The Roll, documented by Tulloch after eight years of lonely research, also includes all the details on the 641 comrades who perished in North Borneo during World War II. “I was shocked to find out that the story of the 641 soldiers was forgotten in the United Kingdom,” said Tulloch in his speech at the presentation ceremony. “I decided to do something about it.”
“This – Roll of Honour – is a sacred document and a very important one in military tradition.”
Masidi expressed gratitude and added that the Roll of Honour book would be added to the list of priceless artefacts at the Sabah Museum. “We will take good care of it. We will put it in a glass case so that people can see it even 300 years from now.”
“It’s a symbol of the ties between Sabah, the United Kingdom and Australia.”
Tulloch made only 10 copies of the book, and if he had made just one copy, it would have cost 1,000 pounds sterling. Masidi got the second copy of the book, the first copy was given to the Senior Chaplain of the Army, the third copy resides at the Imperial War Museum in London, the fourth copy is with the Far East Prisoners of War Association and the remaining six copies will be sold.
“The Roll, based on information extracted from various books, included that by Lynette Silver, Don Wall, Michele Cunningham, Kevin Smith, the diaries of Peter Lee and Ian Paterson and other books including local ones,” said the ex-Major. “The Roll acknowledges within its introductory pages, the extraordinary courage and kindness of the Sabah people who, at great personal risk and some paying the ultimate price, assisted the prisoners of war.”
The 641 soldiers, said Tulloch, were actually captured in Java, shifted around three to four camps on the island, taken to Singapore and then shipped to Jesselton (Kota Kinabalu). “By the time they arrived in Jesselton, they were not in good shape, and they became even worse by the time they were sent to Sandakan from where they were forced to commence the death march.”
The Roll is the third pillar of the Royal Artillery Act of Remembrance Triangle which includes a march to Ranau and a Royal Artillery Memorial at the Kundasang War Memorial (KWM) in Sabah. The march in July involves 27 cadets from the Sutton Valence School from Kent going from Telupid to Ranau and laying of wreaths at the English Garden at KWM.