Hi Guys, This is probably already known amongst you experts however whilst looking at the Aussie archives I found that the famous photo of an Aussie being beheaded was an identified serviceman: NX143314 SGT LEONARD SMITH Australian War Memorial Collections Database
Geoff's 1939-47 Search Engine For some reason I can't find him on the cwgc, perhaps I have the wrong number
According to the Aussie database the chap carrying out the war crime died before the war & proper justice.
soren1941 My apologies for intruding into your own posts, but at the risk of being boring, I believe there is much more information out there regarding this execution. As his date of death is October 1943, this seems to be a PoW, and there appears to be a large crowd in the background with Jap guards. I'm sure the more knowledgeable on here will be able to provide chapter and verse on why this happened. I certainly would like to know more, but suspect it might have been a recaptured escapee or simply "because they could".
Soren, I found an article that will interest you from the Daily Mail. Beheaded at whim and worked to death: Japan's repugnant treatment of Allied PoWs | Mail Online I hope that the very long link works. If not a manual search under the daily Mail should find the article about the beheadings. Regards Tom
More info on this thread. Post #27 Japanese Atrocities. & here, http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/sergeant-l-g-siffleet-m-special-unit-beheaded.9633/
It breaks my heart seeing pictures like this. To die fighting is one thing but to be so hopeless and not being able to do a thing is incomprehencable (Sp) to me. I find it hard to find the words.
Not sure where I got the 'Smith' from, his details according to AWM: ID Number: 101099 Date made: 24 October 1943 Physical description: Black & white Summary: Aitape, New Guinea. 24 October 1943. A photograph found on the body of a dead Japanese soldier showing NX143314 Sergeant (Sgt) Leonard G. Siffleet of "M" Special Unit, wearing a blindfold and with his arms tied, about to be beheaded with a sword by Yasuno Chikao. The execution was ordered by Vice Admiral Kamada, the commander of the Japanese Naval Forces at Aitape. Sgt Siffleet was captured with Private (Pte) Pattiwahl and Pte Reharin, Ambonese members of the Netherlands East Indies Forces, whilst engaged in reconnaissance behind the Japanese lines. Yasuno Chikao died before the end of the war.
I think what gets me most is the fact that he perhaps had a wife and children at home, i dont know when this picture would have been released but surely it would have been when his children (or wife) were still alive. I cant think of anything worse than seeing someone closest to you just about to die like that. I wonder if Mr Yasuno Chikao's family ever saw this picture.......i hope they were disgusted. Donnie
another piece from teh AWM: Two letters sent by Allied Intelligence Bureau (AIB), New Guinea Headquarters, to Miss Clarice Lane, dated 23 July 1943 and 15 September 1943. They inform her that messages have been received from her fiance, NX143314 Sergeant L. G. (Len) Siffleet, requesting that she be assured he was safe and well. The letters are incorrectly addressed to Miss Clemice Lane. Soon after the letters were written, on 24 October 1943, Sergeant Siffleet was beheaded by order of the Japanese Vice Admiral in command of the Japanese fleet at Aitape. He was executed for his role, as a wireless operator, in a commando operation in Japanese occupied New Guinea, while serving with the AIB's M Special Unit. A photograph of his execution became a famous wartime image after it was published in `Life' magazine and is in the AWM Photograph Collection.
Hi Guys, This is probably already known amongst you experts however whilst looking at the Aussie archives I found that the famous photo of an Aussie being beheaded was an identified serviceman: NX143314 SGT LEONARD SMITH Australian War Memorial Collections Database His last name was Siffleet as per Owens link to my thread. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-aga...-beheaded.html Australian Military Units Sergeant Leonard George (Len) Siffleet Date of birth 1916-01-14 Gunnedah, NSW. Date and unit at enlistment (ORs) 1940-08 Called up for the militia, serving with a searchlight unit at Richmond Air Force Base. He was released from service after three months. Date and unit at enlistment (ORs) 1941-07 Joined the AIF and was posted to 1st Division signals section at Ingleburn. Other 1942-10-12 Volunteered for special duties and joined Z Special Force after completing a specialist signals course. Date promoted 1943-05-05 Promoted to sergeant. Date captured 1943-09 Siffleet and two others were captured by locals and handed over to the Japanese. They were tortured and questioned for three days. Date of death 1943-10-24 Siffleet and his two fellow captives were executed, by beheading, on Aitaoe Beach, New Guinea. Siffleet's executioner, Yasuno Chikao, was later captured and sentenced to be hanged. This sentence was later commuted to 10 years imprisonment. Siffleet's execution is the subject of a well known photograph.
