Translation of WW2 Japanese flag

[dkni004]

Hello,

I do apologise to anyone who may be offended by this thread but no offence intended.

I spent some time with my Grandmother today looking through some of my late grandfathers belongings. The photo attached is of a small flag I found amongst his things.

I know he served in Burma during World War 2, I believe as a driver in an infantry regiment but I'm really not sure.

My Grandmother will say that she thinks he took the flag from a deceased Japanese soldier. Apparently this was common practice back then? I'm really not sure about this version of events though because I know my grandfather never talked about his time in Burma so it could just be a memento piece drawn up for him whilst he was over there. I know these are in existence. I have looked at the Japanese Good Luck flags and it doesn't seem to fit with them.

If anyone could help translate I would be really grateful. I apologise if the flag is the wrong way up.

Thankyou,

Dave.

 

[Toritoribe]

大日本
Dainippon
Greater Japan

馬来亜
Maraya
Malaya

東條英機
Toujou Hideki

Hideki Tojo - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[dkni004]

Thank you so much. I have updated my grandmother. A mystery solved after 68 years!! The wonders of the internet.

Dave

 

[caster51]

this flag is really strange

 

[dkni004]

this flag is really strange

Noted, what do you find strange about it, I'm intrigued.

Dave

 

[Glenski]

It's not folded perfectly in the center...
Other than that, some scribbled on it.

 

[caster51]

Noted, what do you find strange about it, I'm intrigued.

Dave

Why Tojo Hideki?
Why Maraya?
Why Dainippon if it is written an nippon danji, i would understand it
anyway
i don't understand these words on the flag because it has nothing to do with some write jointly
i mean it isn't very sensible scribbles
it is not normal compare to others.
I cannot think a Japanese soldier's flag.

I don't think a Japanese wrote 馬来亜
馬来亜 is common in Chinese at that time
馬来西亜 or mainly マレー in Japanese


i think it is not a japanese soldier's
This flag is not included with any thought...
you should throw it away

sorry, It may be a souvenir in market there.

 

[noyhauser]

why tojo hideki?
why maraya?
why dainippon if it is witten an nippon danji, i would understand it
anyway
i dont understand these words on flag because it has a nothing to do with some write jointly
i mean it is merely meaningless scribbles
it is not normal compare to others.
I cannot think a Japanese soldier's flag.

i think it is not a japanese soldier's
This flag is not included with any thought...
you should throw it away

sorry, It may be a souvenir in market there.

So you're saying the lady is lying about her Late Grandfather's war record? You've said some pretty ignorant things on JREF before, this is probably one of the worst. This was part of her grandfather's history... and you're disrespectful enough to go and suggest they throw it away? Shame on you Caster.

Yes its strange, but that doesn't mean its any less valid. You know absolutely NOTHING about the situation in Malaya or Burma. You don't know why the person wrote it, or anything. I doubt that the Grandfather had a flag made either. So yes its a bit of a mystery. Yet everything suggests that it was real.

 

[caster51]

i never said it is a lie...
Ｉ mean there is no such unusual thing like this.
no soldier wrote Tojo hideki even at that time.
it is a crazy thing for a Japanese.
as for write jointly ,do you write some politician's name to your friend who is going to war?
it was not a flag that peoples, relatives and friends sent him with some wish and words
even there is no names of friends and proprietor ..



it might be for his record...
however , it is nothing..Usually, it cannot be.
if Japanese people look at this, most people would think You have gathered it from garbage
indeed, no one would bilieve it was a Japanese soldier's property

 

[Mike Cash]

It does seem a bit odd.

 

[Emoni]

Agreed, it does seem odd; but caster what you said is mind boggling and just plain crazy when you said to throw the flag away. When something doesn't fit the ordinary expectations of someone, it becomes MORE interesting, and there could be all sorts of crazy stories explaining what happened with this flag or even what happened in Malaysia during this time. It could be a fraud, it could be something beyond even what you ever expected.

Throw it away? Are you insane? What is wrong with you.

Very interesting thread, curious if you get any more information.

 

[caster51]

ps .and these holograph are same.
only one person wrote...

---------- Post added at 14:29 ---------- Previous post was at 13:44 ----------

日の丸の寄せ書きは、その兵士の出征に際して、肉親や身近な人々がその兵士の無事を｢武運長久｣というような短い言葉に託して祈り、書いたものです。

 

[USS Triton]

Gentlemen,
I may be of assistance in this matter. This flag is commonly known as a Seebee flag. This type of flag was made by troops station in the rear away from the actual fighting. They often copied Kanji from whatever they could find. Tojo was a common signature found on the flag along with the Emperor's name. This type of flag was sold or traded to unsuspecting troops looking for souvenir. I hope this helps in understanding what this flag is. They do however have collector interest.

 

[mdchachi]

Gentlemen,
I may be of assistance in this matter. This flag is commonly known as a Seebee flag. This type of flag was made by troops station in the rear away from the actual fighting. They often copied Kanji from whatever they could find. Tojo was a common signature found on the flag along with the Emperor's name. This type of flag was sold or traded to unsuspecting troops looking for souvenir. I hope this helps in understanding what this flag is. They do however have collector interest.

That makes sense. The writing is clearly illegitimate (not written by native speaker).

 

[Grandpa Frank]

My dad had a WWII former Marine buddy who told the story of how they made a bunch of extra money selling fake flags so I guess it was pretty common back then.