| Item title: | Lieutenant YOKAJIMA's diary |
| Title (romaji): | Yokajima Chûi nikki |
| Title (kanji) |  |
| Location: | Australian War Memorial (PR00632) View information about obtaining a copy of this document |
AJRP details | |
| AJRP module: | Australian War Memorial private records |
| AJRP series: | AWM Japanese language material |
| AJRP sub-series: | Captured Japanese diaries |
| AJRP folder: | |
Location details | |
| Institution: | Australian War Memorial |
| Call number: | PR00632 |
| Inst. series: | Various |
| Inst. sub-series: | Various |
| Item: | PR00632 |
Item qualities | |
| Quantity / desc: | 3 typed pages |
| Access: | Open |
| Item type: | Unpublished, Private |
| Category: | Personal diary |
Item content | |
| Creation date range (d/m/y): | 1/12/1942 to 23/1/1943 |
| Conflict code: | Pacific War (1941-1945) |
| Keywords: | CASUALTY LISTS, DEATH, DIARIES, FOOD, FOOD RATIONS AND RATIONING, FOOD SUPPLY, IMPERIAL JAPANESE ARMY, JUNGLE WARFARE, MALARIA, PACIFIC WAR |
| Australian unit names: | |
| Allied unit names: | |
| Japanese unit names: | Oka Unit (38th Division 124th Infantry Regt?) |
| Names: | YOKAJIMA (OKAJIMA?) |
| Languages: | English |
| Area: | Guadalcanal [Melanesia (PNG, Irian Jaya & Solomon Islands), Solomon Islands] |
| Content: | This item is a typed translation of Lieutenant YOKAJIMA's diary. YOKAJIMA was allegedly killed by Joseph R. Taylor on 23 January 1943, and his diary was obtained by Captain Noel Chenhall. The diary was written during a short period before the Imperial Japanese Army's withdrawal from Guadalcanal. It describes the author's military activities and such hardships as the Allies' constant shelling, terrible hunger, malaria, and heavy causualties, as well as his unstable sentiment in a desperate situation. The author, counting day-to-day casualties, came to believe that those with a weak will would die first, and found ants a tasty supply of food. Although he had to abandon his long-kept fox hole, saw emeny propaganda sheets, and suffered a severing of communications, he and other company commanders tried to remain optimistic. The diary also contains brief suggestions of cannibalism. There are some inconsistancies in spelling Japanese names in this translation, and YOKAJIMA is most likely Lieutenant OKAJIMA who was a company commander in the 124th Infantry Regiment of the 38th Division. |
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Other information | |
| Notes: | |
| Last modified: | 10/04/2001 03:26:47 PM |
| Source: | AJRP staff |
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