1.John Andrew McPherson (Resident 3rd Division, Sibu) 2.D.V. Murphy (Swak constabulary based in Sibu) 3 F.L. Mansel (Div. Treasurer Sarawak, Sibu) 4. S.G. Hansom (District Officer Sibu) 5. R.F. Sinclair (Customs Officer, Sibu) 6. H.J. Spencer (Agriculture Officer, Sibu) 7. P.C.V. Cobbold (Borneo Co. Ltd., Sibu) 8. J.E. Bach (Assistant Engineer PWD, Binatang)- 9. L.G. Lee (Swak Steamship Co. Ltd., Sibu) 10. S.H.K Cox (Supply Officer, Sibu)— 11. B.B Parry (Officer Swak Oilfield Ltd., Miri) 12. T.A. Reid (Div. Eng. PWD, Sibu) 13. Mrs Clare McPherson (South Africa) 14. Infant McPherson (child) 15. Mrs. J. Lee (wife of L.G. Lee) 16. Mrs. E. Boumphrey 17. John Boumphrey (child) 18. Peter Michael (child)

5 Missionaries families from USA, Australia and Holland ----------------------------

1. Reverend Fred C. Jackson (American Missionary)

2. Reverend Andrew Sande (Australian Missionary) 3. Mrs Sande 4. David Sande (child) 5. Fr Feldbrugge (Dutch priest stationed at Marudi) 43 DUTCH VICTIMS ------------------- 1.Amersfoort, van George August 2 Adolf 26-11-1912 Djokjakarta 3.Andeweg Markus 1706-1919 Goudswaard 4.Air Force. Baarschers Arnoldus 22-06-1913 Den Haag Baarse 5.Barnstijn Leonard 02-05-1915 Magelang 6.Bolio Alex Ferdinand 31-10-1903 Batavia 7.Burghardt Jacobus Theodorus 09-02-1918 Lambiko 8. Dauphin Paul Marie Hubert 14-06-1908 Sint Pieter 9. Donk Tonny 01-01-1918 Tandjongpoera, 10. Dries Henricus 31-01-1920 Amsterdam 11. Elst, van der Nicolaas Christiaan 21-03-1919 Amsterdam 12. Marie 01-10-1901 Groningen 13. Geeve Anton Jacobus 23-06-1919 Batavia 14. Geuskens Maurice Winand 15.Jozef Maria 20-01-1912 Nederweert 16. Lt Groeneveld (pilot) Johannes Hendrik 18-06-1915 Amsterdam 17. Air Force- Halm, van Jochem Marinus 27-05-1913 Jsselmuiden 18. Hauber Willy Eduard Geert 21-04-1922 Batavia 19. Have, ten Dirk Coenraad 04-12-1916 Pangkalan Brandan 20. Hornbostel Alfons 18-11-1917 Cheribon, NOI 21. Huel Willem Frans 29-05-1912 Velsen Italiaander Jacob 22-12-1912 Rotterdam 22. Joseph Jan 23-02-1927 Den Pasar 23. Kiel Hendrik Wilhelm 11-12-1904 Onstwedde 24. Koullen Hendrik Jozef 08-08-1914 Modjokerto 25. Ledeboer Frederik Wilhelmus 26. Cornelis 09-03-1909 Banjoewangi 27. Lok Jan 01-02-1911 Arnhem 28. Airman Reen Klaas Auke 29-07-1920 Batang 29. Sarton Antonius Hubertus 30-09-1923 Batavia 30. Scipio Frans Lodewijk 02-07-1914 Semerang 31. Teunissen Benjamin Hendrikus 32. Jacobus 27-07-1914 Kolonodale 33.Thomas Scheers Adriaan 06-11-1908 Malang 34. Valk Gerardt Theodoor 21-10-1922 Ambarawa 35. Westerbeek Cornelis William 15-10-1917 Den Haag 36. Westerhuis Dirk Johan Antonie 15-10-1910 37. Mrs Westerhuis 38. Mrs Westerhuis child 39. DjIkman 40. Wilde, de Jozef 26-07-1906 Batavia 41. Woude, van der Klaas 31-10-1917 Leeuwarden 42. Woudstra Willem Marinus 10-10-1912 Pamekasan 43. Wulp, van der Hendrik Willem

14-07-1912 Semarang -------- NOTE: NONE OF THE PERPETRATORS WERE ARRESTED DESPITE STRENOUS EFFORTS TO TRACE THEM. DR BOB REECE WROTE IN MASA JEPUN: “IT PROVED IMPOSSIBLE TO TRACE THE JAPANESE OFFICERS WHO HAD BEEN RESPONSIBLE.”

1939: When the 2nd world war started in Europe on September 1, 1939, Sarawak was a peace-loving country until the clouds of war forced the government to beef up its security and prepare for the worst. Britain made early preparations by sending the Singapore-based 2/15 Punjabi regiment to Kuching and Miri as the war edged closer to Borneo. In September 1940, Japan joined hands with Germany and Italy in the ambitious plan to rule the world.

Sarawak was a small fiefdom under a White Rajah with 300 Europeans officers and Native Officers and predominantly native population of 500,000. 1941: Sarawak celebrates its 100 year-Brooke Centenary on September 24. Two Brooke officers G.R.H. Arundell and John Andrew McPherson who have worked in the remote districts since the 1920s, attend the grand ceremony. Both were fated to die at the hands of Japanese—McPherson at Long Nawang in East Kalimantan on August 1942 and Arundell and his Iban wife at Sarawak’s Ulu Batang Ai region, days later.

December 7: At 8 a.m. on Sunday, the Imperial Japanese Air Service attacked the American naval base of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. They shoot down 180 American aircraft and sinking more than 12 ships. A total of 2,335 military including 2,008 navy personnel, 109 Marines and 218 army soldiers and 68 civilians. The attack was aimed at preventing the America’s Pacific Fleet from interfering with Japan’s planned military actions in against colonial territories of South East Asia namely Philippines, Netherlands and USA.

December 8 ------------------ USA and Great Britain declare war against Japan whose objective was to capture the economic resources of south-east Asia. Victory would expel the European powers from east Asia.

December 13: ----------------------------- Japan launches a naval attack on Northern Sarawak. On the 13th, they leave Vietnam with 10,000 troops and land at Kuala Belait and Tanjong Lobang capturing Brunei and Miri.

December 18: -------------------------- Dutch aircraft with six crashed on the Baram River. A catholic priest at Marudi in Sarawak Fr Joseph Feldbrugge rescues four airmen but two were killed. They four were ---Luitenant-vlieger-waarnemer Groeneveld (pilot), Luitenant ter Zee 3e klasse A. Baarschers and Halm Van Jochem Marinus. The two who were killed were Brigadier-leerling-monteur Haacke (gunner) and Sergeant-bommenrichter Gobus (bombardier)

December 25: ------------------- Japanese capture Kuching airfield, the Punjabi regiment retreat and within two weeks the whole of Sarawak was in Japanese hands. All the 300 or so Brooke’s European officers who had remained behind, were detained and interned at the Batu Lintang POW camp in Kuching. The Japanese also bomb Sibu killing a few locals. The next day they invade Sibu by travelling up the Rajang River. The locals panic and raid all the shops and rice stores. December 26: Andrew McPherson and Irish Constabulary commissioner Desmond Murphy with 24 Brooke civil Servants in Sibu—18 men, three woman and three children flee Sarawak in several Chinese vessels up the 563km Rajang River to the headwaters in East Kalimantan.

December 28: Stopping at Seputin just above Kapit, MacPherson who was former Kapit DO and also secretary of Native affairs department, meets an old friend Penghulu Tedong anak Barieng, The older brother of Tun Temengong Jugah anak Barieng, Tedong advises McPherson not to go to Long Nawang because it is safer to be with the Iban who will protect them. At 8a.m. the group left with some Iban who help them cross the Pelagus rapids just below Belaga.

From Belaga there a native office from Kampung Quop in Kuching, helps send a wireless message from McPherson to Penghulu Oyong Layang saying he was on way to Long Nawang. Oyong Layang’s son Oyong Lejau agreed to meet the group on the last part of the journey. An advance party meets Oyong Lejau and asks the Long Nawang people to assist the group on the difficult stretch in the upper reaches.

Dutch Borneo’s oilfields --------------------- In 1923, an infantry company was established in Tarakan to serve as a covering force during the destruction of oil refineries and other production installations in the event of an unforeseen attack. Increasing international tensions compelled the company to be strengthened into a battalion-sized force. In 1930, the Committee on the Defense of Oil Ports was established, with the purpose of analyzing the defense of major oil ports in the Dutch East Indies. Naturally, the Commission concluded that a permanent occupation of Tarakan by a larger than company-sized force was an absolute necessity.

In 1933, a so-called "Reinforcement Detachment" from Java arrived to bolster Tarakan's defense, as tensions in the Pacific were brewing up at the time. After 4 months, the detachment was sent back and it was not until 1934 before a full battalion with auxiliary weapons came to defend Tarakan. Japan's Need for Resources Before the Second World War, Tarakan produced around 6 million barrels of oil annually, an amount which accounts to 16% of the total Japanese annual oil consumption. This made the island one of the key goals of Japanese military (esp. the Imperial Japanese Navy) in their plans to occupy the Netherlands East Indies in the years leading up to the war.

January 12: ----------------- Japanese under commanders Shizuo Sakaguchi and Kyohei Yamamoto attack island of Tarakan which has 700 oil wells, oil refinery and airfield. A total of 255 Dutch, including 255 soldiers and civilian staff remain behind to assist the oilfield officers and families to escape. Japanese officer offers them an amnesty promising to treat them well if they surrender. Instead, 215 soldiers were tied up in batches and drowned. But one detachment of 50 Europeans and Eurasian soldiers under Lt Westerhuis flee to the mainland and up the Kayan River hoping to make it to Long Nawang.

In the entourage is Westerhuis Dutch wife, 2nd Lt, three sergeant majors, four sergeants, 1 cpl, administrative office staff, some civilians and 18 native soldiers. *KNIL in Dutch is Koninklijk Nederlandsch-Indische Leger January 22; After a painstaking journey, McPherson and group arrive at Sungei Sait two days short of their destination. It is the most difficult part of the journey it was raining. One of the only two Long Nawang survivors from Rajang Timber Company McKerracher who organized the logistics from boats, fuel and rations in his report said:

“After an arduous crossing we crossed one river 36 times, a raging mountain torrent sometimes knee deep, sometimes armpit deep, we eventually arrived at Long Noyan 28 days after leaving Sibu. “We had six people sick, two of them had done the last few days in a stretcher (bush made). McPherson, Reid and Griffin were down with bad bouts of malaria, Cobbold had sunburn turned septic, Murphy had an injured ankle and fever.

January 23 ---------------- On arrival, McPherson and 6-month pregnant wife stay at the longhouse of chief Pasang Gram next to the Dutch fort. The remaining Brooke refugees under Murphy move into chief Tangai’s longhouse. There is another block called “Rumah Tangsi” which is the barracks for the soldiers at “Kampung Kenyah” a small longhouse community in town.

Attack on Balikpapan -------------------- January 20: ------------------ The Japanese prepare for a naval attack on Balikpapan, another major oil town. They capture two KNIL captains who were sent to tell their commander with an ultimatum “destroy the Balikpapan oilfields and you will face a similar fate as the 215 Tarakan soldiers who were drowned. But the ultimatum had the opposite effect as the commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Van den Hoogenband immediately ordered the burning of the oilfields.

January 24: -------------- The Japanese navy arrives and find the oilfields had been destroyed and they rounded up the remaining Dutchmen. January 23: ---------------- A total of 76 remaining Europeans-- 62 Dutch POW soldiers, two civil servants, a police inspector, a medical officer, eight patients from Balikpapan hospital and three priests—are detained The next day they are taken to the beach. First, two civil servants were beheaded in the presence of village folk invited to witness the event. The remaining 75 Dutch forced run into the sea, where they were chased and all shot one at a time over a period of approximately two hours January 29 ----------------- 41 Brooke officers and families arrive at Long Nawang.

By February only 19 are left because the rest either try to escape via Balikpapan or return to Sibu to surrender. March: Japanese command moves to Samarinda 100km away which becomes their East Kalimantan garrison. One of their detachments called the elite “Raroun” group is under Captain Shima Mora and Lt Kamimura Okino are assigned to capture the Long Nawang Dutch outpost and eliminate ALL the Europeans. February 2: Seven Europeans from Miri arrive at Long Nawang to join 23 Brooke officers and their families. They are Marudi District Officer (DO) Donald Hudden, General Manager of the Sarawak Oilfields Ltd in Miri B.B. Parry, Roman catholic priest of Marudi Fr Joseph Feldbrugge and four Dutch airmen who had been shot down near Fort Hose.

Early April ----------------- One detachment of 50 soldiers under Lt Westerhuis of the Dutch garrison at Tarakan arrives. Among them are his Dutch wife, a 2nd Lt, three sergeant majors, four sergeants, 1 cpl, administrative office staff, civilians and 18 native soldiers in KNIL or a Royal Netherlands East Indies Army. August 18: Two American priests Rev Fred Jack Jackson and Reverend Andrew Sand and two sons from Long Pejuman 100km away, and reach Long Nawang after three weeks. August 19: Two Kenyah spotted a group on 71 Japanese marines on the Mahakam river heading or long Nawang.

They report to Lt Westerhuis but instead of checking out then information, accuse them of lying and thrown the duo in the jail below his house-the Dutch controller’s former residence. That night the Japanese take over a longhouse not far from Long Nawang.

August 20 ----------------- At 6 a.m the Japanese move stealtily to the Western bank of the Kayan River and line the riverbank with knee mortars and machine guns. At 8.20 a.m. 72 Japanese marines from the “Raroun” detachment attack the Dutch as they are having a drill in parade round. In the initial burst of gunfire they kill Westerhuisand flour Broke officers. The remaining soldiers locked up in separate barracks. Mrs Clare McPherson who is the wife of Andrew and has a six month child born at LongNawang, is shot in the thigh and is sent to a longhouse where she is nursed. The other nine and women and children are locked up in a separate section.

August 26 ------------ At 9 am. Captain Shima Mora holds a meeting to execute 50 of the male captives. At 5 p.m. Brooke officers and Dutch soldiers were bound, blindfolded and marched in batches to a large hole on hillside about 10 minutes away from the village. They were machine gunned and bayoneted and pushed into their deep grave. The next morning Captain Shima and 45 soldiers set off for Samarinda leaving Lt Okino in charge with 25 marines with four women and five children, fenced up in their quarters. During that time 10 soldiers and Lt Okino visited their quarters and abused the women.

September 8 ------------------ After two weeks the three women and three children who were housed at the “Kampung Kenyah” village were put in gunny sacks, screaming, and taken to the fort and kept in two cells. They were killed two weeks later.

SEPTEMBER 23 ---------------- Early that morning, the womenfolk were the first to be taken to another location at the hillside to another shallow grave where they were bayoneted to death. The last to die were the children. Clare McPherson who was still unable to walk was carried by stretcher from Pasang Gram’s longhouse to her demise.

She was bayonetted first before her infant suffered the same fate and was buried next to her. Lt Okino and his 25 soldiers left Long Nawang the same day. Melissa's 2011 letter: LACKSDAISICAL AND TIDAK APA ATTITUDE BY DUTCH GOVERNMENT.....FROM MELISSA MURPHY) (OCTOBER 31, 2011 ----------------------------------

Dear Uncle Edward and Dato Anthony. cc James Ritchie Further to my research of the Long Nawang massacre, I decided to write to the Netherlands War Graves Foundation, requesting for the name list of all the victims of the massacre (hoping that they do have it). I explained that with this name list I could proceed with the proposed plan of building a memorial for the victims here in Kuching, with a plaque listing out all their names.

I received their reply on Oct 18th. However, instead of furnishing me with the said name list, they informed me that the victim's remains were moved from the Dutch Tarakan War Cemetery in 1967 as this cemetery was abandoned and the remains of the victims were transferred to Java, Indonesia. They continued by saying.."Your grandfather is now buried in the Kembang Kuning War Cemetery in Surabaya."

I was shocked! All this time I thought they were at Tarakan! It so happened that i received this news 2 days before my father and brothers are off on their trip to Tarakan (Oct 20, 2011) Island! I gently informed my dad and suprisingly he wasn't disappointed nor deterred to go on his trip. He was instead happy because I showed him a photo of his father's grave marker at Surabaya. He was relieved to finally see his father's resting place. And more than determined to visit him at Surabaya! Can't stop talking about 'his next trip' since!

We are planning for it and God willing, we will make it a whole family trip. As for the trip to Tarakan - was too late to change flights, so went ahead with it. My dad had a great time there. He was happy beyond words because he got to travel with his 2 sons (dont get to do that often) and his best friend. Long story short, upon arrival at Tarakan Island they were greeted by the Pramuka Scouts of Indonesia with 'kompang' beatings, the works. Imagine how surprised the travelers were upon this grand welcoming at the ferry terminal!

And they were chauffeured, guided and fed like kings! Why Scouts? Well, my dad and his best friends are Swak Deputy Scout Commissioners. My dad's friend had called upon his Scout friends in Tarakan to meet up but not expecting their lovely hospitality. Okay, that's half of the story. Let me now go back to you, Uncle Edward and Dato Anthony.

Sorry I did not inform you both earlier as I waited for confirmation from the Netherlands War Graves Foundation on your respective father/grandfather. I asked them to confirm with me that all of the victims were re buried there. And they did furnished me with the confirm name lists in which I attached here for your reference. As you can see there, the British nationals (formerly Sarawak residents) are listed with the Dutch soldiers (as they were all killed and buried in 2 mass graves in Long Nawang).

Please also see attached, the name list I had put together which shows those confirmed buried at Kembang Kuning War Cemetery, Surabaya. If you noticed, there are 8 others under the unconfirmed list. I got those names from the Australian War Memorial in Canberra (yes, I wrote to them too asking for the name list). So I noticed those 8 are not listed in the Dutch name list. I asked them and it is a possibility that they are not recorded and lie buried as unknown in Kembang Kuning. Mentioned that they will investigate this. And with luck on our side, as I was typing this email to you all, I received the photos of all the grave markers including Please see attached photos.

My grandfather is photo tn_24. His name was initially spelled incorrectly as 'Murphey'. So I informed them of this and they also requested his birth date and place. Appreciate if you could furnish me with your father/grandfather's birth date and place too so I can tell them to add these to their respective grave markers. Also, please see if the names are spelled correctly. Uncle Edward..is it 'Mansel' or 'Mansell'? I recommend you to visit their website at www.ogs.nl you can search their database under "Slachtofferregister" on the left hand side tab not on the page itself.

Its mostly in Dutch so I hope you know your Dutch hehee...In this database you will find some information on your grandfather/father. Just type their surname and initials in the search engine. The cemetery is well looked after by the Dutch War Graves Foundation (from visitors comments and photos I see). I also find them to be very helpful and informative. So a trip to Surabaya is in order for you too?

Kind regards, Melissa Murphy