SANDAKAN HISTORY DOC - Department of Veterans' Affairs

seventh day they started feeding you half camp rations. I was just in a
‘G’ string, never had a wash. We were not allowed to talk, but we used
to whisper…Every evening we would get a bashing, which they used to
call physical exercise…The [cooks] knew we got out at five so they’d
come down then to feed the dogs with swill, the kitchen rubbish. They’d
pour it into this trough. We’d all hit
together, the dogs and all of us, and
we’d fight the dogs for the scraps.
If you’ve ever tried to pull a bone out
of a starving dog’s mouth you’ll know
what it was like. The dog would
fasten onto your wrist to take the bone
off you, and you’d still be putting the
bone into your mouth. And you’d
finish up the better.
In July 1943 an elaborate local
intelligence network, built up at
the camp and connecting it with
the local civilian internees and
guerrilla units even further afield,
was betrayed to the Japanese.
Captain Lionel Matthews, 8th
Division Signals, was the
organiser of this network.
Matthews was arrested, tortured
and eventually shot, along with
eight local people who had been
part of the organisation.
Following the breaking of the
intelligence ring, the Japanese,
hoping to take out the source of
such resistance from the camp,
removed all but eight officers to
Captain L C Matthews GC, MC,
8th Division Signals, 2nd AIF. Captain
Matthews was executed by the Japanese
on 2 March 1944 for his part in the secret
intelligence organisation run between
Sandakan POW Camp and Sandakan
town during 1942 and 1943. Matthews
was posthumously awarded a George
Cross for gallant and distinguished service
whilst a POW at Sandakan.
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