Off the wire
• French industrial output falls by 0.9 pct in April  • Tajikistan, Pakistan pledge to further ties  • Commentary: Cultural exchanges at Milan Expo exemplify importance of "community of common destiny"  • Weather forecast for major Chinese cities, regions -- June 10  • Urgent: Burundi delays presidential, parliamentary election  • China approves new infrastructure projects  • FIFA suspends 2026 World Cup bidding  • UNESCO inscribes Myanmar's Inlay Lake as world heritage site  • Chinese navy conducts drill in western Pacific Ocean  • Egypt police foil suicide attack against tourists in Luxor  
You are here: 　 Home

8 Australian veterans return to WWII battlefields in Brunei after 70 years

Xinhua, June 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

Eight Australian veterans, aged from 89 to 96 years old, came to Brunei-Australia Memorial, Muara Beach, on Wednesday to attend commemorative service to honor the 70th anniversary of Australian troops landing in Brunei in World War II, an important part of Australian campaigns of the war against Japan which ended in victory, freeing the island from the Japanese occupation.

In a commemorative address, Australian Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator Michael Ronaldson, said "When we remember the campaigns in Orth Borneo, we remember the dead and we mourn their loss".

Liberating the people of Borneo from Japanese occupation involved more than 75,000 Australians supporting the Oboe landings on Borneo from May to July 1945, including the largest Australian landing of the WWII. However, it was at the cost of around 600 Australian soldiers, sailors and airmen, who died in combat, according to Senator Michael Ronaldson.

"We pay tribute to the Australians who fought here, who contributed to the rebuilding and honor the memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice," said Michael Ronaldson.

Wreath-laying ceremonies were held at Brunei-Australia Memorial, Muara Beach.

Brunei Deputy Minister of Defense, Dato Haji Mustappa, Commander of Royal Brunei Armed Forces Pehin Major General Tawih, government officials, foreign diplomatic corps in Brunei, representatives from all walks of life joined the commemorative event.

In a related development, a multimedia exhibition entitled Stories through Memories -- 70 years of Friendship was opened Wednesday, showcasing stories through the memories of survivors who witnessed the tumultuous events of WWII in Brunei and historical images of Australian forces' leading role in the 1945 liberation of Borneo.

"This exhibition is a fitting tribute to the men and women of Borneo who lived through the horrors or war. It also celebrates the lasting friendship of the people of Brunei and Australia formed 70 years ago when Australia liberated the country from Japanese occupation in 1945," Senator Ronaldson said.

Dr Janet Elizabeth Marles, senior lecturer and Program Leader Professional Communication and Media, told Xinhua the exhibition is aimed at telling the young generation this part of history in Brunei during the WWII and let them know the experiences and sufferings of those who witnessed the Japanese occupation in the country. Endi