Service Book - 2nd pattern (1878 to 1887)

[bestmsdt]

During the Covid lockdowns, I purchased some IJA Service Books from Japan. Have just started looking at this one in more detail. Looking at Nick's article on these books, this one is the second pattern in use from 1878 to 1887. Like his example, this is 歩兵科手牒 Infantry Branch Booklet. There is a heck of a lot in this pattern of booklet, and I am trying to understand the different sections. Note the name cover tag that Nick mentions is still present on the inside.
The soldier is Tanaka-san, though I am struggling with the given name. The ranks are on a separate page, and he never progressed from a Second Class Private. I can see he started off in the 1st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 4th Company. The oath is signed May the 20th, Meiji 20 (so 1887).
I am looking for assistance in spotting anything interesting, in particular with the service record. There are some entries in vermillion, which might be significant. The inserted page starts at July Meiji 27 (1894), then at the head of the 3rd column changes to February Meiji 28 (1895), and in March the writing changes to vermillion.

Cheers,
Tony

[SteveM]

The soldier's given name is Hikojirō (彦次郎), using a variant of 彦. The vermillion entry of the first book describes leaving the port of Ujina in Hiroshima on March 6th of 1895, and arriving in Penghu (Taiwan) three days later, and battling in the area near Chien-shan, then attacking the city of Magong. He shipped out of Penghu on July 21st, and arrived back to Hiroshima on August 3rd.

[ghp95134]

And his company commander's name:

中隊長
Chūtai-chō
Company Commander

陸軍歩兵大尉鈴木重郎
Rikugun Hohei Tai'i Suzuki Shigerō
Army Infantry Captain Suzuki Shigerō

[The given name could also be pronounced Juurou or Shigeo]


Dated at the right margin:
明治二十年五月二十日
Meiji 20th Year [1887], May 20th



-- Guy

[tomp]

What history, wow! 1st Sino-Japanese War booklets just don't turn up all that much, and you have entries for the Pescadores Campaign! See here for details on what this soldier saw:

Pescadores campaign (1895) - Wikipedia



Tom

[bestmsdt]

Well thanks Steve and Guy for your help. An interesting result! Looking up the kanji for the places Steve mentioned above, it was still a struggle initially to see the places in the service record. I can see them now though, but well done, Steve, in reading the hand-writing.

Interestingly, the name Ujina had gone from my memory, but in 1985 I lived in Hiroshima at Takanobashi on the Hiroden Ujina tram-line! I see that Guy likes the name Mitaka, 三鷹, 3 Hawks in the Good Luck Flag post, and I always liked Takanobashi, 鷹野橋, The Bridge of Hawks. The line opened in 1912, so Tanaka-san wouldn't have used it on his journey to Penghu.

I have added an image of the awards page in the service book. On April the 1st, 1906 (Meiji 39), Tanaka-san looks to have been awarded the Sino-Japanese War Medal (1894-5 War Medal). The medal has 二十七八 on the reverse (Meiji 27-8, 1894-5), so I am assuming the string in the service book of 三十七八 is a mistake???

Don't know about the left-hand column, 褒賞休業, Hōshō Kyuugyō, which literally translates to holiday or suspension of business award. Retirement award??? Haven't been able to read the column contents.

Cheers,
Tony

[bestmsdt]

Thanks, Tom. Will have to comb back through the record and try and see what company he was in at the time!
Cheers,
Tony

[ghp95134]

Good luck with that awards entry!!!

精兵名明治廿一年九月廿三日＊＊十� �＊＊＊
Just guessing:

• 兵
• 名 [looks more complicates, maybe followed by り?]
• 廿 20. I'm guessing it is 20 because 五 or 九 do not fit, plus he uses 十 for 10/teen so it's not that.

I'm definitely confident of 精, 明治, 年九月, and 十四

Maybe SteveM can help????

-- Guy

[bestmsdt]

Thanks for the input, Guy. Yeah, these service books could keep one out of circulation for a very long time!!!

On Wednesday off to Scotland and then to the Orkneys to dive in Scapa Flow, so will get some fresh air then!

Cheers,
Tony

[ghp95134]

...On Wednesday off to Scotland and then to the Orkneys to dive in Scapa Flow...

Hi Tony,

I'll tell my friend about your trip to Scapa Flow. He's hard-hat qualified and a member of the Historical Diving Society ... his dream is to dive there. He'll be making a Viking tour (I told him to be prepared to row) that will skirt Scapa Flow, though he won't be able to dive! He'll be envious.

Cheers, and have fun.
-- Guy

[SteveM]

Can't read much of that left column with any confidence after 精. 精勤 maybe.
褒賞休業 Is an award of time off (leave of absence)