SEVENTY years after the notorious Death Marches in Borneo, composer Larry Sitsky has been asked to write a work to help commemorate the suffering of about 2,000 Australian and 1,000 British prisoners of war of the Japanese in Sandakan, now in Sabah, East Malaysia, during World War 2.

The Chair of the Canberra Sandakan Organising Committee, Eric McDonald, said that in addition to the Sandakan Dinner and Oration, and the annual Wreath laying Commemoration at the Australian War Memorial, other significant events had been planned to mark circumstances towards the end of World War 2 where the Japanese organised death marches to destroy the evidence. Only 6 Australians PoWs survived, and no British PoWs.

The Sandakan Dinner and Oration, given by military historian, Professor Joan Beaumont from the ANU, will be held at the Mercure Hotel, Braddon, on the evening of May 28, and the Wreath laying Commemoration at the Australian War Memorial on Friday 29 May at 2pm.

McDonald explained that   the committee had arranged in partnership with All Saints’ Church, Ainslie, and the music departments of Canberra Girls Grammar and Canberra Boys Grammar, a Sandakan Memorial Service at All Saints’ Church at 10am, Friday 29 May. This would be followed at the Church by the world premiere of the Sitsky work.

“I approached Emeritus Professor Sitsky because he is one of the foremost composers for piano in Australia,” McDonald said, “I wanted him to compose a work that reflects the tragedy which was Sandakan.… Sitsky has composed for a wide range of musical forms, including 9 piano trios before the ‘Sandakan’.”

Sitsky’s Piano No.10, ‘Sandakan’, will have its world premiere at All Saints’ Church, Ainslie at 11.30am on Friday May 29 following the  Sandakan Memorial Service at 10am.

Photos from the Sandakan memorial park by Helen Musa