Wound Badge Evolution

[JapanX]

Type 3.1 box

Cover

Edited November 9, 2011 by JapanX

[JapanX]

Type 3.1 box

Interior

[JapanX]

Type 3.2 box

Cover

[JapanX]

Type 3.2 box

Same interior as type 3.1

[JapanX]

Type 4.1 and 4.2 box

Covers (balsa or cardboard/with gold or silver kanji)

[JapanX]

Type 4.1 and 4.2 box

Interior (balsa box)

Edited November 9, 2011 by JapanX

[JapanX]

Type 4.1 and 4.2 box

Interior (cardboard box)

[JapanX]

It will be interesing to note that type 4 badges in both classes have two variations of enamel colour.

Here it is.

Edited November 9, 2011 by JapanX

[JapanX]

I forget about very interesting variation of type 3.1. Here it is.

Type 3.1 variation

Edited November 9, 2011 by JapanX

[JapanX]

Range of problems

As usual happens, new classification solves some old problems and (at the same time) creates a new ones.

Let’s hit them.

[JapanX]

Problem № 1

[JapanX]

Another badge

[JapanX]

Another angle of obverse.

[JapanX]

Problem № 2

[JapanX]

Will be with you folks and will continue after a short break.

[JapanX]

Again alive and kicking... That is if anybody worried... Concerning last one I have serious doubts

Ok. Let's try to sort out this two problems for starters.

Problem number one will be simple. Could be formulated like this.

"What the heck is that???"

I mean what type of the badge is this?

Obviously it is badge type 3. This is type 3.1 or type 3.3.

But where is all the gold?

The badge is brand new!!!

Same goes for the box!

And there a lot of them out there!

Of course a lot is "a lot".

Regulation violation?

Edited November 9, 2011 by JapanX

[JapanX]

Same absence of regulated gold we observe on type 2.3 (there is no gold on the rim).

Only variation 2.1 has something that resembles gold rim (in fact by regulation it shouldn't),

but I think it's just patina (take a good look at the reverse - same color pattern).

[JapanX]

Problem number two is much more difficult to deal with.

This badge was called "eccentric" because he has very unusual anthropometric characteristics.

To discuss them allow me to remind you that

large shield badge (type 1.1, type 1.2, type 2.1 and type 2.2) should be (according to regulation)

width 30,3 mm and height 33,3 mm

small shield badge (type 2.3- type 3.4) should be (according to regulation)

width 24 mm and height about 27 mm.

In practice

typical large shield badge usually weights about 17,5 grams and had width about 24,3 mm and height about 28,5 mm.

typical small shield badge usually weights about 10,25 grams and had width about 30,5 mm and height about 37,26 mm.

So far so good. Nobody is perfect.

But this is the characteristics of eccentric badge

weight about 2,72 grams, width about 13,5 mm and height about 16,5 mm.

What is that???

Miniature?

Are you kidding me? Miniature for a badge 24 by 28 mm???

For what? To go blind while trying to figure out what is it?

Edited November 9, 2011 by JapanX

[JapanX]

Problem № 3

RARITY

Why types 1-3 are so rare?

Ok. Type 1.1 and type 1.2 - they got some reasons.

The only serious combat operation back in 1914 was capturing Zingtao - german base in China.

After the siege japanese losses were

Army: 246 killed, 1115 wounded

Navy artillery: 11 killed, 32 wounded

Navy: 284 killed, 32 wounded

So it's quite natural that type 1 quite rare.

But why type 2?

It covers Siberia expedition and it wasn't all about fun.

And an least type 3.

It covers everything until 1938.

Of course early types of badges were replaced by new ones. No doubt about it.

But what happend with the early ones after they were replaced?

No answer ...

Edited November 9, 2011 by JapanX

[JapanX]

Problem № 4

DOCUMENTS

Where are they? I am talking about documents for early types of badges (type 1-3).

Does anybody saw them?

[Dieter3]

Fantastic topic! Sorry, I will be of ZERO use here as this is nothing that I collect (yet!) - but fascinating for sure, excellent analytical work!

[JapanX]

... ZERO ...

Sounds familiar? Is it?

... excellent analytical work!

Thanks mate. But with a lot (even judging by my low standars ) of grammar and spelling mistakes. But I had a really hard day yesterday... First snow in Moscow .... Stuff like that ...

[JapanX]

ERRATUM

In practice

typical large shield badge usually weights about 17,5 grams and had width about 24,3 mm and height about 28,5 mm.

typical small shield badge usually weights about 10,25 grams and had width about 30,5 mm and height about 37,26 mm.

should be read as

typical SMALL shield badge usually weights about 17,5 grams and had width about 24,3 mm and height about 28,5 mm.

typical LARGE shield badge usually weights about 10,25 grams and had width about 30,5 mm and height about 37,26 mm.

Sorry about that.

[JapanX]

ADDENDUM

1) Sometime you can meet boxes for type 1 and type 2 with dark red-brown interior (not turquoise as was shown).

2) The main difference in inscriptions on the cover of type 3.1 and type 3.2 boxes is upper kanji in the middle column.

In case of type 3.1 box cover we observe kanji kou (甲) for "higher', " superior" (i.e. battle wound).

In case of type 3.2 box cover we observe kanji otsu (乙) for 'lower" (i.e. public service wound).

Right columns on the covers of type 3.1 and 3.2 boxes are identical: 下士以下 stands for "NCO and below"

Please note that inscriptions on the type 1.1 and type 2.3 boxes are identical!!!

[JapanX]

Problem № 5

WHERE IS TYPE 3.3 BADGE???

Completely gold gilted badge for officers.

I don't see it (or even hear about it).

Do you?