The fate of a WWII Japanese sword once held by a Naga family

August 26, 2024 9 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 26

In a compelling tale from 1946, Mene Kevichusa recounted when her father, the late A Kevichusa, and her elder sister discovered a remarkable artifact during an evening walk in Kohima. “While strolling along Mission Compound Road, my father and sister stumbled upon a Japanese sword hidden in the nallah between the bushes,” Mene recalled during an interview with this reporter at her family home in Burma Camp, Dimapur.

Just two years prior, Kohima had been the site of intense combat between British and Japanese forces during the spring of 1944. The Japanese Imperial Army’s ambitious campaign to invade British India through Burma had led to a fierce year-long struggle at Kohima, the district headquarters of the Naga Hills. The Japanese forces, hindered by supply shortages, eventually withdrew after suffering heavy casualties.

In its aftermath, the battle left Kohima devastated. Now 85, Mene is among the last surviving children of Kevichusa Nisier Meru MBE, the first graduate and IAS officer among the Nagas. She was married to veteran journalist Harish Chandola who passed away in 2023.

The sword, an object of fascination for young Mene, was a distinctive piece with a scabbard made of thin wood covered in two types of leather. Its handle featured a diamond-shaped pattern, possibly adorned with gold, and its braided hilt suggested it might have belonged to an officer. Mene fondly remembered its sharp blade, which the family would clean regularly.

At one time, the sword was displayed atop the family’s fireplace. Many families in Kohima, like Mene’s, ended up with battlefield relics in the years following the conflict. The Kohima World War II Museum alone houses around 432 such artifacts.

However, the sword’s fate took a tragic turn in December 1956. During the Indo-Naga armed conflict, the family home was requisitioned by Indian armed forces while the Kevichusa family was on holiday in Goalpara, where her father served as Deputy Commissioner. The requisitioning personnel, reportedly from the 9th Punjab Regiment, occupied the bungalow without permission, leaving the family’s possessions—including the WWII artifacts—unaccounted for.

Mene lamented, “The collection of my father’s artifacts, including daos, spears, headgears, gongs, WWII memorabilia were all lost.” The family’s valuable personal photograph collections were also taken.

Years later, Mene attempted to trace the regiment through Indian intelligence sources but with no success. Driven by her fascination with the sword, she speculated that it might have belonged to an aristocratic family, given its ornate design. Reflecting on its potential value, she noted, “Such a sword might fetch around a million dollars in the US. It’s not about the money but the sense of value it represents.”

Mene expressed a deep desire to return the sword, if ever found, to its rightful owner’s family, highlighting the importance of craftsmanship and heritage.