Sandakan
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Gabrielle King, Grade 10
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Poetry
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2013
From 1942 to 1945,
2700 men were struggling to stay alive.
They were kept at a compound at Sandakan,
And were forced to march in,
A long march that was 250km away,
But they didn’t have a say.
Living conditions were tolerable,
But after getting caught with a radio, they turned to horrible.
Most men died of starvation,
But they were still an inspiration.
As 455 of the best,
Start to head west.
They marched in a secure formation,
Whilst suffering from dehydration.
On the first march so many men died,
No matter how hard they tried.
One of those many dozen,
Was my first, thrice removed, cousin.
The second march took off at the end of May,
That lasted for 26 days.
Over 350 prisoners died on the track,
Never to look back.
As the third march started on June nine,
None of them were fine.
If they didn’t die of exhaustion as they fell to their knees,
They were murdered by the Japanese.
No men survived,
Except for six that got out alive.
Finally the Japanese surrended on August fifteenth, 1945.
By Gabby King