SEJARAH NORTH BORNEO SABAH
SPECIAL EDITION
SECOND WORLD WAR STORY
A REMEMBERANCE (JASAMU DI KENANG)
A tribute to one of Sabah great hero that would be 91 years
on this month @ 28.9.2019. (May his soul Rest in Peace). We knew and remembered
that we had shared this stories before in part and pieces on the SNBS Channel
as eloquently described by our amazing Mr Kennedy Aaron Aguol .
Today we put up all the stories together from our version
after compiling the stories from few sources.
A very unique local hero stories written by the hero himself
that was not found in any local history books. His story actually help us
connect the many missing pages of Sabah's second world war history. The family
currently writing a books on his details exploits, trial and tribulations.
This is a story of a war hero that suffered horrendous
brutality as a forced labourer that may relate to many untold missing family
members due to force labourers during the second world war in Sabah.
He participated in several important wars and conflict where
he suffered injuries and endured great challenges. He contributed and
participated in a war against our enemies during second World War, during
Pirates Attacked along our eastern coast , Malaysia-Indonesia Konfrontasi,
Brunei Revolt and many others perhaps clandestine operations that can become an
important chapters of our Sabah history.
A shining example that anybody and everybody can shared and
write their family's stories for posterity.
CHIEF INSPECTOR (R) PHILIP MAIRON BAHANJA A WAR VETERAN :
COUNTRY'S PEACE AND POSPERITY MUST BE PRESERVED
Chief Inspector (R) Philip Mairon Bahanja (28.9.1928 -
12.12.2012) was the only child of Mr Bahanja Bin Lumintou, a Sino Kadazan
family from Kampung Kolopis, Penampang. In early 1943, he was 14 years old and
together with a group of 30 Kadazan Dusun youngsters from several villages in
Penampang near Jesselton (Kota Kinabalu) decided and innocently seeking
employment with the Japanese due to severe hardship of life and looking for
better opportunity during the second world war without knowing the tragedy that
may awaited them. Little did he know that leaving Jesselton would be the last
time he saw his father. He was there to bid him farewell for his journey and it
was a very sad moment.
After their group being recruited by the Japanese, they left
Jesselton on a wooden boat to Sandakan. The sea trip from Jesselton to Sandakan
took them three days. They were served with raw fish to eat and were treated
badly from the very beginning. Upon arriving in Sandakan they were forced to
work on repairing broken wooden boats at Sandakan slipway near Buli Sim Sim
Road.
While they were in Sandakan, they were treated like prisoner
of wars and were immediately induced into hard and forced labour. The suffering
was horrendous and unbearable. Since all seas and lands exits were secured by
the Japanese armies, escaping would be like walking into death trap.
When the Japanese started to realize that the allied forces
were closing in and that they may be defeated, the Australian and British POWs
were forced to march to the village of Ranau deep in the jungle, 250 km away.
At the time, they heard that many of the Australian prisoners of war who were
from the Sandakan Camp died when they were forced to walk to Jesselton through
the jungle. This is now famously known as the "Death Marches".
In December 1943, he and 29 other friends managed to escape
from the forced labour group and planned to go back to Jesselton. They decided
to walk through the jungle from Sandakan to Beluran for three days and three
nights without any foods.
When they arrived at Kampung Muanad, District of Beluran,
they met the village Headman by the name of OKK Kulang and were informed that
all land routes was secured by the Japanese armies. OKK Kulang advised them to
take refuge at his village and also mentioned that the Japanese armies were
looking for them.
They knew that if they were captured they will definitely be
executed to death. Looking into the situation, several of them decided to put
up in Kampung Muanad. He stayed with Sarawi's a Suluk family and disguised as a
local resident and work as a farmer.
Though the Japanese attempted to trace them at nearby
village they failed to locate them as people at the village where they take
refuge hated the Japanese and did not divulge any information on their
whereabouts.
C/Insp. Philip remembered that in 1943, about eight (8)
Australian paratroopers landed around Ulu Sungai Labuk, District of Beluran,
Sandakan at night. OKK Kulang, Head Village of Kampung Muanad , his group and
all the kampung people welcomed the Australian armies.
The Australian armies started recruiting local people and
many young locals came forward and joined the guerrilla until the total came to
about 500 guerrillas. Philip and his friends were fluent in English language.
They were all accepted to join the Australian troops to fight against the
Japanese armies.
They underwent training on using weapon and engagement
tactics for only about a week and soon after that they donned the allied troops
uniformed with high spirit and from then on they joined the fight against the
Japanese armies. C/Insp. Philip's choice of weapons was an Automatic Austin-Gun
type.
The Australian troops and their group employed guerrilla
tactics and succeeded in inflicting a heavy toll on the Japanese up to the end
of 1945, several months before the Japanese surrendered to the allied forces
headed by the United States of America.
Within one year in the guerrilla team, they were involved in
at least three ambushes in Sandakan that inflicted a heavy toll on the Japanese
armies. However, many of his friends were killed.
At the same time Kinabalu Guerrilla headed by Albert kwok,
Chan Chau Kong, Charles Peter, Jules Stephens and OT Panglima Ali also fought
against the Japanese but they were eventually caught and were executed in
Petagas.
During the last of his operation, they managed to kill a
Japanese spy by the name Pariong.
After the war in 1945, Philip who was 16 years old went
directly to the Police Headquarters in Sandakan with a letter of recommendation
from Captain Russel and joined the Military Police (MP).
C/Insp. Philip never have the opportunity to keep in touch
with any of his comrades and commanders Captain Russel and Captain York
although he know them very well.
Among his other contribution and services was that his
involvement in an operation against pirates attacked on North Borneo, Konfrontasi
Malaysia-Indonesia, Brunei Rebellion, Installation of wireless antenna on Mount
Kinabalu and several clandestine operations.
In 1960s, C/Insp Philip was awarded with a "Kukri"
(Gurkha Blade/Knife) for his gallantry, sacrifice and service during Konfrontasi. C/Insp. Philips was also an expert in Morse Code, fluent in
speaking and writing Japanese language.
C/Insp. Philip reminded the younger generations during his
last interview with a local reporter, that they should ponder over our
country's history in reaching independence.
Many lives were sacrificed in wars and he urge the younger
generation to defend our country independent, peacefulness and welfare. He said
the war was a painful experience for him and was a matter of life and death
when fighting the enemy to free the country from foreign occupation. Not eating
for days on a stretch and getting shot in the leg were some of the sacrifices
he made to defend the country.
For his lifetime of service he was awarded more than 9
medals and awards such as follows :-
1. The Pacific Star was campaign medal of the British
Commonwealth awarded for service in World War II (1946)
2. G. BR OMN REX ET INDIAE IMP. GEORGIVS VI 1936-1945 - for
fighting in the World War II( 1946)
3. Elizabeth II Del Gratia Regina R. D - for fighting in the
World War II (1946)
4. Elizabeth II Dell Gratia regina F. D (1960)
5. Elizabeth II D. g. Br. OMN Regina F. d Colonial Police
Forces ( 1957)
6. Pingat Peringatan Malaysia -Indonesian
Confrontation-Involved in Indonesian Confrontation. (1963)
7. Bintang Kinabalu - Presented by the Government of
Malaysia
8. Bintang Setia Kinabalu -Presented by the Government of Malaysia
9. Pingat Perkhidmatan Am-Presented by the Government of
Malaysia.
Source and photos :
1. Sandakan Day Memorial's booklet dated 15.8.2008 courtesy
of Ktryn Chua
2. PDRM Facebook comments 15.12.2012
3. Ms Vian Marion
Edited by : Kumis Kumis
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