Japanese soldiers' identification tags

Discussions on all aspects of the Japanese Empire, from the capture of Taiwan until the end of the Second World War.
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cloudy-joe
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Re: Japanese soldiers' identification tags

#16

Post by cloudy-joe » 07 Mar 2009, 15:06

Thank you very much for your assistance!
I forgot to mention, than this dogtag was found on th Matua island (or Matsua, 松輪島) in the central Kuril archipelago.
Do you know, is it possible to find in internet any information about japanese army code numbers system?

cloudy-joe
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Re: Japanese soldiers' identification tags

#17

Post by cloudy-joe » 07 Mar 2009, 17:49

And one more dogtag from Kuril`s Paramushir island (幌筵島). This one was found near Kashiwabara (柏原) airfield.

So, the first column - 空136 - what is it?
This (if 空 means 空軍) may be the 136th airfield maintenance battalion (第136飛行場大隊)?
Or 空 is the code of 51th army airdivision (第51航空師団)?
And what 外 means? This is abbreviation from 外地?

Thank you in advance!

PS
TOKU was the code used for the KWANTUNG DEFENSE ARMY
Is it really 德 , not 遠征 ?
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stulev
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Re: Japanese soldiers' identification tags

#18

Post by stulev » 08 Mar 2009, 15:43

is it possible to find in internet any information about japanese army code numbers system?
I have not been able to find anything I could use as a non Japanese reader. but there seems to be some bits and pieces in Japanese on the internet.

cloudy-joe
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Re: Japanese soldiers' identification tags

#19

Post by cloudy-joe » 29 May 2009, 10:10

Another one. And the first one in my collection
Toku 16 (one left side? very strange)
220 (personal ID?)
Who can help me with indentification of the unit?
Many thanks in advance!
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stulev
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Re: Japanese soldiers' identification tags

#20

Post by stulev » 29 May 2009, 16:28

This was the period before the introduction of the army wide code number system in 1940 - Manchuria and China units used code number mainly under number 1000.

I have 5 units using number 16 but none are TOKU

CHUBU 16 was Special Guard Unit - Central District Army
TOBU 16 was the 5th Guards Infantry Regiment (signal unit???) - 2nd Guards Division????? formed after the new
codes were issued
SEIBU 16 was the 13th Infantry Regiment - 6th Division
HOKUBU 16 was 31st Infantry Regiment(maybe 8th Engineer Regiment) - 8th Division
???? 16 is an unidentified air unit

dlangham
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Re: Japanese soldiers' identification tags

#21

Post by dlangham » 05 Aug 2009, 01:39

Hi,

I have just found this fantastic forum and thread and I was wondering if someone could help translate the ID Tag which I have uploaded as an image to the URL below, it is very high definition.
My father passed away in 1970 when I was 5 years old and I don't really have many memories of him. I have only just found this ID Tag hidden away in some belongings of his from when he was a POW working on the Death Railway.
He was taken prisoner when Singapore fell to the Japanese, he was in the 1st Battalion Cambridgeshire Regiment and for 3 years he was missing in action.

http://www.rockandblues.uk.com/100_0452.jpg

Best Regards
Dale

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Akira Takizawa
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Re: Japanese soldiers' identification tags

#22

Post by Akira Takizawa » 05 Aug 2009, 04:49

Dale,

Translation of your ID tag

Akatsuki 1750
1st Company
No. 200

"Akatsuki 1750" means 11th Shipping Engineer Regiment. It was stationed in Burma. You said that your father was working in the Burma-Thai railway. So, the area is coincident. But, I have no idea why your father had it.


Taki

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Sewer King
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Re: Japanese soldiers' identification tags

#23

Post by Sewer King » 05 Aug 2009, 05:08

stulev wrote:
cloudy-joe wrote:is it possible to find in internet any information about japanese army code numbers system?
I have not been able to find anything I could use as a non Japanese reader. but there seems to be some bits and pieces in Japanese on the internet.
Some time ago I made a similar inquiry here, although it was not connected to Japanese Army ID tags. See that thread under "Numerical cover designators for Japanese military units.". I hope that will be something of a start.

-- Alan

dlangham
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Re: Japanese soldiers' identification tags

#24

Post by dlangham » 05 Aug 2009, 10:36

Akira Takizawa wrote:Dale,

Translation of your ID tag

Akatsuki 1750
1st Company
No. 200

"Akatsuki 1750" means 11th Shipping Engineer Regiment. It was stationed in Burma. You said that your father was working in the Burma-Thai railway. So, the area is coincident. But, I have no idea why your father had it.


Taki
Many thanks Taki,

Do you have anymore information on the 11th Shipping Engineer Regiment as I am baffled as to why my father would have this, I also have a Japanese Pay Book and possibly another ID Tag, but at the minute I cannot find them, I do remember that the Pay Book does appear to have bayonet or knife holes through it, I will try to find out where my father saw action prior to being taken POW and see if it ties up with any information on the 11th Shipping Engineer Regiment.
Again, many thanks for your time.

Best Regards
Dale

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Akira Takizawa
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Re: Japanese soldiers' identification tags

#25

Post by Akira Takizawa » 05 Aug 2009, 17:16

dlangham wrote:Do you have anymore information on the 11th Shipping Engineer Regiment as I am baffled as to why my father would have this, I also have a Japanese Pay Book and possibly another ID Tag, but at the minute I cannot find them, I do remember that the Pay Book does appear to have bayonet or knife holes through it, I will try to find out where my father saw action prior to being taken POW and see if it ties up with any information on the 11th Shipping Engineer Regiment.
11th Shipping Engineer Regiment was formed on Dec. 1942. It was after your father had been captured. So, he got this ID tag while he was POW or after the war ended.

11th Shipping Engineer Regiment was mainly serving sea transport duty in Akyab area. It does not concern the railway.

Taki

javimetal
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Re: Japanese soldiers' identification tags

#26

Post by javimetal » 26 Mar 2010, 05:19

Hello everyone,
I'm New Here.
I am interested in buying a Japanese Dog Tag. you could say if it is original, please?
Also, if possible, translate Japanese letters
The photo isn´tt very good
Thank you very much for the help.
A greeting
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cloudy-joe
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Re: Japanese soldiers' identification tags

#27

Post by cloudy-joe » 26 Mar 2010, 05:52

Unit 100, personal ID - 1
You can read about this unit here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_100
I think, that this dog-tag is fake.

javimetal
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Re: Japanese soldiers' identification tags

#28

Post by javimetal » 26 Mar 2010, 17:17

Hi cloudy-joe:
Thanks for your reply.
:cry: :cry: :cry:

If there are more comments on this dog tag, please write
A greeting

bowlingbluedog
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Re: Japanese soldiers' identification tags

#29

Post by bowlingbluedog » 08 Oct 2010, 23:26

I recently went through my Grandpa's items. I came across this ID tag. I was wondering if anyone could translate it. Sorry if the pictures are a little blurry.

Image

Image

stulev
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Location: San Jose California

Re: Japanese soldiers' identification tags

#30

Post by stulev » 09 Oct 2010, 14:24

The bottom one is number 11933 which is the 118th Infantry Regiment which was part of the 63rd Independent Infantry Group which was on Saipan
company number 24
solders number 120

As for the top it appears the solder was transfered another unit number 10629 which was the 2nd Armies Field Freight Depot which was at Halmahera in the Dutch East Indies

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