| Title | “A Song for the French Indochina Engineering Corps” | ||||||||
| Lyricist | Unknown | ||||||||
| Music Composer | Shinichi Takada (1/24/1920–1/16/1960) | ||||||||
| Client | West Unit 9825 (Nishi Dai Kyu Hachi Ni Go Butai) | ||||||||
| Date of Commission | 7/5/1942 | ||||||||
| Source | “June 1942–September 1943 Music Commission Dossier”; musical score is from “Music Composition Manuscripts since 1944” | ||||||||
| Description |
Commissioned by the Japanese Army West Unit 9825 through Yoshiro Ishikawa (an army reserve officer?) in July 1942 (17th year of the Showa period). The surviving documents consist of a commission form, Ishikawa’s name card, lyrics sheet, musical score, and cover letter for musical scores. “West Unit 9825” was the common name used for the “170th Infantry Regiment,” a key force in the 21st Brigade, which was formed in June 1941 (16th year of the Showa period). In July of the same year, the unit participated in the occupation of southern French Indochina. In September 1942 (17th year of the Showa period), two months after the song was commissioned, the main force of this particular unit was deployed to Guam and Rabaul (Papua New Guinea) via Palau. However, in November of the same year, their transport ship was sunk by enemy fire while passing through Palau Harbor. Having lost their ensign in the attack, the unit was demobilized on-site in June 1943 (18th year of the Showa period). The music composer was a teaching aide at the Tokyo Academy of Music at the time. |
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| Restoration Recording Date |
2/23/2012 (Studio A, Tokyo University of the Arts, Faculty of Music, Senju Campus) | ||||||||
| Restoration Collaborator |
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| 一 | 風雲はらむ 佛印に 新生の意気 空高く 仰ぐ隊長 核心に 死生結ぶ つわものは 九州男児に 三河武士 我等は佛印工兵隊 | 四 | 勇躍すすむ 馬来戦 鉄火とび散る 濁流に 敢然かける 橋の数 弾丸のしぶきを 身に浴びて 機舟浮べて 肉迫す 我等は佛印工兵隊 |
| 二 | 炎熱ものか 厳然と 蟻もとおさぬ 援蒋路 山なす物資 ことごとく 瀧なす汗に 此の技術に 敵の宝庫の 影もなし 我等は佛印工兵隊 | 五 | 熱風すさぶ ビルマ戦 砂塵は狂い のどはやく 追撃隊に 尖兵に 地雷も戦車も 密林も 挺身ひらく 進撃路 我等は佛印工兵隊 |
| 三 | 南方基地の 生命線 朝に守り 夕に練る 此の秋此の日 此の未明 英米撃滅の 御詔勅 正義の十字鍬 今ふるえ 我等は佛印工兵隊 | 六 | ああ鉄石の 此の決意 世紀の空に燦然と 日の丸高く 仰ぐまで 築くアジアの 捨石に なるぞ栄ある 此の朝 我等は佛印工兵隊 |
