The Japanese invaded Labuan in January 1942:


The war cemetery, an easy walk from town, is the biggest in Malaysia. Almost 4,000 people are buried here, the majority from Australia and Britain. Among the interred are those who perished in the infamous Sandakan death marches.

Although there's an extensive list of names, in many cases it was not possible to identify the individual remains. Many of the gravestones are therefore simply marked "known unto God".






On the island's west coast, you'll find Surrender Point, where the Japanese surrendered to the Australian armed forces in September 1945:


Adjacent is a very lovely Peace Park:






And the surroundings all speak of peaceful natural beauty:







This has all made for an interesting, if poignant, couple of days' exploration.