Book Sheds Light On Obscure Tragedy In Sabah’s Catholic Church History

KOTA KINABALU: An obscure and one of its darkest part of Sabah’s Catholic church history has come to light thanks to painstaking and tenacious research by senior clergyman Rev Fr Cosmas Lee.

The result of Fr Cosmas’ 15-year study that has been described as akin to a detailed criminal investigation has revealed conclusive evidence of how nine foreign missionaries led by Monsignor August Wachter and three local assistants were slaughtered by the Japanese military at the tail end of the Second World War.

Fr Cosmas’ research debunked the Japanese military claims that the clergymen were killed during Allied forces bombing raids at their garrison in Sapong near Tenom – which the British military administration accepted.

This resulted in senior Japanese officers who had likely ordered the execution of the German speaking Catholic missionaries to escape justice and instead were eventually repatriated to their homeland.

The detailed study and results were compiled in a 265 page book entitled Ultimate Sacrifice that was launched by Archbishop Datuk John Wong Soo Kau on March 15 at the hall of the St Simon’s church in Likas where Fr Cosmas is Parish Priest.

Among those present were Keningau diocese Bishop Datuk Cornelius Piong, former Malaysian envoy to The Vatican and ex Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, priests and religious, renowned historian Prof Datuk Dr Danny Wong Tze Ken, local publisher Datuk CL Chan, Fr Cosmas’ family and well wishers.

In his address, Abp Wong said Fr Cosmas’ book was a crucial part in the documentation of the Catholic church’s history in Sabah.

Lauding Fr Cosmas’ unceasing efforts in unearthing the details in the lives and tragic deaths of Msgr Wachter and eight missionaries, Abp John said they were outstanding heroes of the Catholic mission in Sabah.

He emphasised the book would help the community to learn from the past, understand the key events and educate the younger generation about their heritage and values now that the history of the Catholic Church in pre-war North Borneo has been documented so systematically and made accessible in one comprehensive volume.

“To understand where the Church is today and where it is heading, one would have to look at its history,” Abp John noted.

The prelate also voiced hope that the book would inspire the Catholic community, especially the younger generation, to serve in the church.

In a presentation on his book Ultimate Sacrifice, Fr Cosmas said the Japanese military officers had insisted that Msgr Wachter and the eight missionary priests were killed in Allied forces bombing raids, there was no credible evidence as such.

Instead, information from various sources, including a senior Japanese civilian official, showed that it was the Japanese forces themselves that had executed the missionaries.

Fr Cosmas said the Japanese military officers would have deemed the Msgr Wachter as dangerous as they believed the missionaries had witnessed the atrocities inflicted against the local population.

“The Japanese had to cover up their atrocities by committing another atrocity,” said Fr Cosmas in describing the deaths of Msgr Wachter and the eight priests as among the most tragic events in the 160 year history of the Catholic church in Sabah.

Academic historian Prof Datuk Dr Danny Wong said Fr Cosmas had meticulously unearthed long forgotten documents, piecing together fragments of history with scholarly precision and unwavering dedication.

He said it was understandable that Ultimate Sacrifice took 15 years to come into fruition as the historical sources were scattered across geographical locations and time.

Prof Dr Wong noted that Fr Cosmas’ research had plowing through various archives Europe, Australia and Japan that had taken more than a decade.

“Many lesser mortals would have given up a long time ago and the project abandoned. But certainly not Fr Cosmas. I want to congratulate him for his perseverance and outstanding achievement,” he said.

Remarks by Professor Datuk Dr Danny Wong Tze Ken, Professor of History, University of Malaya at the launching of Ultimate Sacrifice.

Like so many history books published lately on Sabah, this book, Ultimate Sacrifice, took many years to complete. In my own work, I also experienced similar situation/fate. The main reason behind this ‘long winded’ effort lies with the fact that historical sources on Sabah are scattered all over, not just spatial (geographically), but also temporal  (as well as divided based on time).

When Ronald Brookes published his book on the history of Sabah, he gave the title, Under Five Flags. Indeed, the state of Sabah, had since its establishment as British North Borneo, was ruled over by five different governments, and a study of the war period required no less efforts. For research into this book, Father Cosmas had to carry out work at institutions from three governments in Sabah’s history, namely, the North Borneo Company administration, the Japanese Military administration and the post-war Colonial Government.

The book basically attempts to answer one question or to resolve one puzzle – namely, what had happened to the Roman Catholic Missionaries who were brought to Tenom and Sapong in the interior, along with their local assistants, during the closing stages of the War. It was clear that the missionaries, whose existence were known to many who were in Sapong and Tenom, were no longer around at the end of the War. It was their fates which remained unknown, and remained a puzzle, until the answers that are found in Father Cosmas’ book. The Japanese authority, had insisted that the Fathers were killed by a direct hit from an aerial bombardment. This explanation was never accepted by the church.

In his attempt to resolve this mystery, Father Cosmas organised his research in a most systematic manner. Like all history books, he raised several questions, chief of which focuses on the plights of the Roman Catholic missionaries; and secondly, who was responsible for the disappearance of the missionaries. These questions set the research direction that was later pursued by Father Cosmas. He had first exhausted the local scene – apart from the State Archives, Father Cosmas also drew on the rich depositories at the Archives of the Kota Kinabalu Archdiocese (which is a gem for historical research on the RC church and events related to the church). 

For the lives of Monsignor Auguste Wachter and his companions, he went to work at the Mill Hill Mission Archives in London, and later, went to Liverpool when the archives was moved there. He also visited the Tyrol region and Austria where many of the missionaries had originated from.

Father Cosmas’ book, though dealing with the period of the war, especially the closing stage of the war, had to also source for information in the archives in the Japan (under Japanese occupation), United Kingdom (Colonial Office and War Office), the Australian National Archives and the Australian War Memorial in Canberra (why Canberra? It was the Australian Imperial Force, the 9th Division, that was the first Allied unit that had returned to Sabah in 1945). Back in Sabah, he also conducted  many interviews with possible witnesses.

All these took more than 10 long years!! Many lesser mortal would have given up long ago, and the project abandoned. But certainly not Father Cosmas!!  I want to congratulate him for his perseverance  and this outstanding achievement!

Reading the book is like reading an investigating detective story. Father Cosmas was both a crime scene investigator and advocate. He started the story by tracing the circumstances of Monseignor Wachter’s detention in May 1945 and removal from his mission in St Michael’s Penampang. This was the most chaotic phase of the war. Germany had collapsed the month before, and the aerial bombardment had started in Sabah, and the Japanese were in panic, and were staring at possible defeat.

Father Cosmas was able to talk to the descendants of those who had witnessed the missionaries’ detention. He was able, through interview and also War Office sources, identified those who were there at the scene. He then traced their journey via the train journey, and the Japanese officers who were accompanying them. The people they met on the way including the Wong family of Membakut.

When the Fathers arrived in Tenom, Father Cosmas was able to determine that contrary to existing view that the Fathers were killed in Sapong, they may have not even been to Sapong! He then went into lengthy discussion on the aerial bombardment campaign of the Allied air forces against the Japanese in Tenom, Sapong and Melalap. This is to examine evidence on whether the Japanese Army’s statement that Monseignor Wachter and companions had died in an aerial bombardment. His evidences, obtained from meticulous pieced together reports of the aerial bombardment, have shown otherwise. The evidences proved that the Japanese authority were lying!

As I was reading this part, I was wondering if my late grandfather, Wong Boo Choon, a Grade One Dresser in Jesselton Hospital, who was the medic of the Kinabalu Guerrillas, and was arrested by the Japanese, and brought to Sapong, ever met Monseignor Wachter or his other priests. My grandfather was in St Mary’s Sandakan, and was attending church. He could have spoken to Monseignor Wachter while they were in Tenom and Sapong? My grandfather was mortally wounded in an aerial bombardment possibly on 9 July, and passed away on 12 July 1945. His grave is in Tenom.

Father Cosmas’ investigation, led him to read the memoirs of Yamazaki Ain, the wife of the Japanese administrator of Keningau, Yamazaki Kenji. Ain was a local girl, who was later  repatriated with Yamazaki. It was from Ain’s book that he learned that the Fathers were likely to have killed (executed) elsewhere.

One other important part of his investigation, led Father Cosmas to examine the records of the various war crime trials of Japanese military personnel including those who were connected to events in Sapong, Tenom, Melalap and Keningau. Once again, Father Cosmas demonstrated his broad knowledge to help us unpacked the various legal concepts employed by the Japanese Army, especially during war times. There is even a glossary (with photos) of most of those Japanese officers who were tried for war crimes against the people of Sabah and the Death Marches of the Allied Prisoners of War.

If Father Cosmas did not answer the call of God to become a priest, he would make an outstanding Crime Investigator ! Many more criminal cases would have been resolved!!

While the book primarily deals with the fates of Monsignor Wachter and his companions, it is also in some way, a book in honour of the lives of the missionaries who gave so much to the people of Sabah. Ever since their arrivals in the state, they have been agents of social economic change – and of course, in the spiritual sense. Reading Monsignor Wachter’s diaries for instance, one could sense the patriarchal responsibilities he had towards his flocks. It is worth noting that it was Monsignor Wachter who had the foresights and visions in establishing the Franciscan Sisters community – one of our own whose sisters have given so much to the education of young girls and women in the state.

The book is also a feast to the eyes – for it contains hundreds of photographs, many of which are new (never published before). Father Cosmas has been most meticulous in providing details.

This is truly a wonderful book. Father Cosmas has demonstrated how a good historical research should be conducted, and how to present the findings in a most systematic, and enjoyable manner. I hope Father Cosmas will be encouraged by this current effort to edit and publish Monseignor Wachter’s diaries. I shall wait in great anticipation.

Lastly, let me 1) once again, congratulate Father Cosmas for the gift of this book to all of us. 2) To urge and encourage all of you who wish to know more about the history of Sabah, and to see how a history book should be researched and written, please read Father Cosmas’ Ultimate Sacrifice – Ruben Sario, SOCCOM ADKK