Type 1938 Japanese Wound Badges

Type 1938 badge was established in two types on August 3, 1938: Type A /Kōshu - 甲種軍人傷痍記章/ badge for battle wounds and Type B /Otsushu - 乙種軍人傷痍記章/ for non-combat wounds or illness. Wound badges of old types were to be exchanged for the new type 1938.

Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle wounds.jpg


Original line drawings of both types.

Type 1938 Japanese Wound Badges.jpg


Both badges are approximately 31 x 31 mm in the form of a cross composed of traditional Japanese shields enameled red, with a pitted spear head in each of the four reentrant angles. The head of the Japanese hero Kusunoki Masashige https://asiamedals.info/threads/kus...-table-medal-and-watch-fob.24513/#post-351691 is on a center medallion. The reverse is plain with a double pin and the characters 軍人傷痍記章 - Gunjin Shōi Kishō /Military Wound Badge/ around the perimeter of the badge and either 甲種 - Kōshu /Type A/ or 乙種 - Otsushu /Type B/ in the center. Type A badge is completely gilded while type B badge is in silver with a gilded central medallion. Early badge were made by Mint in sterling silver. Late war badge were made in base metal. Badges were also manufactured by Tokyo-based workshop Akiba https://asiamedals.info/threads/bad...a-medals-tokyo-akiba.21820/page-3#post-365877.​

Original regulation and color scheme.

官報1938年08月03日.jpg
 
Early badges in pure silver with balsa cases.

Type A badge.


Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle wounds.jpg


Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for  battle wounds.jpg


Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle  wounds.jpg


Inscriptions on cases for Type A /combat wounds/ badges made in gold and with silver for Type B badges.

軍人傷痍記章 - Military Wound Badge

Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章  badge for battle wounds.jpg


Edge stamped with

/Haru/ - Spring

Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle wounds.jpg


The other side of the lid bears stamp

造幣局製 - Made by Mint

Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章  badge for battle wounds.jpg
 
Type B badge.

Otsushu badge 乙種軍人傷痍記章 for non-combat wounds.jpg


Otsushu badge 乙種軍人傷痍記章  for non-combat wounds.jpg


Otsushu badge 乙種軍人傷痍記章 for non- combat wounds.jpg


Otsushu badge 乙種軍人傷痍記章 for  non-combat wounds.jpg


Otsushu  badge 乙種軍人傷痍記章 for non-combat  wounds.jpg


Sticker reads

元海軍大尉 - Former Navy Lieutenant

藤田忠寛 - Tadahiro Fujita

Otsushu badge 乙種軍人傷痍記章 for  non-combat wounds.jpg
 
Early badges in pure silver with burgundy leatherette cases.

Type A badge.

Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle wounds.jpg


Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for  battle wounds.jpg


Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge  for  battle wounds.jpg


Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章  badge for  battle wounds.jpg


Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章   badge for battle wounds.jpg
 
Late war badges in base metal with paper wrappers.

In most cases these late war badges (made in gilded/silvered copper alloy - tombac) are found without any cases or in a rarely survived paper wrapper.

Type A badge.

Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle wounds.jpg


Kōshu  甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle wounds.jpg


Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章  badge  for battle wounds.jpg



The easiest way to identify these late war badges visually is by using metal flows on reverse.

Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge  for battle wounds.jpg
Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle  wounds.jpg


Inaccurate (and low-quality) soldering of the fastening is another stable feature of such badges.

Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle   wounds.jpg
Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章   badge for battle wounds.jpg
 
Type A specimen with original paper wrapper.


Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle wounds.jpg


Barely readable pressed out inscription

軍人傷痍記章 (甲) - Military Wound Badge (A)

Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for  battle wounds.jpg


Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章  badge  for battle wounds.jpg


Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle   wounds.jpg


Kōshu  甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle wounds.jpg
 
Late war Type A badge with balsa case.

Kōshu  甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle wounds.jpg
Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for  battle wounds.jpg


Kōshu 甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle wounds.jpg
 
Late war Type A badge that lost its catching hook.

Kōshu  甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle wounds.jpg


Kōshu  甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for battle  wounds.jpg


Kōshu  甲種軍人傷痍記章 badge for  battle wounds.jpg
 
Late war Type B badge.

Specimen almost in mint condition but with with detached hook.

Otsushu badge 乙種軍人傷痍記章 for non- combat wounds.jpg


Otsushu  badge 乙種軍人傷痍記章 for non- combat wounds.jpg
 
Type B that lost almost all its silvering.

Otsushu badge 乙種軍人傷痍記章 for non- combat wounds.jpg


Otsushu badge 乙種軍人傷痍記章  for non- combat wounds.jpg
 
Interesting outer cardboard case with stamp 廣島陸軍病院 - Hiroshima Army Hospital.

Hiroshima  Army Hospital  廣島陸軍病院.jpg


Hiroshima  Army  Hospital 廣島陸軍病院.jpg


Hiroshima Army  Hospital 廣島陸軍病院.jpg


Hiroshima Army Hospital   廣島陸軍病院.jpg
 
  • Tags
    japanese army badge japanese badge case label japanese badge made by mint japanese disabled soldier badge japanese imperial army badge japanese late war badges japanese wound badge japanese wound badge in silver japanese wound badge type 1938 late war japanese wound badge 乙種軍人傷痍記章 甲種軍人傷痍記章 軍人傷痍記章
  • Top