My eclectic WW2 Collection.

[Chopperman]

Nice collection
I enjoyed how you grouped and arranged the items in your photographs.
Well thought out and nicely presented.

[grimnar]

This group of items belonged to the same soldier who served in the China Incident and later during the dying stages of the Pacific war. Here is his brief service history.

Yonezō Minowa (蓑輪米蔵)
Farm Labourer
Birth: 18th May 1905 in Okamoto Village, Echizen County, Fukui Prefecture, Japan.


Yonezō Minowa was called up on the 10th January 1926 and was posted to the 36th Regiment of the 9th Division where he participated in training manoeuvres and attended roll calls on a part time basis. He was promoted during this time to Private 1st class and was awarded a diligence chevron on the 5th August 1927.

In September 1937 Yonezō was activated and sent to China with the 36th Regiment Replacement unit, 4th Company before being transferred to the 36th Regiment, 6th Company. As a part of the Shanghai Expeditionary Army, the 36th Regiment played an active role in the Second battle of Shanghai and the subsequent drive inland to the battle of Nanking. From February 1938, the division came under the command of the Central China Expeditionary Army and participated in the battle of Xuzhou. From 22nd August 1938 the division was reassigned to the 11th Army and fought at the Battle of Wuhan. It was during this time that Yonezō contracted pleurisy, and was bounced around a number of different Field and Army Hospitals.
On Christmas Day 1938, Yonezō Minowa was promoted to Superior private.

In June 1939, the division was ordered back to Japan and Yonezō was placed on the reserve soldier list. As a Reserve soldier Yonezō was required to present himself to an annual roll call which he dutifully did in 1942, 1943 and 1944.

In 1945, Yonezō Minowa was called back up, this time being posted to the Maizuru Heavy Artillery Regiment for a day then to the 3rd Company of the 646th Independent Infantry Battalion of the 108th Independent Mixed Brigade. These high numbered units were often filled with older soldiers who were still of use to the Army, to protect places like Korea and Japan. The 108th was stationed on Cheju Island, Korea where Yonezō undertook security duties until the end of the war.

Interestingly Mr Minowa added a Chinese Kiang Nan Province Mace coin to his valuables bag, a possible souvenir from his time fighting in China?

[grimnar]

Yukimasa Nishino (西野雪正)
Kyoto Prefecture.
Yukimasa Nishino was drafted in to the 22nd Field Artillery Regiment of the 16th Division, Imperial Japanese Army, Wall Division (垣兵団). In December 1933 Nishino was involved in the Mukden Incident, the invasion of the Northern part of China, known as Manchuria before ending his draft term as a superior private( Joto-hei) in December 1935.
In 1937 he was called up, back into the Army as a corporal (Go-cho) returning to his old artillery regiment, the 22nd . In late August 1937, Nishino was dispatched to China along with the 16th Division, now attached to the 2nd Army, under the command of the Northern China Area Army, where his unit participated in the battle of Nanjing (1937), the battle of Xuzhou (1938) and the battle of Wuhan (1938)
In mid-1939, Nishino was killed in action ‘in service to the Emperor’ whilst in China. He was posthumously promoted to sergeant (Gun-so) and his parents were given a gift of sweets and cigarettes as well as a Waka (poem) written by the Empress, in thanks of Yukimasa Nishino’s service and sacrifice to his country.




Manchurian Incident War Dispatch Medal and Certificate.
Established in 1934. Abolished in 1946.
BAR: 'War Medal’ Inscribed on reverse 'Showa 6 [1931] to 9 [1934] Incident.'
Certificate awarded to Artilleryman, Superior Private Yukimasa Nishino, 10 July, 1936.


China Incident War Dispatch Medal and Certificate.
Established 1938. Abolished 1946
BAR: ‘War Medal’ Inscribed on reverse ‘China Incident’.
Certificate awarded to Artilleryman, Corporal Yukimasa Nishino, 23rd November, 1938


Certificate.
Dated: 6th January, 1936
From Nishino’s Commanding Officer of the 22nd Field Artillery Regiment , Colonel Hata Yusaburo, commending him for being a good artilleryman and giving exemplary service and stating if he should ever be called back up for service into the regiment he was to be made a corporal.


Certificate.
Dated: 11th August, 1939
Sent to the Yukimasa family by the Kyoto Governor on behalf of the Emperor and Empress, to express sympathy for the loss of their son Nishino on the battlefield serving the Emperor.