Help with research - IJA 16th Div. KIA Nov. 1940

[Jani Tiainen]

Dear Friends,

I have managed to acquire nice lot for soldier of Imperial Japanese Army. KIA November 1940. Among the documents there are details about next-to-kin travelling to 16th Division memorial. I have trying to find out where exactly 16th Division was at the time of his death and it looks like that in Kyoto (?). Some documents though tell that he was KIA in Southern China.

I cant tell wheter my translations are correct and I can scan the lot if someone is interested in.

With best regards,

Jani

[Jani Tiainen]

Pictures and more details here: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=169125

Jani

[Jani Tiainen]

Many Thanks to Hisashi!

I got the following information:

The list reads Tamura Shiro was killed in 1938, not 1940, in 河南省. 河南省 is northern neighbor of 湖北省, where the division engaged in the battle of Wuhan in 1938. Don't take the word 'neighboring' so rigorously. China is a big country and Germany is neighboring Poland though it takes long to walk from Munchen to Warsaw. Anyway, This record sounds plausible. It seems the report to relatives delayed in some reason. Most soldiers listed were killed in 1939.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Wuhan

As I introduced in another thread, Yasukuni Shrine invited the relatives of new KIA soldiers to their celemony held once or twice a year.

viewtopic.php?f=65&t=158627&start=0

靖国神社祭神遺族鐡道乗車証 is a term ticket for Japan National Railway from Apr 18 to May 3 1940 for Shiro's elder brother Yaichiro (弥一郎, 彌一郎 in old style) to attend to Yasukuni Shrine celemony. Kyoto city tram 3 day free ticket seems for the division's memorial celemony for deads.

The last two shots are 軍人遺族記章(KIA soldier's family medal).

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/tonekousyou/yuki ... _izoku.htm

The document says it should be worn by widow, parents, childs, grandchilds... or the eldest brother or sister. Succession should be recorded and accredited by local government office. The name 彌一郎 appears in the authorized owner's certificate.

//Jani