liberated POWs from Okinawa to Manila. 30 other bombers were brought down by a typhoon on the same day on the same route killing almost a thousand liberated prisoners of war. To put this number in perspective, 1036 prisoners of war in Japan died during the war. War Crimes Trials Several members of the battery were victims of war crimes. In what would be the first war crimes trial after the war, at Yokohama, Tatsuo Tsuchiya was found guilty of mistreatment of several battery members which resulted in deaths at Mitsushima POW Camp at Hiraoka. Several other guards at that camp would also be executed or imprisoned for their roles in the deaths and ill-treatment of battery members. In other Yokohama War Crimes Trials, several battery members testified against Japanese guards for the ill-treatment of fellow battery members at Kanose and Fukuoka Branch camps. In Darwin, Kempeitai Lieutenant Colonel Yujiro Yutani was tried, found guilty, and executed for killing Gunner Harry Martin. In Singapore, Otsu Shiro was found guilty of ill-treatment of Allied POWs resulting in the deaths of 27 and physical suffering of many others on the Tofuku Maru. Other Japanese and Korean guards were tried for their roles at POW Camps on Java, Siam-Burma 'Death' Railway, Sumatra, and the Sandakan Death Marches on Borneo. Decorations Second Lieutenant A.H. Samuelson was awarded the Military Cross. In his citation, it states: "On 22 February 1942, at 0730 hours 'A' Troop 79 LAA Battery, R.A., under the command of 2/Lieut A.H. SAMUELSON R.A., were attacked by enemy parachutists from an ambush some 800 yards EAST of village of BABOE in TIMOR. The enemy, who opened a heavy fire using Mortars and Automatics, was posted in trees and thick undergrowth. Two platoons AIF counterattacked." "2/Lieut SAMUELSON rallied personnel and displayed considerable coolness directing offensive action while under fire. At one time, the LAA guns were completely encircled and continuously sniped from some 100 yards distance until the two AIF platoons counterattacked." "Casualties 1 killed and six wounded." Each member of The Sparrows earned the following medals: Commanders Equipment Primary weaponry Timor 8 x 'Bofors' 40 millimetre Quick-Firing Automatic Anti-Aircraft Artillery 16 x Lewis guns 12 x Mark 2 Bren Guns Malang 4 x Bofors 40 millimetre automatic anti-aircraft artillery 8 x Lewis guns 6 x Mark 2 Bren Guns Secondary weaponry No.1 Mk.III* Lee–Enfield rifles No. 69 grenades .38 Enfield revolvers (used