BADGE, COLLAR

Description: A: COLLAR BADGE MADE OF EITHER BRASS OR COPPER. BADGE IN SHAPE OF A MAPLE LEAF WITH A CROWN IN THE TOP OF THE LEAF. IN THE CENTER IS THE NUMBER “52” WITH A CIRCULAR BORDER AROUND IT CONTAINING THE WORDS “NEW ONTARIO”. AT THE BASE OF THE LEAF READS, “CANADA”. THERE IS A SHINE TO THE METAL’S VARNISH. ON THE BACK SIDE IS TWO METAL LOOPS, ONE ATTACHED TO EITHER SIDE OF THE BADGE. B: DOUBLE-PRONGED METAL PIN HORIZONTALLY THROUGH THOSE LOOPS. PIN IS 4.2 CM IN LENGTH. CONDITION: MINOR WEAR TO VARNISH.

History: DONOR PATRICIA SASSA’S FATHER, OKINAWAN TOMOMI OKUTAKE, WAS ONE OF 222 JAPANESE CANADIANS TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN 1916, SERVING IN THE INFANTRY. LANDING IN CANADA VIA VANCOUVER IN 1907, OKUTAKE WORKED FOR THE CPR BEFORE MIGRATING WEST TO LETHBRIDGE TO WORK AT THE NO. 6 MINE, WHERE HE SETTLED IN HARDIEVILLE IN 1911 – CONNECTING WITH OTHER OKINAWANS ALREADY ESTABLISHED IN THE COMMUNITY. FROM THERE, HE MADE THE DECISION TO SUPPORT HIS NEW COUNTRY, CANADA, IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR. IN 1919, OKUTAKE RETURNED TO HARDIEVILLE TO CONTINUE HIS WORK IN THE MINES AFTER THE WAR – RIGHT UP UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT. OF THE JAPANESE CANADIANS WHO VOLUNTEERED FOR THE CEF, 55 WERE KILLED DURING WW1. FOR A MORE DETAILED HISTORY, PLEASE SEE P20170001001. PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING FULL INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS, SERVICE RECORDS, COPIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS, AND LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES.