In its tenth year of the Sandakan Scholarship Program, winners Alyssa Farrell and Tameka Baker have left for Sandakan in Borneo to arrive in time to commemorate ANZAC Day.
The girls’ 14-day itinerary takes them to Kuching, the capital of Sarawak where they will visit the Heroes’ Monument and Gardens; Labuan, home of the Commonwealth War Graves for ANZAC Day; a Labuan school and Kundasang War Memorial, dedicated to the British and Australian soldiers who died in the Sandakan POW camp.
Farrell and Baker will also visit Ranau where the Death March finished.
Farrell, a student on the secondary campus of St Joseph’s School in Northam, said she applied for the scholarship because the story of the Death March was not well-known.
“It is my belief that everyone, whether today or in future generations, should recognise this story as a big part in wartime history,” she said.
“For me it is an amazing opportunity to be able to visit Borneo, and see the places I have read about in my research and meet those who were directly or indirectly affected.”
Baker, a Year 10 student from Toodyay District High School, said she had a great interest in Australian war history.
“My grandfather was in the army,” she said.
“On my recent visit to my grandmother’s house I was shown photographs of my grandfather in Borneo.
“There was also a photograph of a fisherman’s hut in Sandakan.
“Part of my presentation was a fictional diary entry of Thomas John Dorizzi (a Toodyay resident).
“My grandmother went to school with Thomas’s daughter Geraldine,” said Baker.
Mr Lou Kidd, who leads the program for the Toodyay RSL, said they felt the project was outstanding on two counts.
“Firstly, it enables the story of the Borneo Death March to be kept alive which is especially important given its relevance to Toodyay,” he said.
“The other reason is the impact it has on the students who go.
“It allows them to see another culture, by mixing with youths of their own age who live in Sabah and Sarawak.
“We have always been amazed by the talent of the youth of Toodyay.
“To see these young people come to the initial selection panel, then see the improvement in their presentations on their return from Sandakan is just amazing.”
Toodyay and District Community Bank Branch of Bendigo Bank Branch Manager, Ms Kirsten Barrack, said the branch was a long-time sponsor of the Scholarship Program.
“I am confident the girls will relish this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to retrace history,” she said.
“We look forward to hearing all about it upon their return.”
The Sandakan Scholarship Program was open to students in Year 8 and 9 who live in the Toodyay District.
Applications for the 2019 Scholarship will open later this year.
