An aikuchi dagger and headband belonging to a Japanese Kamikaze pilot is to cross the block at Alexander Historical Auctions.

The Japanese began to use Kamikaze pilots in 1944, when the tide was turning against them in the second world war.

The Kamikaze knife is inscribed "Must Win"

Pilots crashed planes filled with explosives into enemy ships. In the seconds before impact they would use the knife to commit suicide, thus depriving their enemies of a kill.

The characters at the base of the blade read "Must Win".

Such daggers are exceptionally rare. The present lot was privately owned, rather than recovered from the scene of an attack.

It's expected to make $3,000-4,000 in the December 8 sale.

A headband worn by a Kamikaze pilot during the attack on the USS Franklin in 1944 sold for $8,000 at Bonhams earlier this year.

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