Official seal of Imperial Japanese Army, stamp pad of WW II donated
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Kakching, June 17 2014:
A Japanese Official Seal with stamp pad used by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second World War was donated to the World War II Memorial Foundation of Manipur by one Phalkhochong Mangte, wife of Ngamkhopao Mangte of Thangkanphai Village in Senapati District on Monday.
While interacting with the Foundation members and media persons at her residence, Phalkhochong Mangte, daughter of (L) Lunkhohen Chongloi said that the stamp pad and seal were possessions of her father who worked as a Government employee at Ukhrul during the 2nd world war.
Narrating how the small leather case containing the seal with its pad came into her father's possession, Mangte said, "When the Japanese occupied Ukhrul during the 2nd world war in the early part of 1944, a Japanese officer came in contact with my father who was then working as a Petition Writer at Ukhrul under the British India government.
Since then, he was working with the Japanese till the allied forces bombarded Ukhrul" .
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'During their occupation, the Japanese Army used my father as guide and interpreter by providing him a Rifle and uniform.
However, their association ended after the Allied forces recaptured the town of Ukhrul', she added.
"After the war, all the Japanese goods which were under the custody of my father including a Japanese rifle and bayonet were collected by the British India government through one Houkholet Touthang.
But he did not submit the stamp pad and the seal, hoping that one day he would meet the Japanese officer again and return the same to him", she said.
While thanking Ms.Mangte for preserving the relics even after the expiry of her father and generously donating to the foundation, Letmang Haokip, President of the World War II Memorial Foundation said that after a research was done by the foundation members, it discovered that the Japanese 15th Army also nicknamed "Hayashi Shudan " used such seal on all their important documents during the 2nd world war.
Haokip also said that the Foundation came to know that the Imperial Japanese Army officers issued a copy of acknowledgement slip written in Japanese stamped with similar seal in red color ink to the Chiefs of Chahmol Village, Tengnoupal village and other village Chiefs as well as to some individuals of the State who provided assistance to the Imperial Japanese Army during the 2nd World War.
Appealing to all those who possess war relics to generously donate towards the Foundation for preserving them in the Museum as a part of preserving world war history, Haokip also informed that any intending donor who wants to donate war relics may contact the foundation members in person or through Mobile Nos.8974721118/9615966055/9615273705 .
Meanwhile, H.Thenkhomang Mate of Tengnoupal village in Chandel District donated a Japanese bayonet, spade, shovels and some Japanese currency notes including one thousand denomination to the Foundation.