41st Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
Encyclopedia
The 41st Division was an infantry
division of the Imperial Japanese Army
. It was formed on 2 October 1939, under the command of Lieutenant General Moritake Tanabe. The division's infantry group consisted of the 237th, 238th
and 239th Infantry Regiments and it was supported by the following elements: the 41st Reconnaissance Regiment, 41st Mountain Artillery Regiment, 41st Engineer Regiment, 41st Transport Regiment, and a divisional signals unit. Upon the outbreak of the Pacific War
on 7 December 1941, the division was based in Tsingtao in China
. Under the command of Shimizu Tsunenori
, the division was subordinate to First Army
.
In November 1942 the division, under the command of Lieutenant General Heisuke Abe, was scheduled to be deployed to Guadalcanal
. However, after attempts to reinforce the Japanese garrison on the island failed
, the decision was made to divert the 41st Division, along with the 20th Division
, which was being shipped from Korea
at the same time, and land them on New Guinea
. Consequently the 41st Division arrived at Wewak
on 12 February 1943, where they were attached to the Eighteenth Army and subsequently took part in the New Guinea campaign
throughout 1943–45, fighting against Australian and United States forces, before being destroyed.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
division of the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
. It was formed on 2 October 1939, under the command of Lieutenant General Moritake Tanabe. The division's infantry group consisted of the 237th, 238th
238th Infantry Regiment (Imperial Japanese Army)
The 238th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Imperial Japanese Army. The regiment was attached to the 41st Division. The regiment participated during the Second Sino-Japanese War and during the later stages of World War II, the regiment was in New Guinea, as part of the Japanese...
and 239th Infantry Regiments and it was supported by the following elements: the 41st Reconnaissance Regiment, 41st Mountain Artillery Regiment, 41st Engineer Regiment, 41st Transport Regiment, and a divisional signals unit. Upon the outbreak of the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
on 7 December 1941, the division was based in Tsingtao in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Under the command of Shimizu Tsunenori
Shimizu Tsunenori
was a senior officer in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.He was born in 1897. He was attached to the 4th Imperial Guards Regiment in 1930 and in 1931 attached to the General Staff. In 1933 he was attached to Technical Research Headquarters before being transferred to the General Staff...
, the division was subordinate to First Army
Japanese First Army
The was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army. It was raised and demobilized on three separate occasions.-History:The Japanese 1st Army was initially raised during the First Sino-Japanese War from September 1, 1894 to May 28, 1895 under the command of General Yamagata Aritomo...
.
In November 1942 the division, under the command of Lieutenant General Heisuke Abe, was scheduled to be deployed to Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
. However, after attempts to reinforce the Japanese garrison on the island failed
Guadalcanal campaign
The Guadalcanal Campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by Allied forces, was a military campaign fought between August 7, 1942 and February 9, 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theatre of World War II...
, the decision was made to divert the 41st Division, along with the 20th Division
20th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the .-History:The 20th Division and the 19th Division were raised on 24 December 1915 as a garrison force for Korea. After Japan's victory in the Russo-Japanese War, and subsequent occupation, and then annexation of Korea,...
, which was being shipped from Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
at the same time, and land them on New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. Consequently the 41st Division arrived at Wewak
Wewak
Wewak is the capital of the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea. It is located on the northern coast of the island of New Guinea. It is the largest town between Madang and Jayapura. It is the see city of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wewak....
on 12 February 1943, where they were attached to the Eighteenth Army and subsequently took part in the New Guinea campaign
New Guinea campaign
The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II.Before the war, the island of New Guinea was split between:...
throughout 1943–45, fighting against Australian and United States forces, before being destroyed.