Kyōsuke Eto
Encyclopedia
was a career officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy
in the Russo-Japanese War
and in World War I
. He was killed in the disaster of 1917.
on April 7, 1881, as the first son of a local sake brewer. He was expected to succeed to the family business in the natural course of events under the primogeniture system
. However, when he was a junior high school student, he told his father that he wanted to change to a high school in Tokyo
to serve in the Imperial Japanese Navy in the future. He is said to have fasted for three days and succeeded in persuading his stubbornly objecting father.
After graduating from the 28th class of Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
in 1900, the major achievement in his seventeen-year career came when he was only 24 years old, in the Battle of Tsushima
against Russia
in 1905. Eto was the commander of the aft gun turret
of the cruiser
, and was decorated with the Order of the Golden Kite
, 3rd Class for bravery in combat. After the war, he graduated from the 8th class of the Naval Staff College
.
During the early years of World War I
, he served as an officer on the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
, and was in charge of the naval heavy artillery in the Battle of Tsingtao
against Germany
. In May 1916, he was assigned as a military attaché
to the United Kingdom
, travelling to Europe via Siberia
. After his arrival, as per the Anglo-Japanese Alliance
, he was assigned a position as a military observer aboard the Royal Navy
battleship from 15 August 1916. The battleship was part of the British Home Fleet
during Eto’s assignment and remained in British waters.
Just before midnight on Monday 9 July 1917, HMS Vanguard suffered an explosion while stationed in Scapa Flow
, Scotland
. This was probably caused by an unnoticed stokehold fire heating cordite
stored against an adjacent bulkhead in one of the two magazine
s which served the amidships turrets P and Q. She sank almost instantly, killing an estimated 843 men including Eto; there were only two survivors. The site is now designated as a controlled site under the Protection of Military Remains Act
. His family visited Orkney in 1984, and were taken to the site of Vanguard's wreck.
Eto was posthumously promoted to the rank of captain, and awarded the Order of the Rising Sun
, 3rd Class by the Japanese government, and made a Companion of the Order of the Bath
by the British government.
There is a small display about Commander Eto in Gonohe Town Library.
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
in the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
and in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was killed in the disaster of 1917.
Biography
Eto was born in Gonohe, AomoriGonohe, Aomori
is a town located in Sannohe District, Aomori, Japan. Gonohe Town is located in the north-eastern part of Sannohe-gun, approximately 16 kilometres west of Hachinohe City and 10 kilometres southeast of Towada City. The town is adjacent to Hachinohe City to the east, Shingo Village to the west, Nanbu...
on April 7, 1881, as the first son of a local sake brewer. He was expected to succeed to the family business in the natural course of events under the primogeniture system
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
. However, when he was a junior high school student, he told his father that he wanted to change to a high school in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
to serve in the Imperial Japanese Navy in the future. He is said to have fasted for three days and succeeded in persuading his stubbornly objecting father.
After graduating from the 28th class of Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
The was a school established to train officers for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It originally located in Nagasaki, moved to Yokohama in 1866, and was relocated to Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1869. It moved to Etajima, Hiroshima in 1888...
in 1900, the major achievement in his seventeen-year career came when he was only 24 years old, in the Battle of Tsushima
Battle of Tsushima
The Battle of Tsushima , commonly known as the “Sea of Japan Naval Battle” in Japan and the “Battle of Tsushima Strait”, was the major naval battle fought between Russia and Japan during the Russo-Japanese War...
against Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in 1905. Eto was the commander of the aft gun turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
of the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
, and was decorated with the Order of the Golden Kite
Order of the Golden Kite
The ' was an order of the Empire of Japan, established on 12 February 1890 by Emperor Meiji "in commemoration of Jimmu Tennō, the Romulus of Japan."-Background:...
, 3rd Class for bravery in combat. After the war, he graduated from the 8th class of the Naval Staff College
Naval War College (Japan)
The was the staff college of the Imperial Japanese Navy, responsible for training officers for command positions either on warships, or in staff roles....
.
During the early years of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he served as an officer on the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
The was the highest organ within the Imperial Japanese Navy. In charge of planning and operations, it was headed by an Admiral headquartered in Tokyo.-History:...
, and was in charge of the naval heavy artillery in the Battle of Tsingtao
Battle of Tsingtao
The Siege of Tsingtao was the attack on the German-controlled port of Tsingtao in China during World War I by Imperial Japan and the United Kingdom....
against Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In May 1916, he was assigned as a military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, travelling to Europe via Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
. After his arrival, as per the Anglo-Japanese Alliance
Anglo-Japanese Alliance
The first was signed in London at what is now the Lansdowne Club, on January 30, 1902, by Lord Lansdowne and Hayashi Tadasu . A diplomatic milestone for its ending of Britain's splendid isolation, the alliance was renewed and extended in scope twice, in 1905 and 1911, before its demise in 1921...
, he was assigned a position as a military observer aboard the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
battleship from 15 August 1916. The battleship was part of the British Home Fleet
British Home Fleet
The Home Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy which operated in the United Kingdom's territorial waters from 1902 with intervals until 1967.-Pre–First World War:...
during Eto’s assignment and remained in British waters.
Just before midnight on Monday 9 July 1917, HMS Vanguard suffered an explosion while stationed in Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. This was probably caused by an unnoticed stokehold fire heating cordite
Cordite
Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the United Kingdom from 1889 to replace gunpowder as a military propellant. Like gunpowder, cordite is classified as a low explosive because of its slow burning rates and consequently low brisance...
stored against an adjacent bulkhead in one of the two magazine
Magazine (artillery)
Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
s which served the amidships turrets P and Q. She sank almost instantly, killing an estimated 843 men including Eto; there were only two survivors. The site is now designated as a controlled site under the Protection of Military Remains Act
Protection of Military Remains Act 1986
The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom which provides protection for the wreckage of military aircraft and designated military vessels. The Act provides for two types of protection: protected places and controlled sites. Military aircraft are...
. His family visited Orkney in 1984, and were taken to the site of Vanguard's wreck.
Eto was posthumously promoted to the rank of captain, and awarded the Order of the Rising Sun
Order of the Rising Sun
The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
, 3rd Class by the Japanese government, and made a Companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
by the British government.
There is a small display about Commander Eto in Gonohe Town Library.