Navy officer photo 1903

[Alban L]

Good evening all,

 

I would appreciate any help to complete translation of Kanji on this photograph of a Meiji era navy officer wearing a 1883 naval parade sword.

Regarding the date on first line, I understood third kanji could be a vertical variant of 三 so we shoud have 明治三六年七月五日 ?  Meiji 36 (1903 ?) 5th of July.

Center line  帝国軍艦浪速機関長?田??  designate function of this officer who was chief engineer on protected cruiser Ninawa, but this line is incomplete.

I guess we could have his name on last column on the right but I am not able to translate it...

 

 

 

[SteveM]

Chief Engineer Shimada Kamekichi-shi  島田亀吉氏
Received (賜) on July 5th, 1903 (Meiji 36) 

The date is using a variant of 卅 (30) 

 

The first line is telling us where the boat was anchored at this time, but I can't make it out.

And it looks like the writer misspelled 停泊中 (anchored, or while anchored), but maybe I'm misreading this. 

[Nobody]

The fisrt line;

独逸 (Doitsu) - Germany

キリル港 (kiriru-ko) – Kiel port

停舶中 (teihakuchu) – at anchor

[Alban L]

Good morning,

 

Thank you very much !  That helped me find more about this officer, who entered naval academy at Etajima and was promoted Ensign on 22 april 1890, was engineer on 2nd class cruiser Yoshino in 1895, then assigned in 1896 to the old ironclad Kongo, used as training ship at that time. He was commanding one of the trainees squad. Still instructor in a navy school 1899, assigned on Naniwa protected cruiser as chief engineer at the time of this photograph, during a port visit in Kiel. This ship took part in Russo-Japanese war in 1905, Chemulpo Bay, Ulsan and Tsushima battles. This officer may have participated in these battles as he is only reported assigned on Asama armored cruiser in 1907. Last, assigned chief engineer of Asahi battleship in 1909, then chief engineer of Sasebo reserve fleet, died in october 1942 at this function. Interesting and long-lasting career !

 

Here is another imperial navy officer photograph, Harada Tsunetaro, a bit later on 1917. This time with a traditional mount on his 1883 Kyu Gunto. This photograph was taken precisely at the same date 5th of July ! I didn't find for now any reason for this specific date, perhaps only a coincidence.

 

However, not sure of the Kanji Tsune (常) on this second photograph. I checked navy lists and it appeared the only possible matching names are Harada Shutaro (原田集太郎) who died in 1904 so it can't be him in 1917, and Harada Masataro (原田松太郎)  graduating in 1893. Could be this one but kanji is not corresponding and he would be too young on this photograph for 1917 as he is only Lieutenant here (not coherent after 24 years service) and no indication of contribution to russo-Japanese war, what would be quite surprising (medals are rising sun order 5^th or 6^th class, 1914-1915 medal and Taisho coronation medal), so the officer depicted on this photograph may be younger, entering imperial Navy after russo-Japanese war.

 

 

[Alban L]

And here is another photograph of a navy officer, this time with a Kai Gunto, dated 1944. Really tricky one with hand-written kanjis, I am only able to read the date, and I am not even sure it is month (november) or just 11th day of the year (ie january).

 

 

[SteveM]

昭和十九年十一月　任官

You have the date right. Shōwa 19, November. Received commission. 

 

海軍兵曹長　北野幸一　

Chief Warrant Officer Kitano Kōichi 

 

For the other picture, I think you might be on a wild goose chase. I feel the picture is being given to a Mr. Harada Tsunetarō (or could be Jōtarō). But the subject of the picture must be someone else. Not a young Yamamoto Isoroku, but certainly a contemporary of Isoroku's. 

 

 

 

[Alban L]

Thanks again Steve ! 

Even thinking about ranks I don't think I would have found this one !