More then likely this cannon was brought home by the US armed forces as
legitimate "war booty" along with dozens of other pieces which was mostly
likely distributed around the country to the various legions who requested
it.

Certainly here in Canada that is how many first and second world war
artillery pieces wound up gracing various city parks - the Canadian army
brought back to Canada various pieces that they had captured for the
purposes of examination and when they were finished many of the pieces were
toured across Canada to raise funds for the war effort, publicize the war
etc, before finally being offered to various museums, legions and city
halls.

It seems likely that your Japanese cannon came through a similar path -
brought back by the US from Japan, offered to a legion and the legion offers
it to the City. You might want to check with your local city archive to see
if they have any information or check with your city's parks people at city
hall - there should be records somewhere of the city having received this
piece, also look around for the nearest legion hall - they (and no slight
intended)may have been sufficiently organized to keep records of these
things. And finally if you can't find anyone in the states to help with this
cannon try the Royal Armouries in London England
http://www.armouries.org.uk/ their expertise is in artillery and cannons.

Good luck with your project.

Carol Reid
Collections Manager, Archives
Canadian War Museum
330 Sussex Drive,
Ottawa, ON, Canada,
K1A 0M8

www.warmuseum.ca

tel: (819) 776-8661
fax: (819)776-8657
e-mail: [log in to unmask]


Date:    Mon, 5 Apr 2004 21:10:15 -0400
From:    Joshua Fox <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Information on Japanese Cannons

Now, just how could WWI vets get ahold of a Japanese cannon?>

Maybe the WWI vets had served alongside of the Japanese troops at the joint
US/ Japanese ocupation of Russia in 1918 and traded for it and brough it
home as "war booty". Just a though

Josh

----- Original Message -----
From: "thomas w kavanagh" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 7:20 PM
Subject: Re: Information on Japanese Cannons


> On Mon, 5 Apr 2004, Teresa Whitt wrote:
>
> > Greetings Listers:
> >
> > A Japanese cannon that has apparently been "rotting" away since around
> > the 1930s has come to the attention of my museum.  The story attached to
> > the cannon is that it was given to the city by World War I veterans,
>
> Now, just how could WWI vets get ahold of a Japanese cannon?>
> >and
> > had previously occupied a space beside the city's most famous landmark.
> > Somehow the cannon has ended up behind a tool shed in a city park.  I am
> > working on gathering information on this piece to get local government
> > enthused about conserving the cannon.  This is totally out of my field.
> > Does anyone out there have a source for validating types/dates for
> > Japanese cannons?  I can supply a .jpg of the object if requested.
>
> I do know something about cannons, so I would be interested in seeing the
> .jpg.
>
> Please send.
>
> Thnx.
>
> Thomas Kavanagh, PhD.
>
> kkk
>

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