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M45

NAA

81709
A471

Start date

End date

Sentence date

JAG report

Notes

Trial began in Ambon on 2 January 1946 and transferred to Morotai on 19 January 1946

At beginning of trial the Defending Officer submitted a list of 91 officers, guards and a civilian interpreter connected with the Galala PW Camp in Ambon. All from the Shirozu unit (M45d pp. 9-17).

On 17 Jan 1946, at the end the the Prosecution case, the Court announced that it considers that no prima facie case has been established against 11 of these accused and accordingly acquits them: (M45g p.27). 

The 80 remaining accused are transferred to Morotai to continue the in the trial and ultimately receive sentence - 4 death by shooting; 32 prison terms; and 44 not guilty. 

List of accused

IKEUCHI/MASAKIYO

Civilian Interpreter
Death by shooting
Rabaul
Notes

Also known as Frank, Snakers and Kangaroo was Interpreter and Camp Manager at Tantoei between Feb 42 and Aug 45. On 12 July 42 33 Dutchmen were brutally beaten for exchanging letters with members of the Dutch Civilian Internee Camp. Beating lasted for 3 hrs, one Japanese being allocated to one PW. Ikeuchi participated in this beating and his victim died the next day of internal injuries. Two other victims, one of whom had an eye torn from its socket, died on the day following the beatings. 33 returned to camp with broken legs, arms and/or ribs.

Ikeuchi had responsibility of supplying the working parties requisitioned by the Japanese units. To make up the required number Ikeuchi would make a round of the hospital and huts and club sick and dying men, some on crutches, on to the working pde. For allegedly breaking out of camp and visiting a native village, 23 APWs were systematically beaten and tortured for 8 days - some bound to trees, others were strung up by cable wire around their wrists with their toes just touching the ground - beaten senseless with pick handles and revived with cold water and beaten senselessly again - tortured by lighted cigarettes up their nostrils. Victims given one rice meal a day with water - sometimes after they drunk the water, the Japanese would jump on their stomachs. The ill who could not return to camp were executed  cf NAA 721016 p 4.