Brutal Execution of Australian soldier Leonard Siffleet captured and beheaded by Japanese

[00:00:01]World War II was the most destructive and deadly war in human history.

[00:00:07]More than 70 million people died in the war, most of them civilians.

[00:00:13]There were photographers at every stage of World War II to capture heroic victories and devastating losses.

[00:00:20]Thousands of photographers and artists captured millions of photographs documenting World War II in detail.

[00:00:28]Photograph of Leonard Sifleet's execution.

[00:00:32]The image has been blurred because it may be disturbing and sensitive to some viewers, and we want everyone to know the story.

[00:00:40]In April 1944, Hollandia, New Guinea, US soldiers found a photograph of a man execution on the body of a dead Japanese soldier.

[00:00:51]This photo of a man being beheaded gave Allied Forces an understanding of the brutality of the Japanese Imperial Army.

[00:01:00]The man in the photograph, who was executed by beheading, was identified as Leonard Sifleet, Australian commando during World War II.

[00:01:10]Sifleet's identity was often confused with other victims of Japanese executions like Bill Newton, who suffered the same fate.

[00:01:19]The man holding the sword was Japanese officer Yasuno Chikao, who executed Sifleet.

[00:01:26]Leonard Sifleet, an Australian commando, he was born on 14th January, 1916, Ganeda, Australia.

[00:01:37]In the late 1930s, he moved to Sydney in search of work.

[00:01:42]He tried to join the police force, but was rejected because of poor eyesight.

[00:01:47]During World War II, in August 1940, he was called up for the Australian militia to serve in the searchlight unit at Richmond Air Force Base, but was discharged after 3 months and returned to civilian life.

[00:02:03]After their mother's death in 1941, he and his sister Pearl took responsibility to look after their younger brothers.

[00:02:11]In September 1941, he enlisted into the Australian Army and was assigned to the first division signal section at Ingleburn.

[00:02:21]He twice went absent without leave, possibly to see the woman to whom he had become engaged, Clarice Lane.

[00:02:28]After training in radio communications, he volunteered for commando duties and joined Z Special Force.

[00:02:36]Assigned to the SRD Dutch section as a radio operator, he was promoted sergeant in May 1943 and transferred to M Special Unit.

[00:02:46]His patrol was sent on the mission to set up coast-watching station in the hills behind Hollandia, New Guinea.

[00:02:56]They were attacked by hundreds of native villagers.

[00:02:59]Siffleet and two other Australian soldiers were captured and handed over to the Japanese Army.

[00:03:06]They were imprisoned for 2 weeks, interrogated, and tortured.

[00:03:11]On 24th October 1943, Leonard Siffleet, Pattiwal, and Rehering were marched to Aitape beach, blindfolded and kneeling in front of a crowd of Japanese and native villagers.

[00:03:26]They were executed by beheading by Japanese officer Yasuno Chikao.

[00:03:31]Vice Admiral of the Japanese Navy, Michiaki Kamada, ordered the execution.

[00:03:37]Yasuno Chikao ordered his photograph to be taken while executing.

[00:03:42]After Japan's surrender, Vice Admiral Michiaki Kamada of the Imperial Japanese Navy surrendered.

[00:03:49]He was tried and convicted for war crimes and sentenced to death.

[00:03:54]Michiaki Kamada was executed by hanging on 18th October 1947.

[00:04:01]Yasuno Chikao's fate is unknown.

[00:04:05]According to various reports, Chikao died before the end of the war or was captured and executed by hanging, but his sentence was later commuted to 10 years in prison.

[00:04:16]In May 2015, a memorial park was dedicated in memory of Leonard Sifleet at Aitape.

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