Six from Borneo

Six from Borneo
Genredocumentary feature
Country of originAustralia
Language(s)English
SyndicatesABC
Written byColin Simpson[1]
Recording studioMelbourne
Original release30 May 1947

Six from Borneo is a 1947 Australian documentary radio feature about the six survivors of the Sandakan Death Marches. It was made by the ABC in conjunction with the BBC.[2]

The six survivors:

  • W/O W. H. Stiepewich
  • ex-Bombardier Richard Braithwaite
  • ex-Gunner Owen Campbell
  • ex-Pte. William Moxham
  • ex- Private Keith Botterill
  • ex-Pte. Nelson Short

The ABC sent a unit to North Borneo including journalist Colin Simpson to write it and William MacFarlane to record it. They walked 185 miles in the interior of North Borneo, retracing stretches of the death march tracks.[3][4]

According to The Age "Recent protests by members of Federal Parliament against release of the broadcast were justified by the terrible detail in which the death march was described. It must have been distressing to the relatives of the men."[5] However, generally the broadcast was highly acclaimed.[6][7]

The documentary was later published in book form.[8]

References

  1. ^ Richard White, 'Simpson, Edwin Colin (1908–1983), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 2012, accessed online 18 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Survivors To Tell Grim Story Of Borneo Death March". The Newcastle Sun. No. 9170. New South Wales, Australia. 22 May 1947. p. 14. Retrieved 18 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "RADIO ROUND-UP". The Sun. No. 11, 645. New South Wales, Australia. 22 May 1947. p. 6 (LATE FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved 18 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "These 6 Man Returned from the Death March", ABC Weekly, 9 (21), Sydney, 24 May 1947, retrieved 18 December 2023 – via Trove
  5. ^ "BORNEO DEATH MARCH". The Age. No. 28, 735. Victoria, Australia. 31 May 1947. p. 12. Retrieved 18 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "STARS OF THE AIR. 20,000 MILES FOR FEATURES". Kilmore Free Press. No. 1547. Victoria, Australia. 1 July 1948. p. 2. Retrieved 18 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Aboriginal giant", ABC Weekly, 10 (17), Sydney, 24 April 1948, retrieved 18 December 2023 – via Trove
  8. ^ "ABC Booklets". Tribune. No. 365. New South Wales, Australia. 5 November 1947. p. 5. Retrieved 18 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.