Need opinion on Japanese medals and flag

[SilluAgain]

Hello, what do you think of this set? It consists of a flag with inscriptions in Japanese. I would like to know what it says since I don't know Japanese. There are also some medals, these being: Order of the Rising Sun 8th class with box, The 1904–05 Russo-Japanese War Medal and another medal that I cannot identify. What do you think, is this lot worth it? Is it all original or does something make you suspicious? I await your answers, thank you very much.

[ghp95134]

The flag looks good. The main slogan reads from left to right:
祈武運長久
Inori Bu'un Chōkyū
Prayers/Wishes for Continued Success in the Fortunes of War

為奥村正平君
Tame: Okumura Shohei
For: Mr. Okumura, Shohei

The balance of the flag is the names of well-wishers, quite a few named 土井 Doi.


-- Guy

[tomp]

Would it be possible to see some pics of the handwritten entries (entries separated by either small, stamped red circles or dots) within the cloth covered booklet? If it has unusual content, it could affect the overall value of the grouping.

Tom

[SilluAgain]

Thank you for your prompt response, very helpful as always. Regarding what Tom says, I'm sorry but I don't understand it, English is not my native language and I don't quite understand what you mean sorry.

[ghp95134]

Thank you for your prompt response, very helpful as always. Regarding what Tom says, I'm sorry but I don't understand it, English is not my native language and I don't quite understand what you mean sorry.

This page near the front will give his personal information:



And these types of pages will tell about his deployments:


-- Guy

[Kiipu]

The title of the handbook is 歩兵射撃手簿 [Infantry Shooting Handbook].

[SilluAgain]

Hello, good afternoon, the seller has sent me these images, I hope they serve to investigate more into the life of the soldier. Thank you for your help and your time

[ghp95134]

I'll do the personal data page:

歩兵 Service Branch: Infantry
東京府 Home of record: Tokyo-fu [Tokyo Prefecture]

Hat size: 七 7
Trouser size: 五 5
Jacket size: 五 5
Shoe size: 一〇文 三分 Tomon (十文) san-bun. I have no idea!

Rank: 壱等卒 Ittōsatsu Private First Class [rank later renamed 一等兵 Ittōhei]

氏名 Name:酒井九十郎 Sakai Kūjurō
誕生 Birth: 明治参拾四年参月弐拾七日 Meiji 34 [1901] March 27
身長 Height: 五尺二寸壱部 5-shaku 2-sun 1-bu
(163.93cm; 64.54 inches: 5'4.5")

Current residence:
東京府 Tokyo Prefecture
北多摩郡 North Tama District
小平村 Kodaira Mura [Now a city within Tokyo Metro Area]
小川八〇九番地 House No. Kogawa 809

I've been to Kodaira to teach English for a week at the Ground Self-Defense Force Intelligence School waaaaaay back in 1992.

-- Guy

[Akira Komiya]

I'll take up from where Guy-san left.
The man was drafted on December 13, 1921 (Taisho 10) into the 74th Infantry Regiment which was a component of the 19th Infantry Division which was one of the 2 divisions stationed in Korea (the other being the 20th.) and was discharged less than a year later on October 25, 1922 without making the rank of Private 1st Class. (I thought all recruits were automatically promoted to Private 1st Class upon 6 months' service but maybe such was not the case in the Taisho era.)
He was then recalled on August 30, 1927 to the 1st Infantry Regiment to participate in maneuvers and upon the conclusion of the maneuvers was discharged on September 20th being promoted to Private Fist Class on the same date. He has not seen any active service thereafter although he was called up for roll call on a couple of occasions.
At the end of the pass is pasted a notice regarding the wear of the special uniform for dischargees.
The period in which Mr. Sakai served coincided with the massive downsizing of the army following WW1 and the Siberian intervention and draftees were sent home early before their normal time of service time (nominally 3 years, although I thought in actuality they served for less than 2 years in peacetime) was up.
Having a lot of soldiers being discharged en masse caused problems as the draftees would all have sent home their civilian clothing upon call up so the army had to produce and issue special clothing for wear by the discharged soldiers to wear on their way home which consisted of a visor hat with cotton top instead of woolen top (which is sometimes erroneously identified as summer issue visor hats) and a cotton tunic (and most likely trousers too, although I myself have not seen one). This is just like the US militay issuing the ruptured duck insignia for wear by returning service men during WW2, although the Japanese army was too miserly to allow actual service grade clothing (which was in wool) to be worn home by the discharged soldiers.
As for the shoe size, 10.3 mon translates to approximately 24.5 cm, which would be a tiny size today but seems to have been the norm in pre-war Japan. (Almost all of the Japanese footwear I have in my collection come in this size.) 1 mon indicated the diameter of the 1 mon coin which was in circulation during the Edo period which was approximately 24mm, slightly less than an inch.

[Akira Komiya]

I forgot to mention that the unidentified badge (the Cherry blossom with purple tassel) is the 軍人遺族記章（Insignia for the Bereaved of Military Dead) which was established by Imperial Edict No. 204 on August 3rd, 1931 and was awarded to the next of kin of soldiers killed in combat or who died within 3 years of wounds or diseases sustained or contracted on the battlefield.
If the flag, ID booklet and medals all belonged to the same person or family, it would have made the lot more desirable but with at least the flag and ID booklet belonging to different persons (it is still possible that the person in the flag was later killed in action with the next of kin receiving one of the Rising Suns and the Insignia for the Bereaved of Military Dead, but without documentation it is impossible to ascertain that), the value of the lot would be the sum of the individual components, although I would say that you have a nice flag.