Batu Lintang camp during Rajah Vyner Brooke’s reign between 1917 and the 1946 (when he abdicated and handed over to British control) was originally the Punjabi Regiment’s Barracks before 1942, when it was extended by the Japanese to cover about 50 acres and serve as an internment camp housing both allied POWs and British and Dutch civilian internees. This camp operated as a labour camp by the Japanese Imperial Army.
Life in the camp was harsh with prisoners being forced to endure food shortages, disease and sickness with hardly any medicine, forced labour, brutal treatment and lack of adequate clothing and living quarters. The most common medicine reputedly prescribed by the camp doctor is sunlight. Many died due to starvation, torture, disease and sickness.
The Japanese announced its official unconditional surrender to the Allied powers (Australisn 9th Division) on 15 August 1945 but remained in control of the Batu Lintang camp until 11 September 1945. When the camp was liberated from Japanese forces back in 1945, the population was 2,024, 1,392 of whom were POW mainly British and Australian soldiers, 395 were male civilian internees and 237 were civilian women and children.
Batu Lintang PoW Campsite Memorial was established within the grounds of Batu Lintang Teachers Training College (or Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Batu Lintang in Malay). A memorial was built to commemorate the memories of Sarawak wartime history especially those who died in the camp during the 2nd War World and also as a permanent recognition of all those who had sacrificed their lives and contributed to unity, peace and freedom. This memorial commemorates those who didn’t survive the hunger, sickness, torture and executions.
The commemoration was held at Batu Lintang Teachers Training Institute Memorial Square where a plaque had been erected in 1989. The monument is shaped like an upright book signifying Batu Lintang as the source of knowledge with its top elevation in the form of H for Hope. Inscribed on the granite stones are the words, “To live together in peace with one another as good neighbour – UN Charter 1945”.
Link to a video of anevent immediately after the POWs have been liberated.
Now about the cache
The cache is plastic container placed at GZ with the log sheet plastic in a ziplock bag. Please be gentle when opening the ziplock bag as the life of the log as well as the cache is dependent on geocachers whi accessed it.
PS. Please bring your own pen to log. Replace the cache to the same position and make sure the cache sticks properly does not fall off.
Appreciation
Congratulations to 9W2ZLC for the FTF
Thanks to Orientheory, adventurebuddy, Timke48 and Rutheman for the Favourite Points given. Much Appreciated.
Join us at Geocaching Malaysia
How to get in?
The entry point to this cache is via the entrance to the college at Jalan College off Jalan Batu Lintang at N 01° 31.898 E 110° 20.805. Just inform the security guard that you want to go to the World War 2 Memorial located near the museum.