WWII Army Collar Rank Tabs 國軍領章

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Lt. Colonel - Military Police branch

Chinese army collar rank tabs tend to be one of the easier (although still tough) to find Chinese WWII items. Most times it is usually found in singles rather than pairs. Pairs would tend to demand a higher premium because it completes the set for that particular rank. 

Within the rank itself, a color background would be assigned to certain branches. The most common branch is infantry, which is red. Others would include pink for military police, blue for artillery, black for transport, white for engineering, grey for communications, dark green for medical, light green for veterinarian, purple for quartermaster, yellow for cavalry, dark yellow for surveying, and orange for army band.

Jcwater Collection


Ranks are divided into enlisted, non-commissioned officers (NCO), company officers, field officers, and general officers. Each group is further divided into each individual rank. The more the triangles the higher the rank in the group. Officer groups are shown as one horizontal stripe for company officers and two stripes for field officers. General officers are all gold. The highest rank, generalissimo, has an additional border around the gold field. 

Enlisted/Conscript (NCO/enlisted may have gold border, this may be for parade use?, and branch color)
     Private (untrained) = one triangle
     Private = two triangles
     Superior private = three triangles
NCO
    Corporal = one triangle one stripe
    Sargent = two triangles one stripe
    Master Sargent = three triangles one stripe
Company officers (all officers have a gold border with branch colors)
    2nd Lieutenant = one triangle one gold stripe
    1st Lt. = two triangles one gold stripe
    Captain = three triangles one gold stripe
Field officers
    Major = one triangle two gold stripe
    Lt. Colonel = two triangles two gold stripe
    Colonel = three triangles two gold stripe
General officers (generals do not have branch color)
    Major General = one triangle gold field
    Lt. General = two triangles gold field
    General = three triangles gold field
    Generalissimo = three triangles gold field, gold border

http://dailyinfographics.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/wwii-uniforms-china.jpg

There are a lot of local manufacturers of these tabs. Some of them are more common due to many of US servicemen bringing back these as souvenirs or rank guides. I assume some of the ones that say Nanjing or Shanghai were picked up postwar period.  

These were worn up to around 1947 or so when new insignias were replaced with a new style that is worn on the shoulders. I do not think there is a way to distinguish wartime or postwar period. However, I assume some of the ones that say Nanjing or Shanghai were picked up postwar period.   

A Lt. General's autographed photo dated July 7, 1947




A 2nd Lt. with US style shirt and tie and rank tabs.


 

World War II History on Twitter: "A #Chinese soldier during the Battle of Wuhan, 1938. #History #WWII… " 


 

 

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