| scope and content | The file consists of a cardboard poster with the title Honour Roll 1914-1915. There are 54 individual photographs of the Canadian Japanese Volunteer Corp who died in France during the First World War.
Sainosuke Kubota, First World War veteran and Secretary of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 9, was the custodian of the Japanese Canadian Honour Roll from 1942 to 1977. For 25 years, including the forced dispersal and dispossession during the Second World War, Kubota kept the Legion Banners, Honour Roll, and photographs in safe custody. In April 1977, Kubota (at the age of 87 years old) and his wife flew from Toronto to Vancouver to return the Honour Roll and the photographs of the dead to the Japanese Hall on Alexander Street. He gave the banners of the Japanese Canadian veterans' organization to the Vancouver Japanese Canadian Citizens' Association for safekeeping. He expressed his great joy and satisfaction in being able to complete his last duty as secretary, he died a year later in 1978.
The poster was separated in order to recreate the original. The poster has been cut into pieces, with the three largest pieces measuring: 1) 30 inches x 9 inches, 2) 26 inches x 16 inches, 3) 30 inches x 18 inches. Many of the photos have been removed from the poster and are separated or still attached to old poster board. The honour roll was restored in 1985 by the Japanese Canadian War Memorial Committee and the original images were stored with the chair of the committee Frank Kamiya until donated in full to the museum. The JCWMC was established in 1984 with the mission to produce the Remembrance Day services each year and to keep the monument in good condition. The Chairs over the years were Frank Kamiya, Beverly Inouye, Nancy Kato and currently Linda Kawamoto Reid (2011-). The recreated poster and honour roll is framed and owned by the Vancouver Japanese Language School. |