Need help with Japanese photo translation - Indochina?

[Greg W.]

Apparently this one came from a scrapbook. I just took the time to clean the paper and glue off the back with good results. Looks like these men were in Indochina. The monkeys sitting on one guys knee and the other's shoulder also caught my eye. Would someone translate the back? Any details, names etc would be appreciated.

[Greg W.]

Japanese Photo translation - Indochina?

[GeorgeP]

There is a possibility that it might have come from Malaya/Singapore. It looks to be sent to a relative in Toyama Prefecture, Japan by someone with the same last name: (maybe) Tsuchitani. There is a unit code number present on the card: 4644, headquarters, which might be the 78th Land Duty Company, 25th Army, located in Malaya (although the code kanji is different).


Tom

[Greg W.]

Wow! Thanks Tom. I got it on feebay from someone living in Tokyo a while back. Apparently it was found in a yard sale or fleamarket or somesuch place. The ribbons on their shirts are unknown to me but they seem to be a happy group. The war must have been going well for them when it was made. What is a "Land Duty Company" - a local security force or something?

[Ryukyutunnelrat]

The ribbons on their shirts are actually their rank tabs with their names most likely written on the piece of cloth hanging from it. Cool picture.

Regards, David.

[GeorgeP]

From what I recall, Land Duty units were like the stevedores of the military: unloading and loading of ships, that kind of thing.


Tom

[Greg W.]

Wonderful. Thanks for the info!