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I, Hashimoto, Masao, Formosan of Suga Butai, testify as follows:-
I landed at Kuching in September 1942, and went to Sandakan in Pctober 1942. I left Sandakan on the 29th May 1945.
On the Sandakan - Ranau march I took my turn once with S/M Tsuji up to the 54 mile point and then returned to mile 49 to investigate the report of the escape of a number of PoWs. On the day I was with the party there were 5 or 6 killed but I did not have to kill anyone that day although I was present at the execution. 20 miles from Ranau I again caught up with the column.
On the 1st August 1945 I was in Sgt. Beppu’s party. Sgt. Beppu went ahead and met the rest of us at the 111 mile and told them to send the 5 Officers into the shade on the side of the track for rest. There were four of us escorting the PoWs at the time, namely:-
Nagahiro, Masao
Kawakami, Kiyoshi
Yamamoto, Jiro
and myself. The Officers went and sat down. Then Beppu told PoWs to smoke. While smoking Beppu told us that Takakua had issued orders that these Officers were to be killed here. The five of us then fired at the PoWs; Beppu used his pistol. I had to shoot Catain Daniels. The PoWs were aware of their impeding fate and made no attempt to escape. Yoshiya, Kinjo and Oyama, Tatsuo had previously been posted to see that the PoWs did not make a break to escape. After we had put down our weapons Suzuki, Saburo and Nakayama, Tamao arrived with the digging implements. We all then set to and dug the graves, burying them in two holes.
I, Hahimoto, Masao, solemnly affirm and declare the above statement is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Comment by W/O Sticpewich:- Nickname “Smiler”. Only carried out beating when supervised by officers and N.C.O.’s. Other than that did not ill-treat PoWs
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