Japanese Army rank badges, 1939-1945 : Corporal J H Welch, 66 Australian Infantry Battalion, British Commonwealth Occupation Forces

Four Imperial Japanese Army rank badges for warrant officer, sergeant major, sergeant and corporal. Warrant officer - a red rhomboid with gold braiding and a strip of gold through the centre. Sergeant major is a red rectangle with a gold stripe through the centre with three silver coloured metal stars attached along the stripe. Sergeant is the same, but with two stars embroidered in white. Corporal has a gold metal band across the centre with one gold coloured metal star.

Collected by 3961 Corporal James Hamilton Welch at Hara Mura, Japan. Welch was born in September 1927 and enlisted in the Australian Military Forces on 4 March 1946. With the rank of Corporal he was posted to Japan on 15 October 1946 with 66 Australian Infantry Battalion as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. He was promoted to Sergeant while serving with 66 Bn and returned to Australia on 5 September 1947. He then served during the Korean War with A Company, 1 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment from 3 March 1952 to 20 January 1953. On 11 April of that year he was promoted to Lieutenant. He again served overseas in New Guinea with the Pacific Islands Regiment from 4 September 1955 to 10 January 1957. Welch continued to serve with the army and retired with the rank of Major.