| Item title: | Japanese violations of the laws of war |
| Title (kanji) |  |
| Location: | Australian War Memorial (AWM55 12/50 part 2) View information about obtaining a copy of this document |
AJRP details | |
| AJRP module: | Australian War Memorial official records |
| AJRP series: | Allied Translator and Interpreter Section (ATIS) publications |
| AJRP sub-series: | ATIS research reports |
| AJRP folder: | |
Location details | |
| Institution: | Australian War Memorial |
| Call number: | AWM55 12/50 part 2 |
| Inst. series: | AWM55 |
| Inst. sub-series: | AWM55 12/- |
| Item: | RR-72 supplement 1 |
Item qualities | |
| Quantity / desc: | 70 pages |
| Access: | Open |
| Item type: | Unpublished, Official |
| Category: | Information report |
Item content | |
| Creation date (d/m/y): | 19/3/1945 |
| Conflict code: | Pacific War (1941-1945) |
| Keywords: | WAR CRIMES, PRISONERS OF WAR, INTERROGATION, MILITARY REGULATIONS, MURDER, RAPE, PUNISHMENT, COURTS MARTIAL, CAPITAL PUNISHMENT |
| Australian unit names: | |
| Allied unit names: | |
| Japanese unit names: | |
| Names: | Siffleet, L.G., Sgt; YAMASHITA Paul; YASHINO (also known as YASUNO); YUNOME Kunio; Raharin, Pte; Pattiwahl, Pte; Kunish, E.; Fastenrath, B. |
| Languages: | English, Japanese |
| Area: | Melanesia (PNG, Irian Jaya & Solomon Islands) Aitape [Melanesia (PNG, Irian Jaya & Solomon Islands), New Guinea, Aitape–Wewak Area] Salamaua [Melanesia (PNG, Irian Jaya & Solomon Islands), New Guinea, Mubo–Salamaua Area] |
| Content: | This is an Allied Translator and Interpreter Section (ATIS) research report issued on 19 March 1945 on Japanese violations of the laws of war. This report is a supplement to RR-72 and is part of a compilation prepared for and submitted under oath to the "Commission regarding breaches of the rules of warfare by Japanese forces" (Commonwealth of Australia), 12 March 1944. It contains further records of violations of the laws of war as noted in ATIS documents that had become available from 7 March 1944 to 12 October 1944. It contains information on executions, acts of cannibalism, rape, abuse of Allied prisoners of war, use of poison gas, illegal detention of civilians and official instructions for the treatment of prisoners of war. The appendix includes affidavits from two repatriated missionaries, Father E. Kunish and Father B. Fastenrath, identifying the circumstances of the execution of Sergeant L.G. Siffleet and two native prisoners of war in Aitape on 17 November 1943 (other evidence suggests the executions took place on 24 October 1944). In the reproduced photograph of the execution, they identified the executioner as Government Civil Official YASHINO (also known as YASUNO) and the smiling Japanese appearing in full length in the front row as Paul YAMASHITA. A second picture depicts the execution of one of Siffleet's companions, Private Raharin, by an interpreter YUNOME Kunio. Raharin was captured with Siffleet and Private Pattiwahl, while engaged in reconnaissance behind the Japanese lines. YUNOME was sentenced to death for his part in the atrocity but had his sentence commuted to 10 years' imprisonment as he had acted in a subordinate capacity in the matter. Appended documents also include reproduced passages (not translated) from the diaries of Japanese prisoners, captured documents and intelligence regulations. |
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Other information | |
| Notes: | Photographs of the executions Sergeant L.F. Siffleet and Private Raharin are in the Australian War Memorial photographic collection, AWM 101099 and AWM 101100 respectively. |
| Last modified: | 03/05/2009 09:07:12 AM |
| Source: | AJRP staff |
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