Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

[soldat251]

I've been hearing for a while now about how Japanese soldiers threw away their dust covers because of the noise they make while cycling the bolt. But most of the film footage of Japanese soldiers in action I have see show the dust covers in place. Obviously, the film was shot by wartime japanese film crews. So I developed my own theory about this contradiction.
First, it didn't make sense for a soldier to throw away a piece of equipment that keep his rifle bolt clean from all the dust, mud, and sand. Second, as a piece of equipment, I doubt that any soldier wanted to be caught by a superior without a piece of his equipment. So where did they go?
If you look at most Japanese war footage, you notice that it is of soldiers making charges or firing from fixed positions such as pill boxes. A safe place to film from. No need to remove the cover, when you are part of a hundreds of soldiers banzai charging or in fixed position firing where the sound of the cover isn't going to matter.
For jungle patrols, sneak attacks and snipers however, the noise of the cover would definately make a difference and probably were removed. But were they throw away? I seriously doubt it. I believe they were probably left in camp or carried somewhere in their equipment. Why, because when the patrol came back, the attack was over, or the sniping was done, the soldiers still faced the same problem, dust, mud and sand.
It only makes sense for a soldier to reattach the dust cover back over the bolt, to keep it clean. Why risk a dirty or rusting bolt that won't pass inspection.
So, where did they all go?
1) We know they were discontinued later in the war, so that accounts for some.
2) After the surrender when the mum was being ground of the captured rifles, who would bother to put the dust cover back on the rifle. An unimportant time wasting feature when you have thousands of rifles to grind. After all, they were going to the barbarians.
3) Those soldiers killed in battle, who removed the covers, would leave behind coverless rifles to be collected by our troops as souvenirs. I doubt many soldiers would rifle through the mutated bodies of dead soldiers to look for them.
So that's my theory. Its not correct to say thrown away. It's better to say removed for combat or left off surrendered arms. Those rifles found with the covers on, probably came from the soldiers behind the battle lines.
I would appreciate any comment on the subject. I could be totally wrong, but from my observations of films this theory seems to make sense.

[gwsiii]

This is all theory, a few facts, mostly just observations:

I think the extra noise generated by the dust cover is not going to really make a difference in a battle or sniping situation, the report from the shot is louder, and would cover the sound of working the bolt for the next shot. I'm more inclined to think they were collected in metal drives, similar to what were taking place here in the U.S. When the order was issued, those that received the orders dutifully removed the dust covers and placed them in storage for available pick up. Those weapons still in storage on mainland Japan, were stripped of non-essential metal parts as well. Rods, Pods, A/A wings and springs, and dust covers. There are too many pristine rifles missing all those parts for them to have been 'taken off in the field', the rifles repacked with cosmoline and placed back into storage. There are pictures of box cars full of scrap metal waiting transportation back to Japan floating around the internet. So that is where I'm leaning. The book, Tarawa Hell of a Way to Die, has some after battle pictures of some pretty pristine 99's with all the goodies. Indicating the order hadn't made it to them or that there was no need to comply until shipping was available to return them to Japan.

I do not think a Japanese soldier would deface 'property bestowed upon him by the Emporer'. So unless there was a direct order, I don't believe the typical Japanese soldier would remove any portion of his weapon. It is documented that some were beaten for losing items in some cases (caps, puttees).

Its also documented that on some ships, 6.5 bolts went in one barrel, and 7.7 bolts went into another while boarding ship with your rifle to prevent accidental discharge. It's possible that some dust covers did not remain on the bolts while being dumped in the barrels. A GIs unfamiliarity with how to get bolt and dust cover back on, could have resulted in just throwing the dust cover away.

Lots of theories, not concrete explanations as yet. The language barrier encountered when researching original Japanese Government documents is most to blame.
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[soldat251]

Sounds like "The Mystery of the Lost Dust Covers" would make for a good episode for the TV show "Myth Busters". I agree with you that there are to many places they could have gone. Even if some were removed in battle, they would probably make up a very small percentage of the missing. Thanks Trey for you info, it really sheds a lot of light on this mystery.

[garnettstancil]

I recently saw two excellent documentaries on WWII in the Pacific. It also showed Japanese troops firing from bunkers with dust covers on their rifles. Also, more interesting, were 3 separate scenes showing the Type 100 sub-machinegun firing.

[Bushido101]

I have also wondered what happened to the dust covers on my rifles that are missing them.

[gwsiii]

I guess the only recourse would be to post an ad, in some of the Japanese newspapers or contacting Japanese Veterans organizations and asking the questions that we have concerning things like that. I wouldn't know where to start though. And the mystery continues. Trey
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Fill out a Japanese Rifle Datasheet.
I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!

[garnett stancil]

Try doing a search on the net for Japanese news papers and contact one about a classified ad to try to contract some vets and ask questions. There must be lots of them, just like ours, who are eager to talk with people.