Operation: Bombing strike Tomahon, Northern Celebres

Date: 1st February 1945 (Thursday)

Unit No: 31 (City of Wagga Wagga) Sqn, RAAF, 77 Wing, 1st Tactical Air Force

Type: Beaufighter XXI

Serial: A8-32

Code: EH:?

Location: In the vicinity of Tomahon. Northern Celebes

Base: RAAF Wama strip, Morotai Island

Pilot: Plt Off. William Roderick McGuigan 427717 RAAF Age 20. Murdered

Navigator: Flt Sgt. Alan Edward Lewis 431362 RAAF Age 19. MiA

Passenger: SBA. Alec Hill F4084 RAN Age 21. Murdered

Note: SBA = Sick Berth Attendant in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN)

Above: Plt Off. William R. McGuigan and Flt Sgt. Alan E. Lewis from their Service Records

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 1st February 1945, eight Beaufighters were detailed to attack enemy emplacements at Tomahon. Northern Celebes. They took off from Wama Strip, Morotai Island, Sulawesi Island at 11:11 hrs.

Today the Northern Celebes island is know as North Sulawesi, which is part of the four Greater Sunda Islands to the east of what was known as Borneo, governed by Indonesia.

Morotai Island is in the Halmahera group of eastern Indonesia's Maluku Islands and is one of Indonesia's northernmost islands.

SBA Hill was a passenger aboard Beaufighter A8-32. He was serving aboard HMAS Manoora,

HMAS Manoora was requisitioned by the RAN for naval service in 1939. In 1942 the ship was converted into the RAN’s first Landing Ship, Infantry (LSI).

When the leader of the 2nd flight, Flt Lt. Gibbings, was over the Western outskirts of Tomohon, he noticed WO. McGuigan making his run on a WNW course above and in front of another aircraft which was making an attack on a northerly heading. WO. McGuigan dropped his bombs and the last sighting of him was when he was at a height of approximately 1000 feet above formation on the same course as before.

At approximately 12:30 hrs local the Navigator of A8-2, Fg Off. Broderick, heard two voices over the air, both apparently from the one aircraft. One of the voices said "We are on fire". There was silence for a few seconds during which time the transmitter did not go on the air. Then a voice which Fg Off. Broderick recognised as that of Flt Sgt. Lewis said "The lake Mac, the lake", which was probably Lake Tondano. A short time later the transmitter went off the air.

A second Beaufighter from the squadron, A8-10, flown by Flt Lt. Douglas Roy Taylor 416465 RAAF and Fg Off. Keith Packham 436776 RAAF failed to return and was posted Missing in Action.

That day Two Beaufighters took off at 16:10 hrs to search for the missing Beaufighters but no trace of either aircraft was found and they returned to base at 19:45 hrs.

In later evidence it was determined that Plt Off. McGuigan and SBA. Hill had survived and had been captured by the Japanese.

The circumstances leading to the deaths of Plt Off. McGuigan and SBA. Hill were determined by three Australian Military Tribunals convened at Morotai. The first was on the 20th December 1945, the second on the 11th and 12th January 1946 and the third on the 15th February 1946.

First Tribunal

Before the first Tribunal one member of the Imperial Japanese Navy was charged with the murder of prisoners at Sario on the 19th Jun 1945 in that he unlawfully ordered and caused to be carried out the killing of WO. McQuigan and SBA. Hill both PoWs held by Japanese forces.

The accused was Lieutenant (Kaigun-tai-i) YUMOMURA, Fumiwo.

The Japanese word Kaigun preceding a rank indicates that it relates to the Navy.

The two Australians had been taken into custody by the Tokkei Tai after their Beaufighter had been shot down. After being incarcerated for some time the two PoWs, together with other prisoners, were moved to the Tokkei Tai jail at Manado where they remained from the 9th June to the 19th June 1945.

‘Tokkei Tai’ was the Special Naval Police Force (Kaigun Tokubetsu Keisatsu Tai).

The accused commanded No.1 Company of the No.8 Garrison Unit at Sarto. Just prior to the 19th June he was verbally instructed that 6 PoW (2 Australians, 2 Dutch and 2 Indonesians) were being transferred from Manado and there were to be executed.

He was then handed an order for the executions by Leading Petty Officer (Jōtōheisō) YAMAGUCHI, Shiro who had compiled it under instructions from Lieutenant (Kaigun-tai-i) KATAGIRI (See Third Tribunal). The accused alleges that this order was signed by either Rear Admiral (Kaigun-shōshō) HAMANAKA or Commander (Cdr) (Kaigun-chūsa)TAKASAKI (See Second Tribunal) and that he had previously twice received verbal instructions from Cdr. TAKASAKI that the PoWs were to be executed. The accused ordered that the prisoners were to be executed by bayonet and was the senior officer present at the execution.

Note: The identities of the 2 Dutch and 2 Indonesian victims are unknown.

YUMOMURA was found guilty of the charge and sentenced to death by shooting. Upon review by the Acting Commander-in-Chief on the 31st January 1946 the finding was confirmed but the sentence was commuted to 5 years imprisonment.

Second Tribunal

Before the second Tribunal two members of the Imperial Japanese Navy were charged with committing a War Crime, that is to say, the murder of prisoners of war in that they at Manado in or about the month of June 1945 unlawfully ordered, and caused to be carried out at Sario on the 19th June 1945 the killing of WO. McQuigan and SBA. Hill both PoWs held by Japanese forces.

The accused were:

Rear Admiral (Kaigun-shōshō) HAMANAKA, Kyoho;
Commander (Kaigun-chūsa) TAKASAKI, Masimitsu.

The Japanese word Kaigun preceding a rank indicates that it relates to the Navy.

Evidence was given that Rear Admiral HAMANAKA who was the Commanding Officer of No. 8 Garrison Command at Tonsealama.

Six PoWs, 2 Australians, 2 Dutch and 2 Indonesians) were executed on the 19th June 1945. Lt. YUMOMURA (See First Tribunal), who carried out the executions alleged that at a conference in the operations room at the Garrison Command HQ TAKASAKI gave him instructions for the execution and also received a written order which was signed either by Commander TAKASAKI or HAMANAKA.

The PoWs were brought from TONSEALAMA to MANADO by Leading Petty Officer (Jōtōheisō) YAMAGUCRI, Shiro. YAMAGUCHI stated that Lieutenant (Kaigun-tai-i) KATAGIRI (See Third Tribunal) handed him a document which was a general order and told him to prepare the order for the executions.

TAKASAKI was in command of the Tokkei Tai and on the 1st May 1945 handed the order over to HAMANAKA but actual date of the hand over was sometime in May or June 1945 and when TAKASAKI became 2nd in command of the 8th Garrison. HAMANAKA admitted that Lt. KATAGIRI had asked permission to execute some PoWs and unwilling gave him consent as orders had been received from 10th Fleet that airmen who had strafed and bombed indiscriminately thereby stirring up Indonesians should be executed.

‘Tokkei Tai’ was the Special Naval Police Force (Kaigun Tokubetsu Keisatsu Tai).

HAMANAKA was found guilty and sentenced to death by shooting. Upon review by the Acting Commander-in-Chief on the 27th February 1946 the finding was confirmed but the sentence was commuted to 15 years imprisonment.

TAKASAKI was found not guilty of the charge.

Note: Commander (Kaigun-chūsa) TAKASAKI Masimitsu was a suspected Japanese war criminal prosecuted by both the Dutch and Australian militaries after the Second World War. In both trials, he was acquitted, despite strong circumstantial evidence connecting him to several war crimes committed against Allied prisoners. Takasaki was also connected to several other war crimes, but never faced trial.

Third Tribunal

Before the third Tribunal one member of the Imperial Japanese Navy was charged with aiding and abetting Lieutenant (Kaigun-tai-i) YUMOMURA Fumiwo in the murder of WO. McQuigan and SBA Hill both PoWs at Northern Celebes on 19th June 1945.

The accused was Lieutenant (Kaigun-tai-i) KATAGIRI, Tameyoshi.

The Japanese word Kaigun preceding a rank indicates that it relates to the Navy

Rear Admiral (Kaigun-shōshō) HAMANAKA, Kyoho as a witness for the prosecution stated that Lt. KATAGIRI came to him on the evening of the 18th June or the morning of 19th June and said that they should execute these PoWs as the war situation is becoming worse and there is no way of sending the PoWs to the rear. Additionally he reminded the Rear Admiral of the order from the 10th Fleet HQ that aircrew who made attacks on, and inflicted damage to lives and property of non-combatants should be executed without trial.

Giving evidence Leading Petty Officer (Jōtōheisō) YAMAGUCHI, Shiro of No.8 Garrison Unit at Sarto stated that Lt. KATAGIRI had told him that the prisoners were going to be executed at the Tokkei Tai jail at Manado and that Lt. YUMOMURA (See First Tribunal) had been told to carry out the executions. He was shown papers regarding the prisoners and claimed that Lt. KATAGIRI instructed him to write the execution order and also to prepare the graves. As instructed he wrote out the execution order and after being approved by Lt. KATAGIRI it was handed to Lt. YUMOMURA.

‘Tokkei Tai’ was the Special Naval Police Force (Kaigun Tokubetsu Keisatsu Tai).

On the morning of the 19th June 1944 Lt. YUMOMURA gave the order to bayonet the PoWs in the presence of Lt. KATAGIRI, Lt. MORI who was Medical Officer and others.

In his defence Lt. KATAGIRI claimed that Rear Admiral HAMANAKA had ordered him to attend the execution, as his staff officer. He denied having any conversation with the Rear Admiral regarding the execution of the PoWs. He also denied having instructed Lt. YAMAGUCHI to get everything ready and to have the graves dug, or to write the execution order.

KATAGIRI was found guilty of the charge and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Upon review by the Acting Commander-in-Chief on the 10th May 1946 the finding and sentence were confirmed.

Burial Details:

Above: The Ambon War Cemetery, Kota Ambon, Indonesia (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC))

Above: Grave Marker for Plt Off. William R. McGuigan Marker(Courtesy of the TWGPP)

Plt Off. William Roderick McGuigan. Ambon War Cemetery, Grave 28.D.6. Grave Inscription: “IF YE BREAK FAITH WITH US WHO DIED. WE SHALL NOT SLEEP”. Born on the 30th July 1924 in Narrogin, Western Australia. Son of William James and Eileen Gladys McGuigan of York, Western Australia.

Above Ambon Memorial Kota Ambon, Indonesia, Column 9 (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC))

Flt Sgt. Alan Edward Lewis. Ambon Memorial in Indonesia, Column 9. Born on the 22nd May 1925 in Red Cliffs, Victoria. Son of John Arnold and Doris Georgina Lewis of Cardross, Victoria, Australia.

Above: Grave Marker for SBA. Alec Hill Marker (Courtesy of the TWGPP)

SBA. Alec Hill. Ambon War Cemetery, Grave 28.D.5. Grave Inscription: “HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE … LOVED BY ALL”. Born on the 6th January 1924 in Perth, Western Australia. Son of Cecil Arthur and Isabella Lindsay Frame Hill, of South Perth, Western Australia.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew (Nov 2024).

Thanks to The War Graves Photograph Project (TWGPP) for their great work.

Other sources listed below:

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