WWII, Japanese soldier's katana, leather handle and scabbard with brass fittings, with a voided brass tsuba (guard) and this double stamped on the underside, 'HMR' (see note), no stamping under the handle on the tang, the blade has been honed and is very sharp, with a length of cord for wearing on a belt. A few tiny chips on the sharp edge of the sword, otherwise very fine.

Accompanying the sword is a written account of the swords capture in Borneo as told to the soldier's son by his father, Sgt Herbert Murray Roberts, who took the sword from a Japanese soldier. That soldier finally revealed where a high ranking officer was and later they captured the officer and he was hanged for war crimes. This also led to the capture of the Japanese emperor's son but he was not hung because the Americans wanted to take him back to Japan and help rebuild the Japanese economy.

Herbert Murray Roberts, 23811 (NX113376), born 29Jul1911 at Richmond, Vic; Enl.30Aug1942 at Pymble, NSW; Disch.30Aug1948 as Corporal in 2/6 Field Regt.