Hi

 

First proper post on the site so hopefully this works out. Here is a Yosegaki flag I picked up a while back. I acquired it via a Dutch dealer that does not normally deal in Japanese items however he had been to SOS and was offered first pick of a large collection of various flags. He chose this flag and a couple of German flags. As soon as I saw it I knew it was something different. I had a couple of these flags already and had a copy of Mike’s book so knew that it was not the usual type of flag. Dan King translated the flag for me and discovered the content below. I hope you enjoy and I would be happy to hear your comments.

This flag belonged to Toshizo Kameoka. He worked for the ‘Great Japan Glass Manufacturing Inc’ in Osaka. The signatures on the flag were from his co-workers. It was appear he was an infantry soldier, possibly an NCO. The flag covers the period from his conscription in Osaka April 43 to the last entry in April 44. His journey was as follows:
Osaka, Japan (18 April 43) 
Ujina, Japan (11 May 43) 
Takao, Taiwan (25 May 43) 
Manilla, Philippines (31 May 43) 
Amiriki Village, Philippines (7 June 43) 
Airai Village, Philippines (19 June 43)
Palau (Main Island) (14 December 43)
Hollandia, New Guinea (1 January 44)
Wewak, New Guinea (Date ? but was there by the 13th January 44)

He talks about simple things like taking a bath in Manilla and buying an ice cream cone in exchange for a cigarette. Several of the troop ships he was on were sunk later in the war. He mentions sailing past Corrigedor and seeing the devastation remaining from the battle that took place there (in May 42).

The first mention of combat is on the sailing to New Guinea where he refers to constant air attacks. Once he reaches Wewak (the largest Japanease stronghold in New Guinea) he again talks about air attacks and names several comrades who were killed. This is the last entry which was on the 8th April 44.

Two weeks later the US Task force lands to the west and commences operations eastward, towards Wewak. The Japanease initially take up defensive positions to stall the Americans then move to move offensive operations.The Japanease losses are high and it is likely that is where this soldier was killed and the flag taken as a war trophy.

 

 

Hello Michael-

     That's a terrific flag!  I'm sure it must have kept Dan busy reading through all of the notations!  Flags of this type (with battle field notations) are very uncommon.  Any kind of information that listed unit numbers/designations, troop movements, and/or dates, was considered vital intelligence, not to be shared where there was a possibility that the  enemy could acquire it.  As we know from various flag examples, this "rule" was sometimes broken.  A few similar examples are illustrated in my first book on good luck flags and senninbari. 

     Whether a flag contained this sort of data because it was a presentation piece, and therefore never intended to be taken into battle, or contained such statistics because the flag's owner no longer cared about the rules, is often blurred.  Flags like this (again, very uncommon) are more often seen as "triumphant return" examples; normally containing information from the early China war days, or soon thereafter.  Once a man returned home from war, he might pen his war experiences for posterity, including dates and places where service occurred, battles engaged in, etc.  Some even drew maps showing where they departed from in Japan and where they landed overseas, accompanied by the names of cities or other places, etc.  I have a similar flag that belonged to either a civilian engineer or soldier, stationed on a few islands.  I have not reviewed it in some time, but if memory serves me, he listed days of arrival and departure, and names of islands where visited.  In any case, your flag is a beautiful example of a highly desirable flag type, not often encountered.  Thank you for sharing.

Hi Michael

 

Thanks for the comments. I’m very honoured to have this flag in my possession. Dan also commented on the rarity of examples like this. I do get the impression that in this instance the flag was a battlefield recovery rather than something that was taken home. Of course I have nothing to prove that, it’s just my take on the content and where the flag was obtained from. 

Michael-

     I would agree with your assessment.  This flag was probably obtained in the field, following some kind of engagement.  Some of the stains present would seem to indicate that the flag saw action on the battlefield.