NCO with Officer Sword

[Bruce Pennington]

I think we have a couple photos showing NCOs with officer gunto.  If anyone knows where they are, please add to the thread.  But what I found today is an officer gunto with a wrapped surrender cloth of a Sergeant Major.  Found on this Gunboards Thread.

The cloth says: ""243rd Infantry Reg., 5th Co., Army Sgt Maj. Nishikawa Yataro" with the flip side reading "One Nihonto sword including leather scabbard cover and handle cover" - translation by Edokko, Gunboards.  The blade is an undated, large Seki stamp, Kanemasa.  I mention that because later in the war, the uniform regulations were amended to allow NCOs to carry civil swords.  This one is in a leather covered wooden saya, but there's nothing about the blade nor fittings that says "civilian sword refitted for war."  The company grade tassel could easily have been added by an owner over the past 80 years, but if original, would be another one of those mysteries.  Was the Sgt Major being promoted to officer rank?  Who knows.

My Army son-in-law said "Sgt Majors are at the top of the food chain, like a General or Admiral.  They do whatever the fxxx they want to do."

 

 

 

[John C]

I wouldn't be too surprised if the Sgt Major were gifted the sword. In the US at least, it takes a lot of time and knowledge to get to Sgt Major and even new LT's listen to them - particularly in combat. They are usually very respected.

Just my two cents

 

John C.

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

It wasn’t uncommon for a 曹長(Sergeant Major) to carry a non-Type 95 NCO sword. According to the 1945 regulations, NCOs were permitted to carry their own gunto or similar sword. What’s particularly interesting here is that this sword is fitted with an officer's tassel (company-grade), which technically shouldn't be the original match.

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Edokko just posted this thought: "The Sgt. Maj. would have used the blue/brown tassel as his rank would be qualified as a 准士官 ("sort of" translates to warrant officer) by 1940."

[Bruce Pennington]

Here's a Sgt Major.  Posted by @Krzysio

 

[vajo]

He looks very young for a seargent major.

 

"In the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) during WWII, a Sergeant Major (Sōchō) was a senior non-commissioned officer. Because the rank required significant military experience, Sergeant Majors were typically career soldiers between 30 and 45 years old."

 

 

Edited May 27 by vajo

[Bruce Pennington]

Yes, that happened a lot during the war, on both sides, officer and enlisted.  

[Bruce Pennington]

I have a nagging memory that I posted these already somewhere, but cannot recall where that was, but in an article written by Richard Fuller, he's included several pictures of enlisted men, some quite low in rank, with Type 98 swords.  Here are a couple from his article:

 

Superior Private                                                                            1st Class Private

   

 

1st or Superior Private

[charlesf]

Isn't it possible that for the posed photographs the sword employed was an artistic prop to help create a martial impression?

 

 

charles.

[rebcannonshooter]

Hi Bruce,

I agree with Charles. In my younger days I built exact replica American Civil War Cannons, carriages, limbers and caissons. (ergo my user name) The Civil War was one of my passions. I've viewed hundreds of tintypes, especially from the beginning of the war, where soldiers would have their pictures taken with long guns, pistols, large knives and swords, even though they were privates and certainly not authorized to carry a sword or pistol. I imagine that that same martial spirit was prevalent with Japanese soldiers as well, so they would "borrow" a sword just for the photograph. Tom

[Bruce Pennington]

Years ago, don't remember what conversation, someone said something similar in that he claimed studio photographers likely had a bundle of swords that he'd give the soldiers for the photo shoot.  So, all of that is possible, especially the privates.  

 

The reality is that we are probably seeing "all the above" with some guys holding their own swords and some with 'props'.  The sword in the original post, with the surrender cloth is a prime example.  Added to possible real ones is the Sgt Major photo I posted as it is exactly in line with the OP sword.  Also, you'll see in the first Superior Private photo that his Type 98 has an NCO leather tassel.

 

In the end, we will never know.  The more things pop up, like the OP sword, the clearer the "picture" (pun intended) will be.

[John C]

28 minutes ago, Bruce Pennington said:

holding their own swords

One thing I noticed is that, in many of the photos, the chape is resting on the ground. Makes me think if I saw a pristine chape, I would question the originality of the paint.

 

John C.