British use of Japanese Equipment

[umy4804]

Good afternoon,

I am research the use of Japanese equipment by British forces on the outbreak of WW1. Britain purchased ca. 150,000 rifles in late 1914 / early 1915, but documentary evidence in the British archives is entirely lacking for this transaction. With the rifles seem to have come a quantity of Japanese pattern accoutrements - belts, pouches, frogs, and slings (some are mentioned in a list of Emergency Pattern stores introduced during the war, published in 1920 as part of store accounting procedures). These are very occasionally encountered in period photographs (though in six years of searching, I have found only one image of the pouches and belts in use together).

Britain also adopted the oil bottle and tools associated with the rifles - some were produced in very limited quantities in Britain (a sealed pattern of a Japanese pattern oil bottle exists in the Royal Armouries).

Based on Nick Komiya's excellent articles, I believe I have found a pouch used by Britain in 1915: the internal divider has been removed to allow carriage of ammunition in a 50-round cotton bandolier, and the holes to the base have been blocked. Notably, the screwdriver pocket on my pouch is of the later shape, suggesting this modification may be earlier than 1916. The oil bottle holder is of the narrow, early type.

I also have a Japanese Type 30 frog specifically modified for use with the British 1914 Pattern leather equipment (belt loops widened and reinforced with new rivets, leather tab added to rear for entrenching tool helve holder; on my example, this has been cut short).

Besides the booklet by the late Tony Edwards, I am not aware of any other original research on this topic, but would be very grateful if anyone could supply additional information.

[SHEMP H]

Can you please post photos of the back and bottom outside of the pouch and any markings and bottle holder, Thank You.

[umy4804]

Certainly; please see below. The only marking is the "8" (actually "o" over "o") to the front left of the pouch.

[Nick Komiya]

Fortunately, these transactions are well documented in the Japanese archives.

Before WW1, Japan was flooded with weapons orders from other nations, particularly from Russia, and all such exports were routed through the Taihei Association as middlemen. See here for some background on this Taihei Association.

Among these export orders, were a good number of deals with the UK, which had been an ally of Japan since 1902, due to the Anglo-Japanese Alliance that remained in effect until 1923.

Below is the chronology of the weapon deals made with the UK in 1914/15.

At that time, the requests for weapons came through Lt. Colonel John A C Somerville, Military Attaché at the British Embassy in Tokyo, who directed correspondence to Lt. Col. Nagano, Secretary to the Minister of the Army, and the actual transactions were arranged by the Taihei Association, who needed to seek IJA permission to get these produced and released by the Osaka Artillery Arsenal.


1914 7th October
Letter to Minister of the Army from the Osaka Artillery Arsenal asking for permission to let the arsenal accept the request from the Taihei Association for supply of weapons to the UK.

The UK order consisted of the following
1. Type 38 Rifles and Type 30 Bayonets 50,000 pcs
2. Type 30 Bayonet Accessories 50,000 sets
3. Type 38 Rifle Accessories 10,000 sets
4. Type 38 ammo with clips and in packets 20 million rounds

1914 15th December
Further request received from UK consisted of the following
1. Type 30 Rifle Accessories 20,000 sets
2. Type 30 Bayonet Accessories 50,000 sets
3. Type 38 Cavalry Carbine Accessories (However, oiler to be for the Type 38) 30,000 sets

1914 21st December
Taihei Association requested permission to supply 50,000 dummy rounds to the UK.

1915 9th January
Taihei Association requested supply of 1,440 rounds of Type 38 rifle ammo for the UK. This was to make up for a crate that accidentally fell off-board, during the ship-loading of an earlier batch of 12,500,000 rounds destined for the UK.

1915 15th January
Inquiry from UK Embassy in Tokyo whether the IJA could supply UK with 12 units of 15cm howitzers with 1000 or 2000 rounds of ammo. The Minister of the Army, however, replied that Japan was unfortunately unable to accommodate this request. These would eventually be supplied as shown below. See attached letter.

1915 28th January
Thank you memo from UK Embassy in Tokyo for the 50,000 rifles received. The memo is dated 1914 by error. See attached.

1915 18th March
Letter to Minister of the Army from Osaka Artillery Arsenal asking for permission to let the arsenal accept the request from the Taihei Association for supply of 4 Light Mortars and 1000 rounds to the UK. The mortars supplied were those used in the siege of Tsingtao.

1915 24th June
Military Attaché - Lt. Col. John A C Somerville of the UK Embassy in Tokyo requested Lt. Colonel Nagano, Secretary to the Minister of the Army for urgent supply of a further 12 Light Mortars (15 cm howitzers) and 3000 rounds to the UK.

1915 6th July
Letter to Minister of the Army from Osaka Artillery Arsenal asking for permission to let the arsenal accept the request from the Taihei Association for supply of 12 Light Mortars (15 cm howitzers) and 3000 rounds to the UK.

1915 13th September
Military Attaché - Lt. Col. John A C Somerville of the UK Embassy in Tokyo visited the Osaka Artillery Arsenal to inspect the ongoing crating of the howitzers.

[umy4804]

Nick,
That information is absolutely wonderful - thank you so much for sharing!

Is there any clue in the records regarding the meaning of:

"Type 30 Bayonet Accessories 50,000 sets"

Could this be a reference to the accoutrements?

Attached are extracts from the British Emergency Price List of 1920. Interestingly, the hardware for rifle slings in noted, but not the slings themselves. Likewise, only small pouches and lengthened belts (does this describe the Winter belt extensions, or a modification made by the British?). The frogs were adoped as regular stores, and so appear in a different price list.

[Nick Komiya]

"Bayonet accessories", in this context, is referring to the leather waist belt and frog. Initially, the belt, frog and pouches were all categorized as accessories of the Type 30 rifle, but with the advent of the Type 38 rifle, for which the same bayonet was used, the Type 30 bayonet became a stand alone feature paired to the frog and waist belt.

[Wakizashi]

Hi , Very interesting rear Japanese ammo pouch, I do like your article refering to British use and acquirement of Japanese military items, and how they altered the ammo pouch , the holes filled in on the base , but what is keeping the leather patches in place. Do you think the centre dividing panels were removed on all the pouches, have you had chance to try one of the smaller oil bottles ( I think they're refered to as Murata oil bottles ??? ) I have a reproduction one which is 3cm wide . Have you ever come across any Japanese front ammo pouches from that era . The Bayonet Frog is real special . Again Thank for sharing a couple of amazing items . Best Wishes .

[ghp95134]

Wakizashi,

Sadly, Nick Komiya passed away. Perhaps someone else can answer your question.

Regards,
-- Guy

[Anderson]

It's an interesting topic and one not well known. In a book I have on the New Zealand forces at Gallipoli (ANZACs) it shows an interesting photo from the Gallipoli trenches
of NZ soldiers using a Japanese made trench mortar. Described as being highly effective at hurling bombs into the Turkish trenches.

[Wakizashi]

Thank You Guy , for passing on this really sad news about Nick Komiya , I did not know , He shared an incredible vast wealth of information with everyone , Best Wishes Bern.