Siege of Tsingtao query

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Selous
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Joined: 04 Apr 2013, 19:42
Location: UK

Siege of Tsingtao query

#1

Post by Selous » 08 Apr 2013, 13:25

Hello all,

I am seeking evidences of a story I have been told set during what I believe was the siege of Tsingtao. It sounded quite apocryphal to me but I wondered if anyone else had come across it;
the story goes that during the siege of the German possession, a Japanese officer called out a German officer for a duel and was slain by the German in single combat.
It sounds like something out of fiction or at least another era, but I always wondered if there were truth to it.?

Best,
Selous

Orwell1984
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Joined: 18 Jun 2011, 19:42

Re: Siege of Tsingtao query

#2

Post by Orwell1984 » 08 Apr 2013, 17:04

http://www.gwpda.org/naval/tsingtao.htm
There is an incident mentioned in this article that may be what you recall:
Advancing through the hole in the German center, Japanese forces fanned out. One infantry company charged up Iltis Hill. A searchlight lit up a German lieutenant rallying his men with drawn sword as a Japanese captain ran up, leading his men with sword out. Blinking, the 2 men stared at each other. Then, in an incredible parody of feudal combat, the 2 officers fought a fencing duel between their deployed troops. Samurai sword proved much superior to ceremonial dress sword; the Japanese commander cut his opponent down. The Germans surrendered. Another company climbing up Bismarck Hill received the surrender of Germans disheartened by Japanese cheering on Iltis Hill. Meyer-Waldeck surrendered, and his men marched out of Redoubts 1 and 5. The morning of 7 November, ironically a fine clear day, Japanese and British troops entered Tsingtao. Three days later, a Japanese torpedo boat sank sweeping mines.
The excerpt I quoted is located right near the bottom of the main body of text.


Selous
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Posts: 5
Joined: 04 Apr 2013, 19:42
Location: UK

Re: Siege of Tsingtao query

#3

Post by Selous » 11 Apr 2013, 17:07

Thank you kindly Orwell, this could indeed be the event which I heard of though with the Japanese swordsman the victor in this case, I wonder if there was another event or the version I heard had been 'altered' in the telling.
Thanks again!

James A Pratt III
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Joined: 30 Apr 2006, 01:08
Location: Texas

Re: Siege of Tsingtao query

#4

Post by James A Pratt III » 18 Apr 2013, 03:31

I think there is an account in 1914 during one of the opening battles on the Eastern front possibly tannenberg. Where a German officer and a Russian officer both leading there troops into battle waving swords confronted each other. In the sword duel that followed the german officer killed the russian officer but was promptly shot dead by by the russian troops.
In the Russo-Polish war there was an incident where a Russian cavaly Officer chalenged any Pole to a sword duel a Polish officer excepted it and in the duel on horesback that followed the Pole won.

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