Japanese Volunteers in Normandy?
- The 51st Division
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Japanese Volunteers in Normandy?
Muslims, Indians, even Africans, I thought I've seen it all...But apparently not.
So I came across this on the internet, can anybody provide me with some information?
Along with the pictures was an unwarranted description, saying the depicted soldier is from the 3rd "Japanese company" of the 630th Ostbataillone, 709. Infanterie-Division (bodenständige) in Normandy (but Wikipedia says the 630th belonged to the 346. Infanterie-Division).
But the original post doesn't provide any sources, so I'm asking if any of you guys can provide some info on the "Japanese company".
So I came across this on the internet, can anybody provide me with some information?
Along with the pictures was an unwarranted description, saying the depicted soldier is from the 3rd "Japanese company" of the 630th Ostbataillone, 709. Infanterie-Division (bodenständige) in Normandy (but Wikipedia says the 630th belonged to the 346. Infanterie-Division).
But the original post doesn't provide any sources, so I'm asking if any of you guys can provide some info on the "Japanese company".
- Attachments
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- So the Indian dude on the right I already know is from the Infanterie-Regiment 950 Legion Freies Indien, but the Japanese on the left?
- 2008102922739265778010.jpg (28.91 KiB) Viewed 912 times
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- A photograph of a Japanese commander in German uniform, notice the same Rising Sun badge. (this looks pretty authentic)
- 12212769.jpg (43.69 KiB) Viewed 912 times
Last edited by The 51st Division on 20 Jun 2015, 06:58, edited 1 time in total.
"The nation might be powerful, yet it shall be destroyed if it seeks war; the world might be peaceful, yet it shall be doomed if it forgets war."
--The Method of the Sima, Qin Dynasty Chinese Military Classic
--The Method of the Sima, Qin Dynasty Chinese Military Classic
Re: Japanese Volunteers in Normandy?
Hi,
The man in photograph is a japanese military observer/visitor and is authentic. But the drawing is purely imagination.
with best regards
Arto
The man in photograph is a japanese military observer/visitor and is authentic. But the drawing is purely imagination.
with best regards
Arto
Re: Japanese Volunteers in Normandy?
Koreans too. One was captured near Utah Beach, thus, in the 709 ID's sector.:The 51st Division wrote:Muslims, Indians, even Africans, I thought I've seen it all...But apparently not.
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... n+Normandy
This may be the "source of inspiration" for the Japanese "Ost" volunteer in the 709 ID on the drawing, slapped with the Rising Sun badge, as at that time, Korea was a Japanese colony.
There was also the Turkestanisches Infanterie-Bataillon 781 in the 711 ID's sector that could have "inspired" the idea of "Japanese" troops in Normandy in June 1944:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... l&start=75
Emmanuel
- The 51st Division
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Re: Japanese Volunteers in Normandy?
Thanks for all the information, so the Japanese Osttruppen didn't really exist?
But for photograph of that Japanese officer, if he was a visiter/observer, why does he have to wear a German uniform with Wehrmacht ranks and all that? Couldn't he just wear his normal Japanese uniform?
But for photograph of that Japanese officer, if he was a visiter/observer, why does he have to wear a German uniform with Wehrmacht ranks and all that? Couldn't he just wear his normal Japanese uniform?
"The nation might be powerful, yet it shall be destroyed if it seeks war; the world might be peaceful, yet it shall be doomed if it forgets war."
--The Method of the Sima, Qin Dynasty Chinese Military Classic
--The Method of the Sima, Qin Dynasty Chinese Military Classic
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Re: Japanese Volunteers in Normandy?
The 51st Division, it is only accurate to say that "Japanese" Osttruppen existed in the sense that at least one man who had been conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army (Yang Kyoungjong, as noted by Manuferey above, and whom the drawing is very clearly modeled on: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yang_Kyoungjong) ultimately ended up in a Osttruppen formation in Normandy, but that individual wasn't ethnically Japanese and there are no other documented instances of that occurring to the best of my knowledge. As to your question about the Japanese observer's uniform, I would actually be very interested to learn the answer to that myself because I've run across a couple other pictures over the years of Japanese liaisons and observers wearing German uniforms, but I've never seen an explanation for it.
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Re: Japanese Volunteers in Normandy?
A thought - might the photos be of pre-war Nationalist Chinese officers in Germany in the mid-1930s? They had a similar star burst insignia.
Cheers,
Sid.
Cheers,
Sid.