Sandakan Challenge
Update
1 / 5
11 Feb 2025
Well, tomorrow is the last day of the Challenge! My legs and feet are sore, but I am so pleased with the response! Over eighty donors and well over $5,000 donated so far.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed. Your donations will help Andrew Russell Veteran Living - ARVL in their goal of ending veteran homelessness.
Just eleven klicks to do!
Update
1 / 5
04 Feb 2025
On this day eighty years ago, the seventh party left the Sandakan POW camp. This was the first mixed party of Australians and British personnel.
Now on their eighth day out of Sandakan, the first party, whose progress I’m mirroring, again woke cold, wet, weary and muddy and headed back onto the track through the jungle. They crossed the Celo and Bonbud Rivers and covered 20 kilometres on otherwise fairly flat terrain, climbing towards Boto and the supply dump late that day.
Some of the prisoners were utterly exhausted and they were all starving. The stronger ones were helping the weaker, but many were nearing the end of their endurance.
For day eight of the Challenge I am hiked nearly 20 kilometres on a loop between Mylor and Aldgate in the Adelaide Hills, which included about 370 metres of elevation gain.
Deaths back at the camp rose sharply on this day, with five Australian and four British prisoners recorded dying, mainly of malaria. The first death march began to take its toll on this day, with the first recorded deaths on the track, with five Australians in later parties dying mainly of cardiac beri-beri around the five day mark for their parties. It is remarkable that none of the first party had yet died. Before I set off I paid my respects to the 14 dead and recited the Ode.
Lest we forget.
Update
03 Feb 2025
On this seventh day, the first party, whose progress I’m mirroring, again woke cold, wet and muddy and headed back onto the track through the jungle. The early terrain that day was a roller coaster of short rises, and they reached the dump at Batas before crossing the Tuantining River, with the party managing to cover 12 kilometres. More of the prisoners were struggling and had to be assisted. By the end of the seventh day, more of the members of the first party were at the end of their endurance.
So, today, due to the forecast top of 41C, I am doing the 12 kilometres at the gym on the treadmill…
Before I set off I paid my respects to the four Australian and one British POW who died on this day at Sandakan camp, and recited the Ode.
Lest we forget.
Update
1 / 4
01 Feb 2025
Today marks the eightieth anniversary of the departure of the fifth party of 50 Australian prisoners of war from Sandakan camp.
On this fifth day, the first party, whose progress I’m mirroring, again woke cold, wet and muddy and headed onto the track through the jungle. Fortunately, they were now out of the worst of the mud and made better progress, covering 13 kilometres and reaching the Muanid/Murawatto River and the rest but the Japanese had promised had been established there, although some of the prisoners were beginning to struggle and had to be assisted over the last stretch.
The rest hut at Muanid was not completed by the time the first party arrived, so they again slept in the open or under improvised shelters. The rations they had been issued as they left the camp were now expected to stretch another three days until they got to the dump at Boto. By the end of the fifth day, many of the members of the first party were utterly exhausted.
So, today hiked five kilometres at the Belair National Park parkrun, and then 13 kilometres on a track through Mount Crawford Forest, including the summit of Little Mount Crawford.
Before I set off I paid my respects to the four Australian POWs and one British POW who died on this day at Sandakan camp, and recited the Ode.
Lest we forget.
Update
31 Jan 2025
Today marks the eightieth anniversary of the departure of the fourth party of 50 Australian prisoners of war from Sandakan camp.
On this fourth day, the first party, whose progress I’m mirroring, again woke cold, wet and muddy and headed onto the track through the jungle. It was almost a repeat of the third day, slogging through mud, sometimes knee deep, and even swampy sections that they had to wade through. A survivor from a later party described both days as “horrendous” and “exhausting”. Leeches, mosquitos and other insects attacked the men relentlessly. They again only managed ten kilometres before they stopped for the night, again without shelter from the rain.
So, today I hiked 11 kilometres on the Wine Shanty Hike in Cleland Conservation Park. Another hard grade hike to try to simulate to a small extent the difficulties the prisoners faced with the mud.
Before I set off I paid my respects to the four Australian POWs and one British POW who died on this day at Sandakan camp, and recited the Ode.
Lest we forget.
Update
1 / 6
29 Jan 2025
Today marks the eightieth anniversary of the departure of the second party of 50 Australian prisoners of war from Sandakan camp.
On this day, the first party woke cold and wet and headed onto the track through the jungle. About the 9 kilometre mark the mud got a lot worse. They managed 13 kilometres before they stopped for the night, again without shelter from the rain.
So, today I hiked nearly 14 kilometres on a loop from Brownhill Creek up to Belair National Park and back down. Some pretty steep sections to try to simulate the difficulties the prisoners face with the mud.
Before I set off I paid my respects to the three Australian and two British prisoners who died on this day at Sandakan camp, and recited the Ode.
Lest we forget.
Update
1 / 6
28 Jan 2025
Today marks the eightieth anniversary of the departure of the first party of 55 Australian prisoners of war from Sandakan camp.
When they reached the main east-west road that ran past the camp, they were told to march west. Their hearts must have felt very heavy, as instead of the hoped-for eight mile march to Sandakan town, and perhaps a ship to take them elsewhere in Borneo where they had been told there was more food, they were heading towards the interior and an uncertain destination. Then they were each loaded with up to 25 kilograms of rice, ammunition and Japanese gear.
The first 12 or so kilometres were on bitumen then macadam roads, but then they headed along a track cut through the jungle. They managed another nine kilometres before they stopped for the night.
So, today I hiked for about 12 kilometres along the southern Adelaide beachfront between Marino and Somerton Park and back, then a nine kilometre loop through the Hallett Cove Conservation Park.
Before I set off I paid my respects to the one Australian and two British prisoners who died on this day at Sandakan camp, and recited the Ode.
Lest we forget.
Update
27 Jan 2025
I’m taking on the Sandakan Challenge over the 80th anniversary dates of the first party of prisoners of war who were sent on the first Sandakan Death March, and I will also be covering the same distances they covered each day, carrying around the same weight that they were forced to carry – up to 25 kilograms or so.
But there any similarities end. I haven’t been starved for months, I don’t have dysentery, malaria, beri-beri, or tropical ulcers. I have proper clothing and footwear, food, and a good quality pack, not carrying my load in hessian bags slung around my neck against both my chest and back. I’ll be sleeping in my own bed at night, not lying in the rain, cold and constantly fighting off biting insects. Almost all of the prisoners were severely underweight, sick, weak, and they hadn’t hiked 650 km in training over several months to get ready. They had been given 48 hours’ notice and had no idea where they were going or what they were about to face. It is really is impossible to put yourself in their non-existent boots.
The prisoners of the first party were led by Warrant Officer Class II Charlie Watson – a 44 year old First World War infantry veteran who was serving with the 1st Company Australian Army Service Corps at the time of his capture, and 36 year old Staff Sergeant Colin Smyth from 2/10th Australian General Hospital. Others known to be included in the first party were the medical officer Captain Rod Jeffrey, and several members of the largely Western Australia-raised 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion, including the man reputed to be the tallest man in the 2nd AIF, London-born Bob Chipperfield, who came in about 6 foot seven inches in height, and two of the three Dorizzi brothers, Tom and Herb. They had to leave their brother Gordon at the campo, as he was far too sick to join them. The first party departed the camp, located near the 8-mile peg out of Sandakan on 28 January, and the survivors arrived at Ranau at the 155-mile peg on 12 February, taking sixteen days to cover the 147 miles or 237 kms.
Other than five Formosan guards from the camp who accompanied them, including the infamous Kawakami Kyoshi, reviled by the prisoners as the “Gold-Toothed-Shin-Kicking-Bastard”, the Japanese escort included 40 Japanese infantry soldiers, commanded by Captain Iino Shiguro. On the first day, Captain Yamamoto Susumi, who was in command of the entire march, marched off ahead of the first party with some troops as an advance party.
Some early sections of the first march were very muddy, something that is pretty much impossible for me to try match in the Mt Lofty Ranges in January and February. So on the days that the prisoners slogged through the mud I have substituted similar length hard grade hikes with plenty of steep and rocky sections. I will also replicate the steep terrain faced by the prisoners during later stages as they ascended to Ranau.
Every few days I will post to explain the next few days of the march, and where I will be hiking on the corresponding days of the Challenge.
Update
23 Jan 2025
One of the critical pieces of the puzzle in #endingveteranhomelessness is emergency accommodation.
I'm raising funds for Andrew Russell Veteran Living - ARVL, which has has ten units designed to provide temporary accommodation for veterans who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or in need of transit accommodation. These are located in the southern Adelaide suburb of Sturt.
ARVL's emergency accommodation works to "put housing first" - to get veterans a place to live in the short-term, then assists with pathways to help them into permanent housing. At the same time, ARVL helps them access the other services they need through other ex-service organisations like the RSL South Australia Veterans Employment Program and government services like mental health support through Open Arms - Veterans & Families Counselling.
In the last eight years, ARVL has helped more than 230 veterans and provided over 27,000 nights of accommodation. It really helps veterans to generate positive accommodation outcomes for themselves and get them back on their feet.
Update
1 / 6
19 Jan 2025
Well, that’s it. The training phase of the Sandakan Challenge is done and dusted. Fifty hikes, 650 kilometres. $2,555 raised for homeless veterans. Special thanks to Noel and Scot for their recent donations!
I’m ready. 💪🏻
The real thing starts on 28 January. Sixteen days of effort. The target is $4,864, another $2,309 needed. Let's do this.
DONATIONS88
Anonymous
Wed, 19 Feb 2025
$ 50
$ 50
Miranda Van Hooff
Sun, 16 Feb 2025
$ 50
Congrats Ian. Amazing achievement, and great cause.
Congrats Ian. Amazing achievement, and great cause.
$ 50
Anonymous
Fri, 14 Feb 2025
$ 50
$ 50
Taylor Cowell
Tue, 11 Feb 2025
$ 100
Fantastic work, Ian—your dedication is truly inspiring!
Fantastic work, Ian—your dedication is truly inspiring!
$ 100
Ashley Starkey
Tue, 11 Feb 2025
$ 50
Great work Ian
Great work Ian
$ 50
Emily Carmody
Mon, 10 Feb 2025
$ 25
$ 25
Trevor Whitelaw
Mon, 10 Feb 2025
$ 50
$ 50