Year 6 Field Trip  Supports World War 2 Topic

Year 6 Field Trip Supports World War 2 Topic

This term Year 6 students have been investigating the main events that lead up to World War 2 in the Pacific Region. They have been learning about the Japanese occupation in Malaya and Borneo and linking this to the main events of World War 2 in Europe.

On January 9th 1942ย  Jessleton (Kota Kinabalu) fell under the Japanese occupation with the Japanese forces taking control of North Borneo for 3 years. In 1943 a group of resistance fighters was formed by Albert Kwok, called the Kinabalu Guerillas. Hampered by a lack of quality weapons, the Kinabalu Guerillas were disbanded, imprisoned and executed on January 21st 1944 at Petagas. A memorial now stands at the place where they lost their lives and every year a ceremony for families and government officials is held to remember their sacrifices. Year 6 students attended this yearโ€™s ceremony on the 21st January and gave a floral tribute to show their respect and to remember the efforts made against the occupation.

After the ceremony Year 6 took a walking trip around Gaya Street in order to understand how Kota Kinabalu has gone through many changes. The guides took the students back in time and as a result they now have a deeper understanding of the city they live in. Finally, Year 6 sampled some local delicacies in the oldest shop house, which was built after the war.