What is known from some written works is an "uprising" of retribution by murut warriors or former members of the North Borneo Constabulary, angry with the manner they were treated by the occupying forces and the starvation they endured for much of the occupation period in the Tenom and Persiangan regions of North Borneo.

Upon the surrender of Japanese forces towards the end of 1945, they were directed to proceed on foot across the crocker range to a staging area in Jesselton. This included forces from Sapong, Tenom, and Persiangan.

Over a 5-6 day period of their march of surrender, they were head hunted by hunting parties of 10-50 murut warriors with heavy losses suffered by the retreating occupying forces in what is known as the "last murut headhunting expedition of North Borneo."