Item number: M111

Year: AD 1920

Material: Bronze

Size: case 104.9 x 58.2 x 23.1 / medal 29.4 x 77.0 x 1.8 mm

Weight: 28.7 g

Provenance: Quan Jian Zhai 2022

This bronze medal is the “1914-1920 First World War Medal,” promulgated on November 6, Taisho 9 (AD 1920), accompanied by an original wooden storage case with gilded characters. It was awarded to all officers and soldiers who served from the third to the ninth year of the Taisho era (AD 1914 to AD 1920). During this period, the Japanese military participated in the Battle of Tsingtao during the First World War in AD 1914 and, after the October Revolution in Russia in AD 1917, Japan intervened in the Russian Civil War as part of the Allied forces to contain the spread of communism, deploying troops to Siberia from AD 1918 to AD 1920.

The medal is circular in shape, and its design is basically the same as the “1914-15 War Medal” issued in AD 1915. Only the front image becomes softer. On the obverse of the medal, the symbol of the Japanese imperial chrysanthemum crest at the top. Below this crest are the intertwined flags of the Japanese Army and Navy, adorned with paulownia leaves and flower branches on both sides. The reverse side of the medal is inscribed with Kanji characters indicating “Taisho Three to Nine Years War Campaign.”

The ribbon of the medal is approximately 4 cm (one and two-fifths inches) wide, with navy blue on the left and right edges and white in the center. There is also a clip on the back of the ribbon. Additionally, there is a clasp on the ribbon with the inscription “War Campaign Medal.”

物件編號: M111

年代: 公元 1920 年

材質: 銅

尺寸: 盒 104.9 x 58.2 x 23.1 / 獎章 29.4 x 77.0 x 1.8 mm

重量: 28.7 g

來源: 泉鑒齋 2022

此銅質獎章為日本大正9年(公元1920年) 11月6日布告的「大正三年乃至九年戰役從軍記章」，並附有原版燙金字的木製收納盒。授予大正3至9年(公元1914至1920年)服役的全體官兵，這段時間日軍曾參與第一次世界大戰的青島戰役(公元1914年)，和公元1917年俄國爆發十月革命後，日本參與協約國為防堵共產主義擴張，干涉俄國內戰的出兵西伯利亞(公元1918至1920年)。

獎章的外觀為圓形，其設計和公元1915年頒發的「大正三四年從軍記章」基本相同，僅有正面圖像變得較為柔和。獎章正面的上方有象徵日本天皇的菊紋章，下方則是交錯的日本陸軍聯隊旗及海軍軍艦旗，兩側以桐葉和花枝裝飾。獎章背面以日本漢字刻有「大正三年乃至九年戰役」字樣。綬帶寬度約為四公分(一寸二分)，左右為紺青色，中間為白色，背面還有一別扣。另外綬帶還掛有「從軍記章」字樣銘牌。