ID'd Japanese Unit Flag...

[kaigunair]

I haven't gotten around to taking pics of the more unusual flight helmets I had questions about. But since there's hasn't been too much activity on the forum lately, thought I'd share something alittle different.

This isn't my normal area, but when I saw the two items come up separately, I felt compelled to match them up. The flag was represented as an airfield signal flag. It was a pretty believable conjecture. Its a pretty large flag, maybe 4-5 ft in length. It has unusual leather reinforcements, as well as a very unusual attachment system...

If anyone has seen other flags like this, or any pictures of how such a flag is flown, that would be much appreciated.

[kaigunair]

The second item, which was the reason for acquiring the flag, is one of those regular commemorative "sake trays" that come up often. However, not only does this tray have the exact flag pictured, but the kanji identifies it to a particular unit!

kwantung army signal unit, 3rd regiment

note: before anyone jumps on me about this being the design on the navy round rating for signal corps, the design of this flag is flipped compared to the navy round rating design.

[kaigunair]

good 'ole wiki states that the 3rd regiment signal unit was a direct reporting unit. The kwangtung army was involved in many of the significant incidences prior to the US's entry into the war (2nd sino-jpn war, Marco Polo Bridge, Nomohan incident). Gen. Tojo appears to have come out of the kwangtung army.

I'm really not too clear what a signal unit did; I'm guessing set up lines of communication since the jpn military relied heavily on wired communications.

I am interested to know if flag such as this were made by the boatload, or if they were similar to regimental unit flags in the way they were kept/guarded. I'm guessing if this one was captured, it couldn't have been too important...

[kaigunair]

TBH I'd rather this flag had turned out to be related to an airgroup or landing base. One of the reasons why I collect jpn navy flight is because of their less direct involvement in China proper during the war (versus, say, jpn army flight). While the flag is for a signal unit, other units of the KA were directly link to and involved in some of the more horrific events that took place in china during the war.

Any additional info would help. I'm still trying to figure out more about the 3rd signal unit's history, and what to do with this grouping.

[Jareth]

Flag is an army communications outpost flag. It signifies where radios, telegraphs & field phones were set up. Compare my explanation to your tray graphics.

[kaigunair]

maybe...I did think of this possibility. But isn't the army symbol for communications a lightning bolt? at least, that's what I'm seeing is the standard symbol in nakata for army signal units. If anything, this symbol is more the that used by the navy. But the tray is definitely for army.

[Dean Brock]

Here is a saki bowl and other things with the same symbol. That recently sold on ebay. It was identified as signal unit.


http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-WW2-sak...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-Army-Sa...QQcmdZViewItem

[kaigunair]

thanks...it appears I stand corrected! Very curious though, since this seems more like the navy patch symbol versus the army patch symbol for signal corp. At least I feel alittle better about having it around the house for now...

I am still alittle curious about the flag itself and signal corps in general. How many signal corps were there during the war? What size unit had one assigned to them?

Again, love this forum!

[kaigunair]

pic of flag in use!

thanks to jareth who provided me with this pic showing how they flew this sort of flag!

super!

[kaigunair]

hmmm...either the tray maker painted the flag on backwards and so did nakata, or the soldier's in the photo are flying thier flag upsidedown?

lol....

[kaigunair]

here's a pics of a post office flag being flown......