Help with unknown pouch please

[Kohima]

Good day all,
I wonder if anyone can identify the intended purpose and origin of this pouch and, indeed, its age. There are a few markings inside the flap, though these are weak and difficult to photograph.

I am not even sure that it is Japanese, though the characters seem to indicate something to do with ‘fire’ (if google translate is to be trusted at all!), but am aware that it might well be Chinese. It was acquired along with a very nice pair of 1938 dated Japanese mosquito gloves, though of course, this is no solid indicator of its own nationality or age.

I thank you in advance for all and any help you can give.
All the very best,
Bob

[adachi]

導火索器具袋
Detonation cord tool pouch
It looks Japanese to me

[arisakadogs]

That is very cool and probably very rare. I'd love to know what tools were kept in those pockets. Might be a "sappers" pouch for demolition stuff.

[Kohima]

Fantastic! I was hoping it was something like that...
I would assume there would be wire-cutters/pliers/crimping tool and, perhaps, detonators, amongst other stuff (I wonder if it appears in any allied intelligence manual).
Quite where I’m going to find all the stuff to fill it, I don’t know!

Many thanks for the translation, Adachi!
Bob

[Kohima]

Well, I’ve exhausted pretty much every photo source I have and cannot find anything that looks like this... In fact, it has proven remarkably difficult to even find much reference on the Japanese Army Engineer Corps at all! Much like the Medical services, there seems a paucity of material available.

If anyone should spot something like this pouch, in a period photograph or manual (or find period Japanese Engineer Corps manuals for sale), I would be delighted to hear about it...

All the best and many thanks!
Bob

[ghp95134]

Not period .... but here's another (without tools).

[Kohima]

Ahh! That looks remarkably like mine...
When you say ‘not period’, do you mean the photo or the pouch? If the pouch itself, what era is it from?
(Could well explain why I can’t find any wartime pictures of it)!

Cheers,
Bob

[ghp95134]

You'd think that the sexy job of setting charges would have featured in some of the photos in these magazine articles and Army Combat Engineer School postcards .....but NOOoooooooooo! More links at the bottom of the page.

[Kohima]

Aaarrrggghhhh!
I swear they did it deliberately, just to confound future militaria collectors...

Some tantalising images there; especially the mining company men, standing around with what appears to be detonating-cord, and things in the process of getting blown up.
Besides that, some very interesting images.
Many thanks for posting them!

Cheers,
Bob

[ghp95134]

Here are some war-time newsreels showing Combat Engineers. Have seen only some rock and a tree blown in place, and it shows setting the charges and lots of det cord .... but no sign of that bag of yours.

You can see a Sapper reach into a bag on his right side and pull out something .... but you just cannot see that bag!

And there's a cool shot of two men wearing their swords over the back.

Right at the tail end of the reels it shows some charges being primed ..... but no tools or tool bag.

--Guy