Translation Requests

[shidan]

One more thing:

I have a picture of this Geki tag where the kanji Dai is replaced with Ban. Why would Dai be canceled out?
Any help greaty appreciated, thanks!

[hisashi]

Perhaps you are researching about Iwojima. This unit is usually written as 中迫撃第2大隊 or 中迫撃砲第2大隊. It comes from their main weapon, 10 type-96 150mm (medium) mortars.
Type 96 150 mm Infantry Mortar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_96_15 ... try_Mortar
This weapon was originally intended for poison gas warfare. In the last stage of war, mortars of various type reserved for this kind of war served as the last reinforcement to poorly equipped troops.

This is a translated article of a Japanese newspaper. Some information had dropped on translation. In original article, the fallen NCO Tamura belonged to the 2nd medium trench mortar battalion, 109th division. He was recalled in 1944 and was dead at the age of 39. So this troop contained aged, reserve personnel. I guess this battalion mainly consisted of aged reserve personnel and was hastily raised to enhance Iwojima.
http://worldwartwozone.com/forums/index ... is-family/

Once I explained general situation of Kuribayashi's 109th patchwork division in another thread.
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 38#p812273

This unit was originally a GHQ unit and the number was unchanged after attached to 109th division. 2nd and 3rd went to 109th division and 4th-7th served in Philippine. I don't know why they skipped 1st.

[shidan]

As always, thank you very much for your help Hisashi, it is appreciated! I was hoping that there was some kind of connection between this unit and Iwo Jima. Unfortunately the paperwork that has this unit entered is only a fragment and not a complete techo, so further entries are not available, but at least I have a diretion now where this unit ultimately ended up. Thanks again!

Tom

[deadpixels.ru]

Hello
Could anyone read this :

I have no better picture at the moment, sorry
It's from 120mm gun from Military Museum of Finland, Suomenlinna

[hisashi]

I cannot read small chars in the center. The above says 呉海軍造兵廠(Kure navy weapon workshop), the below 明治参拾壱年(Meiji 31 =AD 1898).

As far as I searched, in this period IJN 120mm gun were imported Armstrong guns. Perhaps this message meant that it was imported in 1898 and Kure navy weapon office in Kure chinjufu (naval district office) inspected and accepted it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kure_Naval_District
http://maisov.if.tv/m/index.php/Kure_Na ... Naval_Base

Hope this helps.

[VJK]

Hi,

Please could someone tell me what this unit is: 自動車廠
The nearest I can get is "automobile arsenal".

Many thanks in advance,

VJK

[Akira Takizawa]

Motorcar Depot

Taki

[VJK]

Many thanks Taki!

So 中支那野戦自動車廠長 would be Head of Central China Field Motorcar Depot?

Very best regards,

VJK

[Akira Takizawa]

So 中支那野戦自動車廠長 would be Head of Central China Field Motorcar Depot?

Yes

Taki

[VJK]

Thank you once again!

VJK

[deadpixels.ru]

hisashi,
thank you very much!

[karlik]

Hi!
Help me please translate characteristics of guns
All from "Less Known Army Ordnance of the Rising Sun (1)"

47-mm Type 97 Exp AT

57-mm Exp AT

75-mm Exp infantry gun

Thanks in advance!

[hisashi]

Sorry. Several friends of mine are frequently writing on Japanese military publications. Revealing a part of recent publications in such a manner do not necessarily violate any rules here, but I personally cannot cooperate.

[scotisle]

This must of been asked before but I can't find it anywhere. Any idea what the characters on the USN vehicle (ambulance?) in the right foreground mean? I think the first one means "direction."

[hisashi]

It's no more than a guesswork, but it might be the upper half of these four character.

向寫
井眞

寫眞 is an old style of 写真 (photograph). 向井(Mukai) is a common family name. So captured vehicle was somehow used by Mukai's photo studio. Another possible answer is that this photo was taken by Mr. Mukai and he wrote so on the leaf of photo with white marker (USN vehicle had its marking unchanged).