WW2 JAPANESE OFFICERS SWORD WITH SIGNED TANG
This sword was a local pick-up here in WA and like most of the swords I buy locally would have been a veterans bring back from one of the WA Army units that fought in New Guinea during WW2. Several Western Australian army units played a significant role in the New Guinea campaign during World War II, including the 2/11th, 2/16th, and 2/28th Battalions. These units, part of the Royal Western Australia Regiment, fought in various operations, including the Owen Stanley and Buna-Gona campaigns, the Huon Peninsula campaign, and the Markham–Ramu Valley campaign
I have had this sword inspected by WA's leading authority on Japanese swords George Trotter who has described the sword signature as follows:
The signature says:
This one says "NOSHU JU IDO HIDETOSHI KITAU KORE' (Ido Hidetoshi a resident of Noshu Province forged this in one of the sword factories in Seki Town, Gifu Prefecture that made swords for the Imperial Japanese Army during WW2.
This sword is in untouched condition. The sword certainly has seen heavy combat use with staining to the blade and a few nicks out of the edge which still retains its sharpness. All the pacers are still present and are all numbered 3. The leather scabbard cover is still present but also showing signs of heavy combat use. If you are looking for a mint WW2 Japanese Officers sword then this one is not for you but if you are looking for a sword that has seen combat use and showing the scars of war at a good price then this is the one for you.
