The Evolution of the Japanese Imperial Army Backpacks (1874-1945)

[Nick Komiya]

Oct. 1904- Feb. 1905, Tube Pack Evolution during the Russo-Japanese War


The foregoing article focused on the backpacks and only briefly touched upon tube packs as a favored battlefield alternative since the Sino-Japanese War. However, tube packs, simple in design as they may seem, have had an evolutionary process of their own until they became what we are used to seeing from WW2.

During the Russo-Japanese War, in which the tube packs came to be seen as much more practical and handier than the backpack, what was desired of the tube pack’s carrying capacity was ideally to contain the following kit, according to the Second Reserve Infantry Division’s request of Oct. 1904 .

1 set of winter shirt and long Johns
1 pair of ankle boots
1 Mess Kit
2 days of field rations
2 pairs of socks
1 set of uniform care brushes, sewing kit
40 rounds of ammo
A few small tools

However, the official configuration of the pack issued at that time could not contain the full kit desired. So the Reserve Division came up with a design modification idea that would allow the contents above to be contained, and yet without having to consume any more cloth material as required by the issued design.

This alternative design and instructions on how to make it was also duly proposed by that Division, which is what is shown below. As you see, tube packs were more like American Indian baby Papoose designs at that time.

The Ministry of the Army gave the green light for this modified design on 29th October 1904, allowing other units to adopt the same design.

But as we already know, rain-proofing of this bag remained an outstanding problem. On this point, the 9th Reserve Infantry Division proposed to the Minister of the Army on 22nd December 1904 that the cost for dying of the lining material could be saved and be spent on water-proofing instead. In addition, they asked that soldiers be issued a 60 cm x 60 cm square of waterproof paper to wrap up the field rations contained in the tube pack.

Another request, reaching basically the same conclusion, was lodged by the 1st Reserve Division on 11th January 1905, which said that the cotton material of the tube packs soaked up rain so readily that there was no protection possible for salt and food rations that absolutely needed to be kept dry from spoiling, and that the only way to achieve that was to issue a rubberized bag for the rations

At the same time, the redesign approved for the tube pack from October 1904 was still not a happy end to the pack design, as now the 10th Reserve Division reported on 11th January 1905, that though replacement troops sent to the continent had been issued with tube packs instead of backpacks, carrying the whole kit this way, caused all the contents of the tube pack to gradually slide down and pile up at the lowest point, restricting the movement of the right arm as well as getting in the way when taking a prone shooting position, not to say anything of the mess in rainy weather. Instead, they applied for the minister’s approval for a backpack in khaki canvass duck material they designed with water-proofing.

They had increased the capacity of the backpack slightly by making it wider, but shorter in height not to push against the head in a prone position and also not to push against the rear ammo pouch.

The ministry replied on 18th January 1905 that they were also working on improvement ideas for both the back pack and tube pack designs, so the 10th Reserves should await those results rather than employ unique equipment of their own. As we have seen earlier, this effort by the ministry was what took shape as a khaki canvass duck backpack announced on 1st February 1905.

[Nick Komiya]

The 1932 Modification to the Type Sho-5 Tube Pack

I mentioned earlier that the tube packs revived in the 1930 specs basically remained in use until 1945 with only a slight change in 1932. That change primarily involved expanding the capacity of the bag to allow the mess kit to fit into the pack.

This meant that the pack revived in 1930 was much slimmer than the version used in the Russo-Japanese War, and this 1930 model came to be seen as a little too unaccommodating by 1932. Thus the increase in capacity was approved on 8th September 1932, and on 4th November 1932, it was announced that all packs already in stock were also to be converted retroactively by the end of 1933. This was why the markings shown in the earlier spec drawing of the Tube Pack showed the character 改 in a box at top, indicating a conversion or modification.

As the photo below shows, this was still in effect in 1938, but once all old stock had been converted, this marking became redundant and was not present in WW2 versions anymore.

[DoubleCanister]

I believe I uploaded this before but it got deleted (with the rest of the thread temporarily some time ago?). The IJA also apparently issued holdalls (tubepacks lite?) of blue cloth specifically to be used in combat in lieu of the knapsack (Though apparently Japanese soldiers were observed to advance with knapsacks on occasion with surprising rapidity). A sketch and dimensions of it from a Colonel J. W. G. Tulloch of the Indian army

[Nick Komiya]

I was supplied this wartime illustration by my brother, which shows the carry method of the Type 98 shovel in combination with a Type 99 (octopus) backpack.

The Type 98 shovel bag was designed to be attached to the left side of the backpack, but as the latecomer Type 99 packs only had tie straps on the side, the hitherto carry method no longer seemed to be secure enough and the shovel was now strapped to the top.

Thus some photos I took for this thread did not reflect this updated carry method that would have come into effect from 1940.

[iac]

Sir, Re. the 1934 Rucksack you state the production of "100 pieces of rucksack style tube pack".
Are there any photos/drawings of this ? If not, do they just look like a tube sack with shoulder straps ?
Thanks, IAC.

[ghp95134]

Sir, Re. the 1934 Rucksack you state the production of "100 pieces of rucksack style tube pack".
Are there any photos/drawings of this ? If not, do they just look like a tube sack with shoulder straps ?
Thanks, IAC.

iac,

Please see Nick's other article here for a photo of the WW2 version.

Actually it's on page 2 of this thread.

-- Guy

[iac]

@ ghp Thank You Sir !

[iac]

Gents, Google this site "militaryhealth.bmj.com" and search for articles by Capt. N Dunbar Walker, you'll find a report he wrote in 1913 re, Knapsacks.
On page 50, he discusses the Japanese cowhide rucksack, as well as the above blue canvas "seoi-fukuro" tubular holdall.
Enjoy, IAC

[iac]

FYI to my above Post- Once on the "bmj" website, type "knapsacks" under search.
Capt. Walker's 1913 article will appear.
In addition, more Info re, the Sack can be found by searching the Web for "seiko bukuro" , IAC.

[iac]

Hey Nick, With all of your grand Work; it looks like you missed one, SARC !
$90⁰⁰ for a Rucksack that IJA Soldiers allegedly "used as luggage by troops going on leave" ?!
WWII Japanese Army Barracks Bag – Griffin Militaria