criminal and executed by hanging in 1947.

 

 

 

Hakka people form the largest Chinese dialect group in Sabah (formerly North Borneo), with roots tracing back to late 19th-century migration from Guangdong, China, organized by the British North Borneo Company to develop agriculture and infrastructure. First arriving in Kudat in 1883, they established strong community, agricultural, and religious (Basel Christian) roots in areas like Kota Kinabalu, Tenom, and Sandakan. 
The Basel Christian Church in Sabah (now known as the Basel Christian Church of Malaysia – BCCM) began with the migration of Hakka Christians from China in the late 19th century, sponsored by the Basel Missionary Society. This missionary work, which focused on both Chinese immigrants and later indigenous populations, was deeply rooted in German-Swiss Protestant tradition. 
The Basel Mission (Evangelische Missionsgesellschaft in Basel) was historically a very wealthy and economically powerful organization, particularly from the mid-19th to the early 20th century, due to its unique combination of evangelical work and commercial enterprises. 

 

CIVILIANS EXECUTED 1.5 MILES OUT OF SANDAKAN May 1945: 
  1.  CHAN TECK WAH (Clerk Harrison & Crossfield)
  2.  THOMAS CHAN (former Chinese Consulate staff & Firewood Merchant)
  3.  CHONG WAI CHO (Basel School Teacher & Editor Chinese Overseas Daily)
  4.  PONGOLO, STANISLAUS DOMINIC (Retired Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Customs)
  5.  FUNG BAK MING (Member China Relief Fund)
  6. ALFRED FUNK (co-owner of Radio & Sons)
  7.  K.A. GEORGE (Inspector Sandakan Sanitary Board and Town Council Leader.)
  8.  HO SHU FAH (Merchant & Member China Relief Fund)
  9.  JAPPAR (Trader)
  10. YAU KAM CHUNG/CHENG ALSO KNOWN AS KHOO KIM CHUNG/CHENG
  11. YAU KAM CHENG/KHOO KIM CHENG, a Teochew, was one of the Sandakan community leaders before and during the war.  Owner, Chip Loong & Company. Following Japan’s invasion of China 1937, he was the Chairman of the China Relief Fund set up by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Sandakan which raised money for the Chinese war effort.
    After Sandakan was taken by Japan 19 January 1942 Japanese Command issued a direct to the leading Chinese merchants in Sandakan to raise $400,000 for their war effort. They threatened to destroy Sandakan and its population if the Chinese leaders fail to raise specified sum. The committee in Sandakan comprised leaders of the Sandakan Chinese Chamber of Commerce:
    Yau Kam Chung, Kwan Yun Hin, Kwan Loke Ming, Ho Su Fah (Ho Siew Wah) and Chan Tian Joo.
    Initially, Yau and the four committee members could only raise $200,000, half of the total amount. This was contributed by all the other leaders of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Therefore there was an urgent need to increase the amount by $200,000. The five committee members mortgaged their personal properties and put up the properties of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce as cash certificates. Cash certificates were issued as normal currency in the exchange of goods in Chinese shops.
  12.  Lt. KONG SU EN – chief clerk, Medical Department, British North Borneo & Lieutenant  North Borneo Volunteer Force before the war in Sandakan (capital of British North Borneo.)  He was earning a comfortable salary of $110 a month at the Sandakan Hospital In 1937, he met Rose Kong, then aged 17 years and a belle of Sandakan. He married Rose and in time they had three children.
    In 1939, Kong Su En joined the North Borneo Volunteer Force.  Later promoted to rank of lieutenant in Volunteers in 1941. The “B “Company in the Volunteer Force based in Sandakan was under the command of Capitan H.R. Parnell. When the Japanese invasion began in 19 January 1942, the Volunteer Force were ordered with the North Borneo Armed Constabulary, not to resist and immediately disband.
    At Sandakan Kong Su En and members of the Volunteers surrendered. Although he was allowed to return home and resume his civil occupation at the hospital, he was always under rigid surveillance by the Japanese “gestapo” (Kempeitai) because he had been a lieutenant in the Volunteer Force. The Japanese thought Kong was a British spy but they did not arrest and execute him in May 1945.
  13.  KONG SU LEONG (Wireless Operator)
  14.  KWAN LOK MING – was one of the Sandakan community leaders before and during the war. He was the wartime Chairman of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Sandakan. He and his cousin, Kwan Yun Hin who was the pre-war chairman of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce were members of the Man Woo Loong & Co.
  15.  KWAN HUN HIN (Member of Legislative Council & Partner Man Loong & Co).
  16.   LEE SENG LOK (Trader)
  17.   LEW KEW KONG
  18.   LINCK, Mrs (a Jewish German refugee and wife of local pharmacist) **
  19.   LEE SAH CIE, Dr (Japanese Language Censor, Chungking News) and prominent Sandakan citizen.
  20.  NG SHEA WAH – Chinese Secretary at Harrison & Crossfield. He was active in Sandakan Chinese Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Standing Executive Committee.  He was Vice Chairman of China Relief Fund which supported war resistance following the 1937 increased Japanese aggression.  On 25 August 1940, the Chartered Company set up North Borneo Spitfire Fund to collect donations for two units of the British Spitfires which bore the name North Borneo I & II. Ng Seah Wah was one of the five members of the fund.
    Ng Shea Wah was one of the 28 prominent citizens taken by the Kempetai following a visit to his home leaving a wife and children.  He was one of 28 citizens executed the night of 27 May 1945.  Nine graves had been dug up earlier in the day and Ng was buried in the seventh grave.
    NG TAI YONG (Building Contractor)
  21.  PANG THAU FEN/PANG TAO PEN (Government Clerk)
  22.  PATAL, M. S.  (Pharmacist & Manager Sandakan Dispensary).
  23.  TAM (Wireless Operator)
  24.  STELLA TAO (Chinese Teacher from Shanghai)
  25.  VOON THAU YIN (Teacher, St Michael School)
  26.  VOON YIN CHONG  (Chief Clerk, Public Works Department)
  27.  UNIDENTIFIED INDIAN DOCTOR
  28.  DR LEE VOO YIN
**  Mrs. Linke, Mrs. Preuss (an Australian) and a ‘Eurasian woman’ named Ma Cohen (Bagdadhi Jew) were all arrested as part of the Japanese crackdown.
Stella Tao, the Chinese teacher from Shanghai was deeply involved in Sandakan’s civilian resistance, particularly operating an underground radio to send vital intelligence to the Allies.

CIVILIAN EXECUTION AT MILE 1.5 SANDAKAN, 28 May 1945: 

  1. Foo Chi Ming
  2. Pereira, Andrew Justin – Government printer under British admin. pre-war. He was son-in-law of Pedro Dominic Penghol and the adopted son of William Burgess Pryer.
    Following the capitulation to Japan of the Dutch East Indian army, Pereira kept his role until there was no further work at the printers office.  The Pereiras left their home at Jalan Leila for 13 Mile.
    Captain Nakata Shinichi, Commandant of the Sandakan Kempeitai ordered his subordinate Sergeant Major Matsui Shintaro to arrest and execute Andrew Pereira and two residents of Sandakan, Richard Watson and Foo Chee Ming (Foo Chee Kong). At the same time, Matsui also received a direct from Lieutenant Fuji, the Security officer of the Japanese unit under Colonel Mitsugi Otsuka to arrest and execute another two.
  3. Watson, Richard (Accountant)

 

After the end of war Japanese Matsui Shintaro was put on trial for the murder of the three men and sentenced to 18 months.

CIVILIAN EXECUTION:   SHOT AT SANDAKAN BY KEMPIETAI ON NIGHT 27 MAY 1945:

  1. Sui Chong **
  2. Ten Pek
**. Sui Chong was a prominent Chinese community leader in Sandakan arrested and executed by Japanese Kempeitai on night  May 27, 1945 (Sandakan, not Kuching).  He was one of 28 prominent local Chinese leaders who were executed in retaliation for Allied naval and aerial attacks on Sandakan harbour that day. 
The massacre took place near Kempeitai HQ at the 1.5-mile point outside Sandakan town. The bodies of the victims were exhumed and properly buried at a memorial site after the war ended. 
In addition to the Chinese victims, other nationalities were among the victims:
  • M S Patel, the owner of a pharmacy in Sandakan.
  • Mrs. Linck, the wife of the German pharmacist employed there.
  • K A George, a member of the town council.
  • Richard Watson, accountant.
  • Dominic P. retired customs officer.
  • Alfred Funk, co-owner of Radio & Sons.
  • Jappar, dealer.

 

Below:  PONGOLO STANISLAUS DOMINIC  – Retired Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Customs.

 

Below: CHONG WAI CHO, Schoolteacher

The following information is from North Borneo Historical Journal from Johnny Lu II
Chong Wai Cho, was a Wu Hwa-Hakka born from Guangdong province in China where he received education before taking up an appointment as a schoolmaster of Sung Siew Secondary School which was a English medium Basel Mission school in Sandakan
Chong was the father of Chong An Min, the former Manager of Tractor Malaysia and Chong Jiu Si and other siblings
In 1938, Chong started the Chinese newspaper called ‘The Sandakan Overseas Chinese Daily’   providing news of the Sino-Japanese war in China. He was  editor, reporter, manager, printer and distributor of his paper. Most of the news was obtained through radio broadcasts from Chongqing, the wartime capital of Kuomintang ruling China.  His newspaper also carried anti-Japanese cartoons.
Chong and his newspaper was welcomed by the Chinese community in Sandakan.
When the Japanese Army occupied Sandakan in 1942, Chong’s newspaper ceased operation.

 

Above:  Foo Chi Ming – Executed 28 May 1945 Sandakan.

 

Kwan Choo (Chue) Ming and his brother Kwan Ming Ming were later arrested and taken to the Kuching camp. They were released when Japan surrendered 8 months later. Ming Ming who had contracted several illnesses, died soon after.  Choo Ming credited his survival to drinking his own urine.
He was later awarded by the Australian Govt for his efforts on the part of the Aust POWs

 

Members of the Australian 9th Division finally liberated Sandakan on 19 October 1945. The children of Yau Kam Chung had survived, however after the war, they learned their father had been executed. Alex Khoo, the son of Yau Kam Chung was a five year old when his father was taken away by the Kempeitai. He also lost his sister and mother in the Allied bombing in 1944.

WAR TRIALS

On 27 May 1945, WO Kosaka Shigeo and Captain Nakata Shinichi led the killings of 28 leading Sandakan residents, who were suspected of espionage activities.
At Jesselton where the war trials were being held Kosaka and Captain Nakata Shinichi were both charged on 24 and 25 January 1947 with committing war crimes related to May 1945 killings.
  • Captain Nakata was sentenced to death by hanging.
  • Warrant Officer Kosaka Shigeo was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.

SANDAKAN, NORTH BORNEO 26 OCT 1946. IDENTIFICATION PHOTOGRAPH OF SUSPECTED JAPANESE WAR CRIMINALS.
LEFT TO RIGHT: CAPTAIN NAKATA SHINICHI; WARRANT OFFICER KOSAKA SHIGEO; SERGEANT MAJOR EHARA KESAO; AND SERGEANT MAJOR MATSUI SHINTARO.
Sergeant Hosotani Naoji of the Japanese Kempeitai served in Sandakan. During the day of 27 May 1945, Sergeant Naoji shot two Chinese near Kempeitai HQ at Mile 1.5 where the Japanese executed 28 persons.
Besides that, he also killed two Australian POWs who attempted to escape from him during the second death march.

 

Following the liberation of Sandakan Sergeant Naoji was interrogated by Squadron Leader F.G. Birchall of the RAAF Missing Servicemen Section and Sergeant Mamo, a United States Army nisei member of the Allied Translator and Interpreter Section attached to the Australian 9th Division. He confessed to shooting two Australian POWs and five Chinese civilians. He was subsequently tried as the war crime at the Australian Military Court held at Labuan on 29 December 1945. He was found guilty and sentenced to death by shooting. He was executed by firing squad on 6 March 1946.

 

SANDAKAN, NORTH BORNEO 26 OCT 1945 IDENTIFICATION PHOTOGRAPH OF SUSPECTED JAPANESE WAR CRIMINAL 1ST CLASS PRIVATE MATSUI MITSUGI.
Following the liberation of Sandakan, Sergeant Naoji was interrogated by Squadron Leader F.G. Birchall of the RAAF Missing Servicemen Section and Sergeant Mamo, a United States Army nisei member of the Allied Translator and Interpreter Section attached to the Australian 9th Division. Sgt Naoji confessed to shooting two Australian POWs and five Chinese civilians. He was subsequently tried as the war crime at the Australian Military Court held at Labuan on 29 December 1945. He was found guilty and sentenced to death by shooting. He was executed by firing squad on 6 March 1946.

 

HARRISON & CROSSFIELD LTD & ASSOCIATED COMPANIES 1844-1995.

The following is a brief overview of the company.
(Daniel & Smith Harrison and Joseph Crosfield entered into partnership January 1844 to trade as tea and coffee merchants at 6 Temple Street, Liverpool, under the style Harrisons and Crosfield. They moved July 1854 to 3 Great Tower Street, London, becoming from 1860s one of the largest tea traders in Britain.)
The company took on additional partners and became increasingly involved in rubber and plantation estates in the mid-20th century, acquired shareholdings, often acting as agents and secretaries, in a number of plantation companies. By the late 20th century, Harrisons and Crosfield managed nearly half a million acres of tropical crops in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Southern India, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The firm became a limited company under the name Harrisons and Crosfield Limited in May 1908.
  • Most of the company’s interest in tea was disposed of in 1916 with the formation of Twining, Crosfield and Company Limited. As well as diversifying into rubber plantation Harrisons and Crosfield Limited had interests in timber (through its stake in British Borneo Timber Limited, later called Sabah Timber Company), and especially from the 1950s, palm oil, speciality chemicals and other estates agency work, including the related business from insurance and shipping.  They established offices in many countries.
  • BORNEO: The company operated through a subsidiary company Harrisons and Crosfield (Borneo) Ltd, registered 1918 in Sandakan (Ms 37541-61). See also records of Sabah Timber Company Ltd (Ms 38103-78).
  • From 1960’s onwards the company has been through many changes and directions with companies merging, being sold, etc.  The firm became a public limited company in 1982.
    • Late 1997 the firm started  disposing of all its timber and building supplies and food and agriculture divisions, to concentrate on speciality chemicals. From January 1998 the firm has been known as Elementis Plc.