interesting photo

[paul kennedy]

Here's my photo & ink stamp on reverse

My photo is the one at the beginning of the thread (and the ones in my thread "photos"). I don't own this one.

[ghp95134]

海口
Haikou [China]
地区憲兵隊
Chiku Kenpeitai
District Military Police
17.8.24
1942-Aug-24

(松野)
Matsuno (personal seal)

I had to manipulate the colors to get the 24; the Matsuno stamp interferes, but you can make out the date when enlarged and color enhanced.

The name Haikou translates to Japanese as Kaikou and means "harbor; entrance to a harbor."

Here is Haikou, China.

Haikou, a port city and the capital of China's island province Hainan, sits on the island's north coast facing the mainland across the Qiongzhou Strait. Its old town quarter features a mix of Chinese and colonial European architecture. The Hainan Provincial Museum has exhibits on the region's ethnic culture and history. Qilou Snack Street is an emporium where food stalls sell local specialties.

[Jareth]

Great detective work Guy! So stamp is a type of Japanese censor. So we know it was stamped in China BUT we don't know if location of photo was in China? My guess would be China

[ghp95134]

Great detective work Guy! So stamp is a type of Japanese censor. So we know it was stamped in China BUT we don't know if location of photo was in China? My guess would be China

I would think the location was in Haikou, China -- ergo the stamp.

Could your IJN guy be 特警隊 Tokkeitai [特別警察隊 Tokubetsu Keisatsutai]?

--Guy

[ghp95134]

And he looks like a Petty Officer 1st Class.

[adachi]

海口
Haikou [China]
地区憲兵隊
Chiku Kenpeitai
District Military Police
17.8.24
1942-Aug-24

(松野)
Matsuno (personal seal)

I had to manipulate the colors to get the 24; the Matsuno stamp interferes, but you can make out the date when enlarged and color enhanced.

The name Haikou translates to Japanese as Kaikou and means "harbor; entrance to a harbor."

Here is Haikou, China.

Fantastic work, I was wondering if the stamp was a date. I guess my initial assumption that it was outside of Shanghai was correct.

The Japanese navy sent quite a bit of SNLF to Hainan Island during the Hainan operation in 1939. Main units involved were the Sasebo 8th SNLF and the Yokosuka 4th SNLF. After the initial invasion the 15th and 16th Guard units were assembled and the Maizuru 1st SNLF also joined in 1940. Based on the uniform of the man in the picture, I'd say he joined a unit later after the main units arrived in 1939-40. I've seen some pictures of men in the Sasebo 8th SNLF that arrived later and hence wore the later style uniforms (no epaulets). I've also seen a couple other pictures of Japanese sailors carrying personal swords with them on Hainan, so perhaps it wasn't an uncommon occurrence.

I'm not sure about him being navy police though. I think they usually wore an armband. An interesting thing about Hainan is the Japanese hired many Taiwanese locals to be police and guards for them.