Sergeant Miyamoto Uraji, Infantry

[Ed_Haynes]

Have just welcomed the group to Senior Sergeant Miyamoto Uraji, Infantry.

Bad tarnish on the Kite, but still nice?

Edited August 13, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

As some of you know (or may have guessed), I love documented groups. This one has a ton of them.

Hard to scan, so it will take some time to get them up (and I may not inflict all of them on you unless you insist).

This

"Army Sergeant Miyamoto Uraji

"This certifies that for bravery and merit during the Meiji 37-38 War [the war with Russia] you are awarded the 6th class Order of the Golden Kite, an annual pension of 200 Yen, and the 7th class Order of the Rising Sun.

"1 April Meiji 39 [= 1906 C.E.].

"Viscount Motoharu Hisashi Junior 2nd rank and holder of the 1st order of merit. Director General, Bureau of Merit and Awards."

Edited August 13, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

Stamp on reverse:

"1 September Meiji 39 [= 1906 CE]. Official gazette supplement."

[Paul L Murphy]

Ed,

Are there any documents which name the unit in which he served ? If you have only the award certificates it will not give you unit details and can be very difficult to research in any detail.

Any certificates for the Golden Kite above the 7th class are scarce, with the 6th class actually harder to find than 5th in my personal experience.

Paul

[Ed_Haynes]

Ed,

Are there any documents which name the unit in which he served ? If you have only the award certificates it will not give you unit details and can be very difficult to research in any detail.

Any certificates for the Golden Kite above the 7th class are scarce, with the 6th class actually harder to find than 5th in my personal experience.

Paul

Still sorting through the documents (and flattening them out with great care -- they had been rolled).

This certificate (1 April Meiji 39) is the earliest.

Beyond this:

• 8 August Meiji 39 - awarded 1st class honors
• 13 October Meiji 39 - completion of a course in ??? at Army Toyama School
• 13 October Meiji 39 - certificate in excellence in gymnastics from Army Toyama School
• 30 Novembber Meiji 39 - ordered to Army Toyama School for instruction
• 1 December Meiji 39 - appointed senior sergeant (Army Toyama School)
• 27 December Meiji 39 - award of 1 yen 43 sen for merit, Army Toyama School
• 17 September Meiji 40 - certificate from Imperial Soldier's Support League certifying "that in the 1904-05 War you were decorated for fighting with great bravery and being wounded" and are "given the loyal and brave cherry blossom medal" - to him as "Former Army Infantry Sergeant"
• 1 December Meiji 40 - awarded 2nd class honors, Army Toyama School
• 26 December Meiji 40 - award of 26 yen 55 sen for merit, Army Toyama School
• 1 December Meiji 41 - awarded 1st class honors, Army Toyama School
• 14 December Meiji 41 - award of 30 yen 10 sen for merit, Army Toyama School
• 20 April Taisho 7 - certificate from Greater Japan Budo School, ??? Branch, for donation of 2 yen toward founding of Ibaragi branch

Let me know which (if any) you want me to try to scan. As you know, these are large and cranky.

Help!!

Edited August 15, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

[Brian Wolfe]

Hi Ed,

I just replaced my burned out computer today after a couple of days without one and what a great post to find on the top of my unread list! Very nice indeed and please do show more of the documents.

Cheers

Brian

[Paul L Murphy]

Hi Ed,

The following two could be promising for yielding information : -

14 December Meiji 41 - award of 30 yen 10 sen for merit, Army Toyama School

1 December Meiji 39 - appointed senior sergeant (Army Toyama School)

I am hopeful that one of them will have a regiment mentioned, rather than him just being on the staff of the school. If you can find out his home unit then it starts to allow investigation into what he did in the Russo Japanese War.

Regards,

Paul

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks, Paul (and all).

If (IF) I can scan and paste them together, here are:

1 December Meiji 39 - appointed senior sergeant (Army Toyama School)

Translated as:

"Army Infantry Sergeant 7th order of merit and 6th class of bravery Miyamoto Uraji.

"You are appointed as Senior Sergeant.

"1 December Meiji 39.

"[seal of Army Toyama School]"

Focusing in on the "sexy stuff" (I hope). Nice calligraphy but beyond that I am ignorant .

[Ed_Haynes]

And

14 December Meiji 41 - award of 30 yen 10 sen for merit, Army Toyama School

Translated (through Steve -- and I finally got your wondrous book!) as:

"Army Infantry Sergeant Miyamoto Uraji

"You are awarded 30 yen 10 sen as an award for merit.

"14th December Meiji 41.

"Army Toyama School"

Not much joy, I fear? Maybe all the documents are just too late to fiull in the blanks?

[Paul L Murphy]

The only other possibility is the Imperial Soldier Support League cert since sometimes they will mention the former unit of the recipient.

[Ed_Haynes]

The only other possibility is the Imperial Soldier Support League cert since sometimes they will mention the former unit of the recipient.

I was afraid of this, Paul. It is the largest item in the set of documents.

As translated:

"This certifies that in the 1904-05 War you were decorated for fighting with great bravery and being wounded, and according to the rules of this society you are give the loyal and brave cherry blossom flower medal [what is THAT??]as a token of our appreciation.

"17th September Meiji 40

"Head of Imperial Soldier's Suppoort League

"2nd rank and holder of the 1st order oif merit Viscount Enomoto Buyo

"Former Army Infantry Sergeant Miyamoto Uraji"

Hard to scan and paste up, as 'tis SOOO large. Hope this works. One can hope!

<100% perfect paste-up, but I hope it will do. Cannot find the issuing body in my SOURCE, by folks named Murphy and Ackley (who's them?!).

Ed

[MJMartin]

That Imperial Soldier Support League Document is a beauty. This is the first I have ever saw of these. Thanks for posting it.

[Paul L Murphy]

Cannot find the issuing body in my SOURCE, by folks named Murphy and Ackley (who's them?!).

"Murphy and Ackley" ...... probably related to Pancho and Lefty

I do not have my book in front of me at the moment but I think from the name in Japanese that this was a forerunner to the Imperial Soldier's Relief League and we might have one of their badges illustrated (the membership badge).

It is a very scarce document.

[Tim B]

That's a very nice set and a lovely medal bar!

Correct me if I am wrong, the Kite appears to be a Showa era piece based on the kite's wingtips and lack of the extra roundel on the right section of the medal. I have to ask then if it matches the set? Or, does this mean that the medal (Golden Kite) itself was actually awarded later for previous deeds during the Meiji era?

Tim

Edited August 23, 2007 by Tim B

[Paul L Murphy]

Ed,

Can you post a closeup of the centre of the Kite since I can't clearly nmake out the number of roundals.

Cheers,

Paul

[Tim B]

Hi Paul,

Yes, at first I thought this might be a Tashio period Kite, but I just do not see the roundel (loop hole) on the belt and the roundels on the lower part appear to be placed farther down than those of the Meiji style; so I had to ask. Still, a very nice looking bar!

Tim

[Paul L Murphy]

The extra roundal might be "lost in the tarnish" but I cannot see it either in the first picture. If Ed posts a close up of the centre we will know for sure.

[Ed_Haynes]

Sorry this has taken so long. I had to fetch it back from its home away from home.

The center.

[Ed_Haynes]

And the birdie.

[Ed_Haynes]

I am still learning in this field (thanks, all ), but this came what a reliable dealer.

[Tim B]

Ed,

Yes, clearly a Showa era piece. Still, it is in very nice condition; congrats!

Tim

[Paul L Murphy]

Definitely a Showa era 6th Class award. It is very common for Japanese dealers to put together groups like this since they seem to be unaware of the die differences between some of the Meiji and Showa pieces. Still a scarce award.

[Ed_Haynes]

So you guys think the group is "assembled"? Came from a good US dealer. Or so I had thought.

[Tim B]

Hi Ed!

Well, I am very new to collecting Japanese awards, but what I have learned quick was the die characteristics of Meiji vs Showa pieces. As Paul pointed out, many dealers are still unaware of these differences and I see this even with Japanese dealers (they are almost embarassed if you point something out to them) currently.

As far as your group goes, hard to say when and where the Kite might have been replaced. As Paul stated, they are not common to find and perhaps the Meiji one is even harder?? At least you got one in decent shape!!

Tim

Edited September 5, 2007 by Tim B

[Paul L Murphy]

Hi Ed!

Well, I am very new to collecting Japanese awards, but what I have learned quick was the die characteristics of Meiji vs Showa pieces. As Paul pointed out, many dealers are still unaware of these differences and I see this even with Japanese dealers (they are almost embarassed if you point something out to them) currently.

As far as your group goes, hard to say when and where the Kite might have been replaced. As Paul stated, they are not common to find and perhaps the Meiji one is even harder?? At least you got one in decent shape!!

Tim

The Meiji pieces are harder to find. Japanese dealers are terrible for splitting medals and documents and selling them individually. I suspect the US dealer knew the recipient was entitled to a 6th Class GK but was not aware of the die differences since Peterson does not mention them properly.