Japanese Atrocities on Australian Prisoners of War - Milne Bay/Buna, Papua
World War 2
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT has NEVER Recognised that AUSTRALIAN and US Troops fighting in PNG where ever Prisoners of War; ie. because the JAPANESE had no where to take them too so they tied then up and EXECUTED them and even cannablised them for food. The Aust Government has these soldiers officially as Presumed Dead or Killed in Action, etc although the WEBB report of 1944 clearly states the atrocities that were abused on these Servicemen.
This web page is set up to get these troops recognised as official Prisoner's of War. The 61st Inf Bn had 17 members all discovered with their wrists tied and all bayoneted and/or shot. If they weren't POWs then...... There were also other's throughout the PNG campaign 1942 - 1945 who also surrendered and were dealt with in the same manner. These troops will be named at the bottom of this story.
THE BATTLE of MILNE BAY Extracts taken from the Webb Report into Japanese Atrocities.
MILNE BAY was the first place in the Pacific Theatre that the Japanese had been defeated. It was done by 2 Brigades - 18 AIF Brigade comprising 2/9th; 2/10th and 2/12th Inf Bn and 7th Militia Brigade comprising 9th, 25th and 61st. It was the only theatre of operations where Battalions of the same; ie both the 2/9th and the 9th Battalions fought side by side. There were also over 1300 US airfield construction engineers. Also 72nd and 73rd Kittyhawk Sqns RAAF - These were to become known as MILNE FORCE. Surprisingly enough the majority of Infantry Battalions who fought at Milne Bay came from Queensland. The only one's that were not were 2/10th and two-thirds of 2/12th.
The Japanese landed from barges on the north shore of MILNE BAY near KOEBELE Mission (known as KB Mission) in the early hours of 26 Aug 1942. 2 platoons of 61st Infantry Battalion returning by ketch to GILI GILI from the north-east coast of the bay, ran into a concentration of enemy landing barges. Troop on the landing ketch, "Bronzewing" opened fire, but their craft was sunk and only 16 out of forty reached shore. The second ketch, Elavala" was also sunk, but those on board managed to get ashore in a dinghy. One Company of 61st Inf Bn at KOEBELE was in action soon after the landing; and at dawn, was still holding the Japanese east of KOEBELE. A Japanese light tank broke through, but was forced to withdraw. Next day, another Company of 61st Inf Bn moved forward. Both Companies attacked in the afternoon, but were halted.
From dawn on the 26th Aug 1942, fighter aircraft were attacking Japanese concentrations, destroying dumps and supporting Australian forward troops.
Towards dawn on the 27th Aug 1942 the Australians were pushed back to RABI, one and a half miles west of KOEBELE Mission Bur at dawn, the Japanese withdrew and 2/10th Inf Bn went forward to KOEBELE that afternoon without opposition. That night, the Japanese heavily attacked 2/10th Inf Bn with tanks and cut the battalion inn two. The Australians withdrew to No 3 Airstrip where the Japanese were halted by the 25th and 61st Infantry Battalions.
On 30th Aug 1942, patrols on 61st Inf Bn reached KB Mission. That night, the Japanese attacked No 3 strip without success.
On the morning of 31st Aug 1942 the 2/12th Inf Bn went forward towards KOEBELE, and after much hand-to-hand fighting, reached it in the afternoon. A Japanese counter-attack, early on the morning of the 1st Sep 1942, on the rear of the Companies of the 2/12th Inf Bn, which had been reinforced by a Company of the 2/9th Inf Bn, was repulsed. The advance continued on 2nd Sep 1942 and, that night, 2/12th Inf Bn repulsed another Japanese counter-attack.
The 2/9th Inf Bn moved forward through the 2/12 Inf Bn and on 3rd Sep 1942, attacked with artillery and air support. On 4th Sep 1942 they fought their way past GORONI, two miles east of KB Mission. On 5th Sep 1942, the reached WAGA WAGA and met the main Japanese opposition. It is believed, however, that elements of the Japanese forces embarked that night, as all strong Japanese resistance ceased then, >br> On 6th Sep 1942, the 2/9th inf Bn, pushed forward, striking no organised opposition.
The enemy forces engaged by the Australians at Milne Bay were special Naval Landing Parties under command of Cmdr Hayashi SHOJIRO, the particular units involved being Sasebo 5, ordinarily commanded by TSUKIOKE, TOROSHIGE whose presence at Milne Bay was not confirmed. TSUKIOKE was killed at Salamaua on about 30th Jun 1943. Kure 3, ordinarily commanded by Yano, Minoru, whose presence at Milne Bay was not confirmed. Kure 5, ordinarily commanded by Comdr Hayashi, Shojiro. Part of the 10th Pioneer Unit, ordinarily led by Mechanic TSUTSUI. Part of the Sasebo 5 was to have landed at TAUPOTA on the northern arm of the Bay, but it was unlikely that it did in fact land.
EYE WITNESS Accounts -
Sgt Albert Alwyn RAMSDEN, P379 - a Sgt in ANGAU said that at about midnight on 25th Aug 1942, he was the master of the Govt patrol vessel, "ELAVALA", and was proceeding in that vessel from AHIOMA on the north shore of Milne Bay, westward towards GILI GILI, also on the north shore, with Major WYLES and 18 sick troops of the 61st Inf Bn when they sighted a Japanese convoy coming into the Bay.
The vessel "BRONZEWING" had left AHIOMA for GILI GILI a few moments before the "ELAVALA". About a mile west of AHIOMA, near the point of KARLAI, the "Elavala" was fired on by Japanese landing parties and from shore positions. The "BRONZEWING" was then about half a mile ahead. The "ELAVALA" was fired on by destroyers in the bay and badly damaged, and sunk. Sgt RAMSDEN, however, managed to land the troops and crew in the dinghy, and, when he had done so, went ashore. When he got to the village of LILIHOA, Japanese troops fired on him from the village. Later, as he proceeded towards Gili Gili, he heard screams and cries from the natives in the village and from another small village nearby called WANADALA WEST. The Japanese were then preparing their attack, which took place about 3.15am. Sgt RAMSDEN met a large number of natives at a village garden five or six miles from the sand beach. They mentioned a number of their relatives had been raped and/or killed. When the Japanese landed, they dispersed around the villages and lay under the houses pending their attack. The Japanese, to suppress and surprise, killed some on the spot.
Sgt RAMSDEN saw the bodies of two members of the 61st Inf Bn who had been shot and baynotted. He did not see any tied up, but heard that some were. About 16 survivors out of 40 escaped from the "BRONZEWING". Some of these were overpowered that night.
Capt (later Major) Charles Henry BICKS, DSO (Q27624) was the B Company commander when the Japanese landed at Milne Bay. The Japanese landed on the beach at East WANADALA, about halfway between KB Mission and Ahioma. They had already engaged D Company which they caught in the launches - "Elavala" and "Bronzewing" as they were entering B Company's area. The "Bronzewing" ran into Japanese barges and only a few survived. The "Elavala" which had Major (later Lt Col) Harry WILES (Q27608) 2IC of 61 Inf Bn on board. Some of the men on board were captured. When BICKS heard the firing, he got in touch with the signalers, and sent a runner to a platoon commander. He next saw four Japanese scouts coming up the road. They were challanged by a D Company sentry and were quickly despatched. D Company then opened fire on the twenty or thirty Japanese that followed. The Japanese bought up a tank and forced D Company to retire. About lunchtime, D Company was reinforced by two platoons of the 25th Inf Bn. D Company attacked that night, and pushed down the road about 900 yards, but could not hold the ground and retired to the GILI GILI west of KB Mission near MOTEO.
There, they noticed that the Japanese were all big men; Marines from the Kure No5 Special Naval Landing Parties. Their Colonel's name was Hayashi Jiro. They had an anchor on their helmets. They attacked Capt Bick's Company that night and the company retired to the Gama River.
At 2.30 pm on Thursday, 27 Aug 1942, Capt Bicks' Company was relieved by 2/10 Inf Bn at KB Mission. That night, the Japanese attacked in strength with tanks. Capt Bicks' Company was then pulled out of the fighting and sent to the rear. They were placed in a defensive position in the "slaughterhouse" at Milne Bay.
About mid-day on Friday, 28 Aug 1942, Capt Bicks was ordered to take a reconnaissance on the left flank. He spent all day, Friday on the left flank area known as Stephen's Plateau down to No3 Air Strip with about fourteen men. On Saturday, the rest of his Company joined him with A Company. He took command of both.
On the afternoon of Saturday, 29 Aug 1942, D Company was attacked by a formation of Japanese which had worked around their flank, and D Company lost three men - Pte Alexander McNEIL, MID (QX36357); Pte Joseph MADDEN (QX28452) and Pte Kevin BARRY,(Q121621).
On Sunday, 30 Aug 1942, Capt Bicks took out a patrol of five men and penetrated to a depth of four miles behind Japanese lines. When Capt Bicks reached KB Mission where fighting had taken place on the night of the 17th Aug 1942 he found at least six dead Australians who had been tied up with signal wire. From the position of their bodies, they had been bayoneted. At least two had their bodies smashed with rifle bullets fired at close range. They had all been bayoneted in the stomach. They were lying with their knees up. Which is a kind of treatment of that kind.
Capt Bicks also came across the bodies of two artillery officers of the 2/5th Field Regiment who had been forward with the 2/10th Inf Bn.
On Monday morning, 31st Aug 1942 the 2/12th Inf Bn advanced as far as KB Mission. They were there about three days when they were relied by the 2/9th Inf Bn who pushed the Japanese back further.
S/Sgt George McMILLAN, (Q27706) D Company, 61st Inf Bn was found by members of the 2/9th Inf Bn tied to a palm tree at a Japanese Dump where they had landed. He had been bayonetted. NOTE - (The AWM has S/Sgt George McMILLAN as Killed in Action); Capt John Hutchison SOMERVILLE (QX40875)of HQ 7 Inf Brigade stated that "Jock" McMillan was captured by the Japanese after leaving the "Bronzewing" and was later found tied to a coconut tree.
Capt George FORWARD (SX381) D Company, 61st Inf Bn stated that all along the beach from Gili Gili to Lilihi, there were Australian dead with their hands tied behind their backs. He counted five or six. They were lying doubled up. He was with the forward patrol of the 2/9th Inf Bn when they found three lads of the 61st Inf Bn at Lilihi. They had apparently been tied to a tree after their hands were tied behind their backs. They were in an advanced state of decomposition, so that it could not be ascertained whether they had been bayoneted or not. But they must have been captured alive. They were from D Company, 61st Inf Bn who were at Ahioma.
On the night the Japanese landed, their Company was pulled out to sea. They had just got off from the shore when they ran into the Japanese Landing Barges. The Japanese opened fire on them, and they made for the shore. Of those who got to shore, most went bush, but some were caught by the Japanese. The Japanese at Milne Bay were the 2nd Marine Landing Party. One, that was captured at Milne Bay by the 2/9th Inf Bn spoke fairly good English.
Capt Alan Staden PALMER (SX6543) a Liaison Officer, Milne Force, was on patrol in Rabi Mission about the end of August. When going through a small village, about half a mile inland, he came across the bodies of about eight native dead; men and women. He went into the village with his patrol, and saw, tied to coconut palms, an Australian soldier and two natives. The Australian appeared to have been shot, but it was difficult to tell because of the state of his body. He had been tied with his arms around the tree, and the wire (D.5 telephone cable) had cut deeply into his wrists, suggesting that he was alive when tied to the tree. He had a pair of tattered shorts and no boots. He was cut down and buried. He had several wounds, probably machine gun bullets, but a firing party could have inflicted them.
Lieut Hugh McCOLM of HQ 18 Inf Bde stated that on the other side of KB Mission, going towards Waga Waga, he saw a militiaman with his hands tied in front, and his stomach badly mauled, apparently bayoneted. His stomach was ripped out. He had been dead about ten days or more. At Waga Waga, apparently a Japanese HQ, he saw two Australians lying, tied to trees. They were badly bayoneted. They could have been tied standing and slipped down. Their bodies were practically naked. He believed Capt Kendall took their ID Discs and McCOLM gave them to the intelligence Officer of the Brigade.
Sig Henry MAHAFFEY (QX114) of 7 Division Signals saw a native tied, just outside KB Mission, four days after the Japanese landing. He was lying on his side tied behind his back. His hair seemed burnt off and his head was black-looking. He noticed flame-throwers about 500 yards away and he took them to Brigade HQ. Just beside them was a burnt-out building where there were two Australians terribly burnt. He thought one was an Officer. They had their hands tied behind their backs. They were among the cinders, and ashes and wore no clothes. He helped to bury them. On the other side of KB Mission, he noticed a militiaman with his hands tied to his webbing belt with signal wire.
Pte Ronald SANDERSON, (SX11413) of HQ Company, 2/10 Inf Bn , at KB Mission, saw an Australian soldier with his hands and feet tied with signal wire. He was tied with his back to a tree. He had shirt, shorts and boots. He had been dead about three days. He was shot in the leg, and bayoneted in the stomach once or twice.
Pte Antony Mortimer KING (SX11057) - C Company, 2/10 Inf Bn stated that on the morning that the 2/10 inf Bn went into action at KB Mission he saw an Australian soldier, Stan PATFULL (L/Cpl, SX83) with his hands tied behind his back, and bayoneted two or three times in the chest.He had been CAPTURED by the Japanese fourteen or fifteen hours previously. He suggested that PATFULL may have been bayoneted first and tied up afterwards for the moral effect of it. (NOTE - AWM has this Soldier as being KIA??)
Another witness - Major Keith GATEGOOD, (QX6026) of the 2/12 Inf Bn saw, the the first ford after KB Mission, an Australian soldier with his hands tied behind his back and a bayonet in his backside. He wore only shorts and was lying down half sideways.
One witness, Lieut William Battersby MacFARLANE (QX17703) of the 2/12 Inf Bn said that on the other side of KB Mission he saw an Australian soldier tied behind his back and a bayonet was still protruding from his backside. At Waga Waga he saw two members of the 61st Inf Bn with their hands tied together with their hands behind their backs. They had their thumbs and fingers of both hands cut off. They were tied with signal wire.
L/Cpl Robert BURDON (QX18637) of the 2/12 Inf Bn saw a native with his hands tied behind with signal wire and had been bayoneted in the buttocks. He was in a kneeling position. Near Rabi Mission he saw an Australian from the 2/10 Inf Bn on a bridge. He had recently been lifted out of the water. His hands were tied behind him with wire.
Pte Henry MILLS (QX20553) of 2/12 Inf Bn saw two Artillery Officers tied up at Milne Bay. They appeared to have been blindfolded. Their were several bayonet wounds in the top half of their bodies as well as in the lower half.
Pte Robert MASON, (QX4093) of the 2/9 Inf Bn saw two Australian militia tied to a tree and bayoneted. They were slumped at the bottom of the tree. They had apparently been standing up to the tree then slumped over when bayoneted. Further on he saw a native lying on his stomach with arms outstretched and cut up the crutch. He couldn't tell whether it was a male or female. two hundred yardsup from Waga Waga, he saw an Australian with is hands tied in front with a white rag. Hs skull was split. He had a deep sword-like cut across the forehead from temple to temple.
Pte William MAYSTON (QX21765) of the 2/12 Inf Bn saw an Australian Militiaman with his head battered in. He was shot in the right temple. His hands were free.
Pte Owen RYAN (QX3744) of C Company, 2/12 Inf Bn saw, on 6 Sep 1942, two 61st Inf Bn men dead named COULTER and SCHLUTER (Q102280, David William COULTER and Q108042, Cecil SCHLUTER) with their hands tied behind their backs with crepe bandage and tied together. They appeared to have bayonet or knife wounds about the chest. He thought their fingers had been cut off. He took their ID discs and handed them to Lt MacFarlane. (The AWM has both soldiers as KILLED in ACTION ????)
Cpl Reginald Douglas George PARKER (QX3654) B Coy, 2/12 Inf Bn, at Waga Waga on 6 Sep 1942, saw two Australian soldiers with their hands tied behind and tied together, apparently used for bayonet practice from the number of punctures on them. He said RYAN saw them.
Pte Enever HUDSON MM (QX3787) C Coy, 2/12 Inf Bn, near Waga Waga saw two militiamen with their hands tied behind their backs and bayonetted. They were lying on top of each other at the back of the coconut plantation in the Japanese HQ. They were bayoneted everywhere around the stomach. A native woman in a hut opposite was tied down, with both breasts cut off. She was slit down the front from the throat to the private parts, as with a sword. Her hands and feet were tied to stakes. She was knocked about the head. Her arms were tied down to her side and her legs were spread out.
Cpl Geoffrey Gordon FLETCHER (QX18329) D Coy, 2/12 Inf Bn; at Rabi mission saw two dead Australians with blankets over them. Their thumbs were tied behind their backs with a bit of cord. One was half in the creek. You could see where they were bayoneted in the back. At the same place, he saw an old native with his thumbs tied together. He also was bayonetted about four or five times. The native's wife was there too, lying dead on the floor of the hut with her breasts cut off, and they were placed beside her. She had her hands tied behind her back. He also saw two officers dead at KB Mission. He thought one belonged to the 5th Artillery Regiment. They were both blindfolded and both their throats were cut. They were half burned. They were near a burned hut. The hut was still burning so they dragged them away from the hut.
THE FOLLOWING ARE SOLDIERS WHO HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE WEBB REPORT AS ACTUALLY BEEN PRISONERS OF WAR CAPTURED IN AUG/Sep 1942 AT MILNE BAY.
They are recorded on the Aust War Memorial as Killed in Action ????
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