Japanese meatball flag - translation needed please.

[Danger]

Hi Guys,

I just got this Japanese meatball flag.
I've only really just got into the flag side of collecting and liked the look of the Kanji in the corner of the flag.
I was hoping it was a named flag or a division marker?
Any help translating what it says would be greatly appreciated.
Or any other advice or comments would be welcome too.
Would it be easy to trace if it is a division marker?

Cheers,

Danger

[Nick Komiya]

I do not know why a 10 year old boy took a flag to school, but it shows class and name of a 4th grader in elementary school. It could also be post war.

[ghp95134]

His name was Kimura Tadao

四年[性]組
Yon'nen-sei Gumi
4th year-student group

木村忠雄
Kimura Tadao

the "student" 性 part is obliterated.

[Danger]

Hi guys,

Thanks for that nick and ghp95134.
Do you think it's something like cadets or just a school thing?
No way to tell if it's during war time or post war?
Not without getting Tadao's schools records.....

Cheers,

[Nick Komiya]

I don't know whether his name was Tadao, but he was no cadet, completely civilian. Could be war time, if made of silk (looks cotton to me) or check with black light. If the aspect ratio is 3 to 2 and the orb is centered, it is even post-1999. Read post 35-36 of this thread The Banner of Golden Brocade

Just going by the photo, it is more likely to be post war than not, sorry.

[ghp95134]

I don't know whether his name was Tadao, ...

Nick is correct .... and this exchange illustrates why he doesn't like to translate given names. 忠雄 could have been pronounced in any of the following ways:

忠雄
Atsuo

忠雄
Tadao

忠雄
Tadakatsu

忠雄
Norio

source

It's just that to me, Tadao would have been my guess since -- in my limited experience -- it is the most commonly seen ... BUT -- I have only a limited knowledge compared to a native-speaker.

--Guy

[Nick Komiya]

My problem is merely that I don't see a 雄. But anyway, it's hardly of consequence.

[ghp95134]

My problem is merely that I don't see a 雄. But anyway, it's hardly of consequence.

Aha .... you're right again. I was focused on the right-half ナム and just assumed 雄. After expanding the image I can see it is 紘

忠紘
Tadahiro

Thanks for keeping me honest!

--Guy

[Danger]

Thanks again guys. Your knowledge is priceless and it's expanding mine.