Brunei in World War II
I was showing my old photographs collection when the topic of the second World War came up. Brunei as did many countries around the region suffered just as badly. A lot of our elderly Bruneians talked about how difficult life was. Unfortunately there were not many photographs available of Brunei during that war. Some of the few that I have are as follows (taken from the exhibits at Brunei Museum):
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLidQtWEb0mGbh8DwzVDnjl4u1Pf7I44j4lzkeMjI03rQYq9Q4ciqMVh2RUPiteWPAPg-DRTBmLew_B9cxPWFZIY8L8ltIqPxxICS08mfRHt5SB-y9Fap9cgZncDhZSnGXA6Z/s400/world_war2_brunei.jpg)
A family of Bruneians waiting to be rescued at the beach. In the background, smoke can be seen from the burning oil fields in Seria.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNAjl1HLUg8gufM-SQSjA0qasO_5ibM3yBrhZRX1ul4Sqd5wyZcx_Ew2O3jAOz91b6B6jMo2_X4ornhPuNdRnVTh-YWCWa-vAWUti77E-e_GGHp73kKJFj3vlWz0M5_DMuwhF/s400/world_war2_brunei2.jpg)
Allied troops capturing a Japanese soldier.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyBSlnGxR3fsjW-BGg5GGwacOLsAUqCwNWamjD5bSoQ7E9-vrpwO9i3N6TTT-c5GEsMVCyTuN1sL7YygZF8EVisnj-wHGfF4abeLCa8n6uMAm8IiVW8wh42Wsg_470pLvLcFH/s400/world_war2_brunei3.jpg)
This is a particularly gruesome photograph. Is there something unusual about the dead soldier in the background?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLidQtWEb0mGbh8DwzVDnjl4u1Pf7I44j4lzkeMjI03rQYq9Q4ciqMVh2RUPiteWPAPg-DRTBmLew_B9cxPWFZIY8L8ltIqPxxICS08mfRHt5SB-y9Fap9cgZncDhZSnGXA6Z/s400/world_war2_brunei.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNAjl1HLUg8gufM-SQSjA0qasO_5ibM3yBrhZRX1ul4Sqd5wyZcx_Ew2O3jAOz91b6B6jMo2_X4ornhPuNdRnVTh-YWCWa-vAWUti77E-e_GGHp73kKJFj3vlWz0M5_DMuwhF/s400/world_war2_brunei2.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyBSlnGxR3fsjW-BGg5GGwacOLsAUqCwNWamjD5bSoQ7E9-vrpwO9i3N6TTT-c5GEsMVCyTuN1sL7YygZF8EVisnj-wHGfF4abeLCa8n6uMAm8IiVW8wh42Wsg_470pLvLcFH/s400/world_war2_brunei3.jpg)