M Special Unit

M Special Unit
The iconic photograph of the execution of Sergeant Leonard Siffleet of M Special Unit, after he was taken prisoner in 1943.
Active	1943–1945
Country	Australia New Zealand United Kingdom
Allegiance	Allies
Branch	military intelligence
Role	special reconnaissance
Part of	Service Reconnaissance Department, Allied Intelligence Bureau
Engagements	New Guinea campaign
Battle honours	No battle honours were awarded

Members of M Special Unit with New Guineans in August 1945.

M Special Unit, was a joint Allied special reconnaissance unit, part of the Services Reconnaissance Department, in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II. A joint Australian, New Zealand and British military intelligence unit, it saw action in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands between 1943–1945, against the Empire of Japan.

The unit was formed in 1943, as a successor to The Coastwatchers. Hence M Special Unit's role was focused upon gathering intelligence on Japanese shipping and troop movements. Small teams from the unit were landed behind enemy lines by sea, air or land, in contrast to its counterpart, Z Special Unit ("Z Force"), which became well-known for its direct-action commando-style raids.

Perhaps the best-known member of M Special Unit was Sergeant Leonard Siffleet, who was executed after being taken prisoner in 1943. A photograph of Siffleet in his last moments achieved iconic status following the war.

M Special Unit was disbanded at the end of the war.

See also

• Australian commandos
• Pacific War
• Second World War
• Z Special Unit

References

• Horner, David. (1989). SAS Phantoms of the Jungle: A History of the Australian Special Air Service. Allen & Unwin: Sydney. ISBN 1-86373-007-9