Here is the sword brought back with translation.

Thanks for sharing that: I would imagine small paper documents such as the paybooks are rare???

Thanks for looking Bob!

I'm finding out that there might be a fair group out there. Since I started posting this stuff others have mentioned theirs. Of course we can imagine lots of them being thrown out after a veterans death or being destroyed by the soldier before capture.

Of course we can imagine lots of them being thrown out after a veterans death or being destroyed by the soldier before capture.

 

I've often thought that in post-war Japan and Germany, things like wartime documents made good kindling for stoves.

Never thought of that, you are probably spot on!