17th Division (Japanese Empire)

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17th division

Clubhouse in Okayama Prefectural Multipurpose Grounds.JPG

Officers' mess of the 17th Division.
active November 13, 1907 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Type division
Strength 15,000-18,000
Location Okayama
Nickname Getsu-heidan ( 月 兵 団 , "moon division")
Butcher Second Sino-Japanese War

Second World War

The 17th Division ( Japanese 第 17 師 団 , Dai-jūnana Shidan ) was a division of the Imperial Japanese Army , which was set up and disbanded twice between 1907 and 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Moon Division ( 月 兵 団 , Getsu-heidan ).

History of unity

The 17th Division was set up shortly after the end of the Russo-Japanese War on November 13, 1907 under the command of Lieutenant General Ichinohe Hyōe as a square division and consisted of the 33rd  Brigade (21st and 63rd  Infantry Regiment ) and the 34th Brigade (41st and 54th Infantry Regiment) set up. The headquarters of the 15,000-strong division was in Okayama . In 1920, the Division was the 21st  Cavalry - regiment , the 23rd  field artillery regiment and the 17  pioneer regiment assigned.

In the course of cost savings, the 17th division, along with the 13th , 15th and 18th divisions , was dissolved in 1925.

After the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out in July 1937 , the 17th Division was re-established as Triangular Division (three infantry regiments instead of four) in April 1938 and subordinated to the China Expeditionary Army. In June 1938, the division took part in the Battle of Wuhan .

Lieutenant General Yasushi Sakai , commander of the 17th Division from December 1, 1942 until the end of the war in 1945.

In 1940 the 17th Division was shipped to Japan, where it remained until January 1943. During the Pacific War she was transferred to New Britain under the command of Lieutenant General Yasushi Sakai , where she repelled American attacks from December 1943 to February 24, 1944 in the Battle of Arawe . The aim of the American Operation Dexterity was to conquer the Japanese Tuluvu airfield in New Britain, today's West New Britain Province of Papua New Guinea . In a counter-offensive against US troops on Bougainville , Solomon Islands from March 8 to 25, 1944, parts of the division were defeated with heavy losses and finally had to withdraw.

The remnants of the 17th division surrendered to New Britain in 1945 and the division was dissolved.

structure

1907

Formation on November 13, 1907 as a square division as follows:

  • 33rd Brigade
    • 21st Infantry Regiment
    • 63rd Infantry Regiment
  • 34th Brigade
    • 41st Infantry Regiment
    • 54th Infantry Regiment

1920

In 1920 it was supplemented with a cavalry, field artillery and engineer regiment.

  • 33rd Brigade
    • 21st Infantry Regiment
    • 63rd Infantry Regiment
  • 34th Brigade
    • 41st Infantry Regiment
    • 54th Infantry Regiment
  • 21st Cavalry Regiment
  • 23rd Field Artillery Regiment
  • 17th Engineer and Transport Battalion

1938

In April 1938 it was re-established as a Triangular Division as follows:

  • 17th Infantry Division Headquarters
    • 17th Infantry Brigade
      • 53rd Infantry Regiment
      • 54th Infantry Regiment
      • 81st Infantry Regiment
    • 21st Cavalry Regiment
    • 23rd Field Artillery Regiment (36 75mm guns)
    • 17th Engineer Regiment
    • 17. Signal unit
    • 17th Transport Regiment
    • 17. Medical unit

1944

In April 1944 the reclassification to a Type B "Standard" division took place as follows:

  • 17th Infantry Division Headquarters (350 men)
  • 17th Infantry Brigade
    • 53rd Infantry Regiment (3845 men)
    • 54th Infantry Regiment (3845 men)
    • 81st Infantry Regiment (3845 men)
  • 17th Reconnaissance Regiment (150 men)
  • 23rd Field Artillery Regiment (2100 men; 36 75 mm guns)
  • 17th Engineer Regiment (900 men)
  • 17. Signal unit (240)
  • 17th Transport Regiment (1,800 men)
  • 17th supply company (80 men)
  • 17. Field hospital (two field hospitals with 250 men each)
  • 17. Water supply and treatment unit (150 men)
  • 17. Veterinary hospital (60 men)

Total strength: 17,865 men

guide

Division commanders

  • Ichinohe Hyōe, Lieutenant General: November 13, 1907 - September 6, 1911
  • Senba Taro, Lieutenant General: September 6, 1911 - April 17, 1914
  • Hongo Fusataro, Lieutenant General: April 17, 1914 - August 18, 1916
  • Hoshino Kingo, Lieutenant General: August 18, 1916 - July 24, 1918
  • Paleo ImuUshio, Lieutenant General: July 24, 1918 - July 20, 1921
  • Ono Toyoyon, Lieutenant General: July 20, 1921 - May 1, 1925
  • Hirono Takichi, Lieutenant General: July 15, 1938 - August 1, 1940
  • Hirabayashi Morito, Lieutenant General: August 1, 1940 - December 1, 1942
  • Sakai Yasushi, Lieutenant General: December 1, 1942 - September 1945

See also

Web links

  • 師 団 Ⅰ. Organization of IJA, accessed January 2, 2015 . , Japanese

literature

  • John Underwood: The Japanese Order of Battle in World War II, Vol I The Nafziger Collection, Inc., 1999, ISBN 978-1-58545-044-2

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Underwood, p. 14
  2. ^ 17th Division, Regular Infantry Division (Triangular). niehorster.org, accessed October 22, 2015 .