Brian Wolfe

Here is the wood handle for the 1944 NCO Shin-gunto

Cheers

Brian

Hello All,

To continue with my Japanese sword theme here is an NCO Shin-gunto sword c. 1944. The blade is numbered 206811 and with what I believe to be the Seki acceptance mark. The saya is serial numbered the same as the blade and is made of brown painted steel with one ashi for attachment to the belt. The sword locks into the saya with a leaf spring catch.

The handle is checkered wood and reflects the lack of metal in the period around the end of the war. The blade is machine made and lacks a fuller found on the earlier NCO sword (I'll post that one later). The blades on these are still of fair quality though not as fine as the earlier ones. Note that mass produced machine blades lack a true hamon (wavey line caused by quenching the blade during the process of hand forging).

These have been called "Marine Landing Swords" as they were once thought, by western collectors, to have been issued to Japanese Marines when they were invading the different islands. I have read nothing to support that and in fact I have read just the opposite in that these were manufactured late in the war when there was a shortage of aluminum for the handle (as in the earlier NCO model).

Please note that I do not refer to these as "WW II Samuri swords" as that is NOT what they are. The Samuri was outlawed in 1861(?) and therefore the term "WW II Samuri Sword" is totaly wrong.

I hope you like this one, more later.

Cheers

Brian

Here is the tip of the sword. I tried to put this on a second ago but must have screwed it up.

Brian

Hello All,

I was digging through my stash of treasures and decided to share my modest collection of Japanese Swords with you. I was tempted to post this under the section dealing with Japanese Military History as the Japanese Sword is a history of Japan.

Just a few notes on the Japanese Sword. Always store your sword in it's scabbard (Saya) and with the cutting edge UP! Never store the sword with the cutting edge down. There is a whole tradition on how to present and hold your sword both when showing it and when handing it over to another for inspection. Never, never, never ask to see another's sword blade. If it is not offered it is not polite to ask. Drawing the sword from its scabbard for inspection is also a delicate manuver. Don't draw it as if you are in a Samuri movie and don't pull it out inch by inch to "view" the blade, that is stuff for the movie camera as well (as in Kill Bill). Hold the scabbard in the left hand (blade edge up) and slowly draw the sword out trying not to let the blade touch the insides of the scabbard. Allow the blade to rest on it's back edge while drawing the blade out. When you get to the tip of the blade move the scabbard downwards so as to allow the blade to exit in a flowing manner. Another point on displaying your sword. In the average household you should see the sword in the rack with the handle to the viewer's left hand. You will notice that I have my swords to the right. This signified that the sword is in the home of a person who is ready to defend his hime and family against anything that may threaten the family. I have been schooled in the Toyama style of Japanese Swordsmanship of the All Japan Toyama Ryu Laido Kyokai. I take my swords very seriously, actually to the point of a religion ( I am also a Buddhist). End of sermon.

The sword I am starting with is an NCO Shin-gunto c. 1945. These were made at the end of the war and material was not plentiful. I have started with this sword for two reasons. It represents the end of the long history of Japanese blades made for use in battle. The second reason is that as I post my collection I intend to save the oldest blades for last.

The blade and tang of this sword are unmarked.

Nakago (tang shape):Futsu

Nakago-jiri (tang tip): Kuri-jiri

Yasurime-mei (file marks): none

Mekugi-ana (hole for handle peg): one

Saya: Brown leather-covered wood

SIngle ashi ( suspension ring)

I hope you like my little collection.

Cheers

Brian

Hello All,

I was digging through my stash of treasures and decided to share my modest collection of Japanese Swords with you. I was tempted to post this under the section dealing with Japanese Military History as the Japanese Sword is a history of Japan.

Just a few notes on the Japanese Sword. Always store your sword in it's scabbard (Saya) and with the cutting edge UP! Never store the sword with the cutting edge down. There is a whole tradition on how to present and hold your sword both when showing it and when handing it over to another for inspection. Never, never, never ask to see another's sword blade. If it is not offered it is not polite to ask. Drawing the sword from its scabbard for inspection is also a delicate manuver. Don't draw it as if you are in a Samuri movie and don't pull it out inch by inch to "view" the blade, that is stuff for the movie camera as well (as in Kill Bill). Hold the scabbard in the left hand (blade edge up) and slowly draw the sword out trying not to let the blade touch the insides of the scabbard. Allow the blade to rest on it's back edge while drawing the blade out. When you get to the tip of the blade move the scabbard downwards so as to allow the blade to exit in a flowing manner. Another point on displaying your sword. In the average household you should see the sword in the rack with the handle to the viewer's left hand. You will notice that I have my swords to the right. This signified that the sword is in the home of a person who is ready to defend his hime and family against anything that may threaten the family. I have been schooled in the Toyama style of Japanese Swordsmanship of the All Japan Toyama Ryu Laido Kyokai. I take my swords very seriously, actually to the point of a religion ( I am also a Buddhist). End of sermon.

The sword I am starting with is an NCO Shin-gunto c. 1945. These were made at the end of the war and material was not plentiful. I have started with this sword for two reasons. It represents the end of the long history of Japanese blades made for use in battle. The second reason is that as I post my collection I intend to save the oldest blades for last.

The blade and tang of this sword are unmarked.

Nakago (tang shape):Futsu

Nakago-jiri (tang tip): Kuri-jiri

Yasurime-mei (file marks): none

Mekugi-ana (hole for handle peg): one

Saya: Brown leather-covered wood

SIngle ashi ( suspension ring)

I hope you like my little collection.

Cheers

Brian

If you have an original print, the detail is usually extremely clear. So you can scan it at, say, 600 dpi or more, blow up the area around a man's sidehat or fieldcap and see if the RFC badge is discernable.

PK

Hello PK,

I will give that a go this weekend. This is an original print and the detail under a magnifying glass is excellent.

Cheers

Brian

Looks like a wound stripe, but it's hard to tell from this photo. Looks like a couple of naval air service men in the group?

And is one man wearing the RFC maternity smock?

Hello Leigh,

Under the magnifying glass the stripe really looks like a wound stripe to me. It looks to be one of the privately purchased brass stripes and not the sewen on cloth issue.

I thought that there were some naval air service men in the photo as well but I am not familiar enough with uniforms to have made that claim in my original post. Since I purchased this photo I have been looking through several books written in the post war era and noticed several of the bombs, such as in my photo, shown being prepared for delivery to the air field. While my interest is mainly in medals I do find period photos and post cards very interesting.

Cheers

Brian

Hello All,

At the moment I keep my collection in two closets measuring 9 feet in lenght and three feet in depth. In the one closet I have placed a drawer unit I built a number of years ago to store hand tools (I was a cabinet maker at that time). The drawers are lined with felt and I have not found that this has had any bad effects on my medals. I've used felt under my medals for many years. The drawers will hold two Riker Mounts each, one on top of the other, if I need the space. I've used the doors to hang more mounts and as the photo shows there are more Rikers stacked in the shelves. I decided that I would retire in 2006 and during this short period of time (I decided retirement was not for me and took another job) I started to make Riker-like mounts out of glass in our stained glass shop. Here's a tip. Don't go in that direction. The cost of material is about the same as a Riker and they weight a ton compaired to regular Rikers. Some day after I am "doing the dirt nap" someone will wonder why anyone would be crazy enough to make these cases out of glass. Actually the bottoms are plate glass so they are as strong as they are heavy, just don't drop one.

I really liked the idea of the watch parts cabinet mentioned in an earlier posting. I think I will look into that. My wife has agreed that as soon as our daughter graduates university and she moves into her own place I can take over that room for the collection. Anyone know a good tutor?

Cheers

Brian

Hello All,

Here is a photo of what I think is a group of RFC Training staff possibly from the bomber branch. The photo shows a nice variety of bombs and on the rear wall there are instructional charts showing the workings of the different bombs. I think the Sergeant Major sitting front left has a wound stripe on his left sleeve. Would anyone know if that is indeed what it is? On the back of the photo is the name "Eric Richardson" and a place name that I can not make out due to the person's hand writing. The name has two letters which looks like a "T" followed by a "u". The "T" looks to have not been crossed leaving it looking like a "spike" with the "u" attached. The rest of the name is clear enough and is "auston", followed by the date 1918. Anyone like to give the place name a go?

I would think this photo was given out to the graduating classes. That is just a guess and not very worthy of an arm-chair historian I'm afraid. But I threw it out there anyway.

I hope you like this picture, it's an interesting study.

Cheers.

Brian

At last! A question I can answer! This is Kwajah Mohammed Khan, a member of Sir John's personal staff. I can tell you no more than this, but a photograph obviously taken at the same time appears in The Little Field Marshal by Richard Holmes, a biography of sir John French, and this name appears in the caption. It does not appear in the index, unfortunately.

The other officers named are, Fitz Watt on the left and Maj. Jack Dawnay on the right.

Tom

Hi Tom,

Many, many thanks on the identification. I have been searching through book after book with out any luck. I am happier with this information than I was to get the photo.

Cheers

Brian

Hello All,

I just purchased a stereoscope card from an antigues mall taken during the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. The card's title is, " In the Trenches- Awaiting a Charge by the Enemy, Valley of the Shaho".

From Wikipedia:

The Battle of Shaho was a land battle of the Russo-Japanese War fought along a 37-mile front centered at the Sha River on the Mukden-Port Arthur spur of the China Far East Railway just north of Liaoyang, Manchuria.

Check out Wikipedia for more details of this battle and the Russo-Japanese War in general.

On the rear of the card is printed this observation,

An American Missionary at Saga, Japan - Rev. H.V.S. Peeke - writes to friends in the United States:

"I think you were a little surprised at the way Japan launched out with her navy and army. I cannot say that we residents were. We were not sure how far Russia's arrogance would carry her, but we knew that Japan was regarding this as a life and death question, and rather than take the slightest risk of falling into the purgatory in which Finland is suffering, she would pour out the last drop of blood and spend the last dollar of treasure. We knew too, that the Japanese army and navy were as good as money and discipline could make them.

As to the outcome, prophesying is poor business, but I hope to see Japan push the Russians out of Korea and Manchuria, and take the Manchurian section of the railroad as pay for her pains. I think, too, that the powers will leave her alone if she avhieve this by force of arms. It must be remembered that with the powers that Japan has not a single broken promise to her discredit, while Russia has a long list."

Japan certainly feels that she is resisting an oppressive, and rebuking a perfidious nation. God speed the Right.

Well the old Rev. sure had an opinion. It is interesting how this struggle was to be a pattern for the First World War in many aspects.

I hope you enjoy the photo and the thoughts of Rev. Peek.

Cheers

Brian

Hello All,

A few years ago I discovered that sterioscope cards were an inexpensive source of period military photos. The Boer War, WW I and even the eariler Russo-Japanese War are well represented. Most people skulking about antiques shops and malls are not looking for military so there is quite often treasures to be found. "Skulking" is my wife's term for what I like to do on weekends.

Anyway, I was hoping that some of the members might be able to help with the identification of the gentlemen in this photo. The title of this card is, "F.M. Sir John French, C-in-C in France, with A.D.C. at General Head Quarters". The card is not dated and the copyright date was smudged upon original printing. It would have to be early in the war as Sir John French was sacked in 1915 to be replaced by Sir Douglas Haig. I am especially interested in the gentleman in the turban. He wears a whistle on his "Sam Brown" and with my microscope I can read the King's cyper "GR" on his belt buckel. The writing above the cypher is too small to read even under the microscope.

I would like to identify all of the men in this photo and I hope you might be able to help.

Many thanks.

Cheers

Brian

That would be good return on the initial investment, let me think about it.....

I think I'll pass, but you can send the bottle anyway.

Cheers

Brian

Well.... spike Milligan was getting birds for a couple of packs of ciggies...

Let me go with 5 packets of woodbines and a bottle of cheap wine?

Hi Chris,

Man, they would have loved you in post WW II Italy. My father traded one pack of smokes for the two daggers. His crew members laughed at him as they found out later such items were going for 3 smokes on average.

Cheers

Brian

Hello David,

Very nice weapon. I've used one of these heavy rifles for hunting many years ago, not with the bayonet of course. If you lug one of these around through the bush for a couple of days you start to get an idea of how tough the WW I and WW II soldgiers must have been. I found myself considering attaching wheels to mine after about an hour!

Cheers,

Brian

Hello All,

For the most part I don't like stories about how people's fathers or grandfathers came by their war souveniers. Especially when they are boiled down to, "He took it off a dead _____ (incert period racial slur here)". My late uncle who reluctantly when to war in 1944 and ended up seeing a lot of action that he never talked much about, used to tell us, "It's one thing to have to kill another man, it's another thing to scavenge his body for a trophy". He also said that most of those stories are a load of bull as when you are in battle the last thing you are thinking about is souveniers. I hope I did not insult anyone by saying this, it is just my opinion.

Anyway, my father served in the Canadian Air Force, Bomber Command. At the end of the war after taking part in the last Canadian bomber mission of WW II on the island of Helgoland (it's off the coast of the Netherlands) his crew was given the duty of dumping tons and tons of unused bombs into the ocean. You can imagine how bored these young fellows must have been acting as flying dump trucks day after day after having flowen missions over Germany. They got the chance to fly Lancaster Bombers from England to Italy to bring back British soldiers so they jumped at opportunity. They flew the Halifax Bombers for most of the war so the chance to fly the Lancaster was icing on the cake. While on layover in Italy my father purchased the two daggers I am posting today. The one with the eagle pommel is the Air Force dagger and the other is the Italian Fascist MVSN (Militizia Voluntaria Sicurezza Nationale) poniard, Model 1925. According to the book, "Fighting Knives" by Frederick J. Stephens, the blade was probably made from the obsolescent bayonet blades of the Model 1897 Vetterli-Vitali. The blade was shortened and the steel hilt was inset with wood grips. This specimen has the brass fascist device inlaid into the wood grip. I added the Itialian "tinnie" to the display. There is a sword with the same eagle grip but I have not been able to add one to my collection. I am afraid that the price would probably cost a lot of cash and my marrige. Don't laugh I've made that choice before; you'll notice I still have the collection!

Now for the big question. How much do you think my father paid for these daggers when he was in Italy in 1945/46? Remembering that it was a barter economy at the time.

Cheers

Brian

It.s possible that if you leave such an area uncleaned & let it tone then some detail may be revealed - polish it & you lose it, & have to wait for it to dirty up again.

Hello Leigh,

I never thought of that. Easy, and it just might work.

Thanks

Brian

If the naming is impressed, rather than engraved, I'm told that an xray will show a ghost image of the naming due to the incresed density of metal beneath the letters.

A researcher at Kew should be able to find your man. One way would be to check medal rolls for the North Staffs. in the late Victorian period, but faster would probably a muster roll search, followed by a search for soldier's papers.

Hi Michael,

I may just try that (the Kew suggestion). If I can figure out who would be willing to give the xray thing a go I'd try it. If I were to hold it in my mouth the next time the dentist took an xray....

Ok, bad idea. But I will ask around at the University.

Cheers

Brian

Hi Tom,

Several countries used a very similar bayonet. There is an Austrian Model 1854 at 560.5 mm, one from the Netherlands Model 1871, First Pattern at 583 mm and a Second pattern at 579 mm. Yours, according to your measurement is 555.5 mm. Given a measure of error lets say 550mm. This lenght and the markings that show on the photograph match the Swiss Bajonett Ordonnanz 1863 in Paul Kiesling's book, "Bayonets of the World", Volume Two # 315 on page 20. Just in case you don't have this book here are the rifles and some background history from his book.

Rifles:

Infanteriegewehr Ordonnanz 1863

" " 1843 abgeandert 1867

Gewehr system Peabody Ordonnanz 1867

" " " " 1867/77

Repetier-Infanterie-Gewehr system Vetterli Ordonnanz 1869/71

Vetterli Ordonnanz 1871.

Background:

In 1867 Switzerland purchased 15,000 Peabody rifles from the U.S.A. They were manufactured by the Providence Tool Company. At first the rifle was issued to sharpshooters only, but later on also to the sappers and miners.

Used 1863-1878

I hope that is a little help.

Cheers

Brian

Crude filing etc was usually employed by a man who had lost or pawned his original or wanted to wear a medal to which he was not entitled, depending on circumstances this partial removal of details may have satisfied a person who then wore it as his own,

I have a WWI Victory on which all the details had been filed & sanded down, but a few digits & letters were just abpout readable & the name unusual enough for me to find the original recipient by checking through the National Archives listing of Medal Index Cards.

I have a WWI pair which has the naming removed & replaced by the details of a man who does'nt appear to be listed in the Medals Index Cards - although his battalion is added to the usual details, so prehaps a man who was'nt entitled to a WWI pair or who lost or pawned the originals.

There is a slight possibility that a black light will reveal more detail, & if you talk to your local police scenes of crime officer nicely he may heat your medal with a blow torch & drop some acid on it, which is a good way of briefly raising the erased detail - but I have a suspicion that it would mess up the medal somehow.

Has the suspender been replacedl? Medals of this vintage were often converted to menu holders, but having two holes drilled in the positions they are in on your medal does'nt seem to fit that use, & the medals used twould more likely be campaign medals.

Perhaps it was converted to a piece of jewellery?

I think you are correct on the jewellery suggestion. I have used black light with no luck. I've also use several different magniying loops and even my microscope. I looks like a buffing wheel was used so the finished job, though incomplete, looks better than the old bastard file job(type of file not a file born out of wedlock).

Cheers

Brian

Now that you've gone this far, consider dunking it in some of that new-fangled "guaranteed not to harm your heirlooms" liquid silver polish and see how that works. I've always wanted to do that... I wanna see one all minty and shiny!

Oh, I think I will stop where I am with this medal. The small triangle that I secured was in danger of falling out. It was a matter of fix it or risk the piece getting lost.

Cheers

Brian

Hindenburg Cross is one of the common names for this award. It's also known as the Cross of Honour or Ehrenkreuz des Weltkrieg (World War Honour Cross). It is perfectly alright to leave the ribbons like this. I wouldn't mount the medals if I were you. However, if you are determined to do so, you should study original medal bars to see how the tailors of the time did it. I think you ought to leave this as they are and wait until a period-mounted pair turns up. Mounted pairs are reasonably priced.

PK

Hi PK,

Thanks, I think I will do just that.

Cheers

Brian

Gentlemen,

Here is a photo of the EK II that I rehabilitated (and posted earlier today) along with a Hindenburg Cross and a ribbon bar from that period. I don't have a lot of knowledge of Imperial German medals so I hope the term Hindenburg Cross is correct. Both came without ribbons so I have "mounted" them in a rather "British" fashon as I do not know how to imitate the German style. If there is a web site that would give me intstructions on the corect way to mount German medals please let me know and I will remount them. I have included a ribbon bar that I think would be correct for that period. It has seen better days but then so have I.

Cheers

Brian

Hello Gentlemen,

I have just finished rehabilitating a WW I EK II that came to my collection in damaged condition. When I got this Iron Cross it was missing the ribbon and ribbon ring and there was a "V" shaped crack bteween the "W" and "1914. The "V" was horizontal pointing to the viewer's right. Since the black iron portion was separate of the outer boarder I could move the two larger parts away from each other and leave a "V" shaped space around the smaller piece. I took a very small drop of epoxy on a fine needle and put one drop in the crack on both sides of the "V". after this set the broken piece was secure. I then took black boot polish, the wax type, and rubbed it into the crack and surrounding area. The result was better than I had hoped. I tried to photograph it so you could see the repair but it is difficult to make out. It shows up better on the reverse as the crack went through the oak leaves' stem. I then manufactured a new ring from steel wire using a correct sized mandrel. There was no need to solder the ring as it was to be coverd by the ribbon. Please excuse the mounting, I know it is incorrect, I just liked it this way. I quite often give a home to an item that has seen better days as they are pieces that should be preserved. I think that any repair should be reversable if at some time another collector wishes to return it to "as found condition" and I don't think you should repaire anything to the point that it could pass as undamaged. I hope you like my rehabilitated EK II.

Cheers

Brian

Hi Rick,

I didn't know there was even a chance of researching this fellow. I wish I had more information.

Cheers

Brian