Japanese katana sword, 1940

This Koa Isshin Mantetsu sword and scabbard was surrendered by Major-General Tamoto, a Japanese commander in Malaya, to Lieutenant-Colonel A K Crookshank OBE of the Maratha Light Infantry on 20 September 1945 at Bentong in Pahang State. The blade is inscribed in Japanese which translates as: 'Okitsugu Isshin made this blade of Manchurian steel. In springtime in the 17th year of the sexagenary cycle in the Showa period.'