…of the soldiers’ dreams

Masumi Mitsui MM was the last surviving Japanese-Canadian veteran of the Great War.
(Wiki Commons image)

natsugusa ya
tsuwamonodomo ga
yume no ato
Matsuo Bashō (1644 – 1694)

Japanese-Canadian Veterans and the Great War

Perhaps they sat upon the side of a hill and watched the changing colours of a field as the grasses tilted with the passing wind. All of nature’s colours, its botanicals, fed by the sun as the hours passed by. Speaking one to the other…of unique places once seen and people once known…or of their shared past, where they were from, who they were – before Canada and in Canada.

These were Canada’s Great War Japanese soldiers…222 individual dreams who endured the prejudice of the day, to serve – to become our Japanese-Canadian brethren. These hardships did not set with the Great War but rose again with another world war as many Japanese-Canadian veterans and their families were relocated, interned, lost their livelihoods, possessions. And yet these families, from these camps, contributed to Canadian War Loans and tilled the earth to produce Victory Gardens.

The Japanese-Canadian War Memorial at Stanley Park (1920).
(P. Ferguson image, May 2012)

For Canada’s Japanese-Canadian Great War veterans darkness fell upon the eternal flame of Stanley Park’s Japanese-Canadian War Memorial (1920), its flickering heart being extinguished sometime after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was not until 2 August 1982 that the last remaining Japanese-Canadian Great War veteran, Masumi Mitsu MM, would witness the return of the glow to this beacon of the park. Sixty-eight years previously, nearly to the day, 3 August 1914 Sir Edward Grey feared, the lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time. Mitsu was 99 years of age.

A field of summer grass and dreams. Poppies and regeneration near to Yorkshire Trench, Boezinge, Belgium.
(P. Ferguson image, September 2004).

Summer grass…
The only remains
of the soldiers’ dreams

Matsuo Bashō 1644 – 1694
(English Translation)

Awards of the Military Medal for Bravery in the Field
Japanese-Canadian Great War Soldiers
13 Awards of the Military Medal
1 Second Award Bar

Buzo (Takezo) Shirasago MM
50th Battalion CEF (Calgary Regiment)
Born: 20 November 1886, Hiroshima Ken, Japan
Private
697045
(Original Unit: 175th Battalion CEF, Medicine Hat, Alberta)
Died of Wounds 22 August 1917
Buried: Barlin Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France

On the 3rd of June.1917.

For gallantry and leadership. When his N.C.O. had been wounded he took command of his Section and rushed a strong enemy bombing party, killing or wounding all of them. His comrades assert that he killed at least 12 of the enemy himself.

 His command of men and the cheerful encouragement he gave them through the subsequent 12 hours shelling they were subjected to saved his party from losing their ground.

[London Gazette: 16 August 1917]
Award recorded in Ito (1984) and Kishibe (2007)

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Yoichi Kamakura MM
52nd Battalion CEF (New Ontario Regiment)
Born: 21 March 1882 Hiroshima, Bingo, Japan
Private
228118
(Original Unit: 13th Canadian Mounted Rifles, Pincher Creek, Alberta)

For conspicuous gallantry. He was No. 1 of the Lewis Gun crew with the platoon operating on the extreme right flank. He advanced with his platoon, firing his gun from the hip as they advanced, and by his well directed covering fire enabled his platoon to make their way through a mass of heavy and uncut wire, and on reaching the final objective succeeded in inflicting many casualties on the enemy who were retiring in disorder.

[London Gazette: 17 September 1917]
Award recorded in Ito (1984)

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Tokutaro Iwamoto MM
10th Battalion CEF (10th Canadians)
Born: Hiroshima-ken, Japan
Private
898527
(Original Unit: 192nd Battalion CEF, Blairmore, Alberta)
Killed in Action 2 September 1918
Buried: Upton Wood Cemetery, Hendecourt-Les-Cagnicourt, Pas de Calais, France

For conspicuous bravery and distinguished conduct in action.

On August 15th, 1917, this man displayed very remarkable keenness and fearlessness and accounted for several of the enemy.

On August 16th 1917, this man again displayed great keenness and fearlessness killing many of the enemy and single-handed, mopping up several dugouts in the CHALK PIT. He took not less than 20 prisoners unwounded. These he utilized to assist in evacuating wounded. His work was very exceptional in the losses he inflicted on the enemy with the bayonet.

[London Gazette: 19 November 1917]
Award recorded in Ito (1984) and Kishibe (2007)

——————–0——————–

Masumi Mitsui  MM
10th Battalion CEF (10th Canadians)
Born: 7 October 1886, Fukuoa-ken [Tokyo], Japan
Private
898559
(Original Unit: 192nd Battalion CEF, Blairmore, Alberta)
Wounded

For conspicuous bravery and distinguished conduct in action. On Oct 15/8/17 this soldier was in command of the Japanese section of the Battalion and showed marked ability and efficiency in addition to remarkable dash and spirit. On 16/8/17 he was still in command of the Japanese section and led them in the attack. During the attack all of the Lewis Gun crew of his Platoon became casualties; seeing this he salvaged the gun and ammunition, got the gun into action, causing many casualties to the enemy. Afterwards he did splendid work in mopping up and in dressing and evacuating the wounded.

[London Gazette: 19 November 1917]
Award recorded in Ito (1984) and Kishibe (2007)

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Yesaku Kubodera MM
49th Battalion CEF (Edmonton Regiment)
Born: 14 January 1888, Yamanashi-ken, Japan
Private
252111
(Original Unit: 209th Battalion CEF, Swift Current, Saskatchewan)

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during the operations from the night Oct: 28th/29th to night October 31st November 1st in which the Battalion carried out an attack on the German Line in the vicinity of Passchendaele Ridge. This man, a Japanese, on the morning of the attack went over with his Company and displayed remarkable courage and aggressiveness throughout the action in face of very heavy enemy fire, although buried for more than two hours he refused to go to the Dressing Station after being dug out but continued to carry on using his rifle to the best advantage and showing a splendid example to all ranks of fortitude and devotion to duty.

[London Gazette: 23 February 1918]
Award recorded in Ito (1984) and Kishibe (2007)

——————–0——————–

Bunshiro Furukawa MM
50th Battalion CEF (Calgary Regiment)
Born: 4 August 1883, Shiga-ken (Kyoto) Japan
Private
895230
(Original Unit: 191st Battalion, McLeod, Alberta)

No Citation
[London Gazette: 11 February 1919]

Award recorded in Ito (1984) and Kishibe (2007)

——————–0——————–

Kiyoji Iizuka MM
50th Battalion CEF (Calgary Regiment)
Born: 27 January 1887, Tokyo, Japan
Private
697032
(Original Unit: 175th Battalion CEF, Medicine Hat, Alberta)
Wounded

No Citation
[London Gazette: 11 February 1919]

Award recorded in Ito (1984) and Kishibe (2007)

——————–0——————–

Manichi Nakamura MM
50th Battalion CEF (Calgary Regiment)
Acting Lance Corporal
Born: 15 February 1882, Hiroshima-ken, Japan
697050
(Original Unit: 175th Battalion CEF, Medicine Hat, Alberta)

No Citation
[London Gazette: 13 March 1919]

Award recorded in Ito (1984) and Kishibe (2007)

——————–0——————–

Grave site of Otomatsu Yamamoto MM and Bar. Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, BC.
(P. Ferguson image).

Ottomatsu Yamamoto MM (later Bar to MM)
50th Battalion CEF (Calgary Regiment)
Born: 16 March 1883, Wakayama, Japan
Private
697034
(Original Unit: 175th Battalion CEF, Medicine Hat, Alberta)

No Citation
[London Gazette: 13 March 1919]

Award recorded in Ito (1984) and Kishibe (2007)

——————–0——————–

Tow Inouye MM
47th Battalion CEF (New Westminster)
Born: 16 October 1883, Yokohama, Japan
Private
688274
(Original Unit: 172nd Battalion CEF, Kamloops, British Columbia)

No Citation
[London Gazette: 14 May 1919]

Award recorded in Ito (1984)

——————–0——————–

Gonzarmon Niihara MM
72nd Battalion CEF (Seaforth Highlanders of Canada)
Born: Airagun, Kagoshima, Japan
Private
2020445 (Drafted under Military Service Act – 1917)
(Original Unit: 11th Regiment Draft Irish Fusiliers, Vancouver, British Columbia)

No Citation
[London Gazette: 3 July 1919]
MM awarded for Valenciennes

Award not recorded in either Ito (1984) or Kishibe (2007)

——————–0——————–

Yasuo Takashima MM
50th Battalion CEF (Calgary Regiment)
Born: Kumamoto-ken, Japan
Private
895539
(Original Unit: 191st Battalion CEF, McLeod, Alberta)

No Citation
[London Gazette: 3 July 1919]

Award recorded in Ito (1984) and Kishibe (2007)

——————–0——————–

Tominosuke Tanji (Lominosuka Tangi) MM
50th Battalion CEF (Calgary Regiment)
Born: Hyogo-ken (Kobe), Japan
Private
895182
(Original Unit: 191st Battalion CEF, McLeod, Alberta)

No Citation
[London Gazette: 3 July 1919]

Award recorded in Ito (1984) and Kishibe (2007)

——————–0——————–

Ottomatsu Yamamoto (Bar to the MM)
50th Battalion CEF (Calgary Regiment)
Born: 16 March 1883, Wakayama, Japan
Private
697034
(Original Unit: 175th Battalion CEF, Medicine Hat, Alberta)

No Citation
[London Gazette: 23 July 1919]

Award recorded in Ito (1984) and Kishibe (2007)

——————–0——————–

Sukitaro Miehara (Miyahara)
50th Battalion CEF (Calgary Regiment)
Born: 8 November 1889, Fukuoka-ken, Japan
696952
(Original Unit: 175th Battalion CEF, Medicine Hat, Alberta)
Wounded

Award not traced. Possibly not an MM recipient.
Award recorded in Ito (1984) and Kishibe (2007)
Probably Gonzarmon Niihara MM who was not recorded in either Ito or Kishibe.
Note similarity of surnames.

——————–0——————–

Resources

We Went to War
The Story of the Japanese Canadians Who Served
During the First and Second World Wars

Roy Ito
Canada’s Wings Inc., Stittsville, Ontario, 1984

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Battlefield At Last
The Japanese Canadian Volunteers
of the
First World War, 1914 – 1918

Kaye Kishibe
Toronto, Ontario 2007

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Tags: Bunshiro Furukawa MM, Buzo (Takezo) Shirasago MM, Gonzarmon Niihara MM, Internment, Japanese-Canadian Veterans, Japanese-Canadian War Memorial, Kiyoji Iizuka MM, Manichi Nakamura MM, Masumi Mitsui MM, Military Medal, Military Service Act 1917, Ottomatsu Yamamoto MM and Bar, Relocation, Sukitaro Miehara (Miyahara), Tokutaro Iwamoto MM, Tominosuke Tanji (Lominosuka Tangi) MM, Tow Inouye MM, Yasuo Takashima MM, Yesaku Kubodera MM, Yoichi Kamakura MM

This entry was posted by pferguson on Tuesday, July 24th, 2018 at 12:20 am and is filed under Remember Them Well. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.