5th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
Encyclopedia
The was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army
. Its call-sign was the .
in January 1871 as the , one of six regional commands created in the fledgling Imperial Japanese Army. The Hiroshima Garrison had responsibility for western region of Honshū
(Chugoku district), ranging from Hyōgo Prefecture
to Yamaguchi Prefecture
. The six regional commands were transformed into divisions under the army reorganization of 14 May 1888.
As one of the oldest Divisions in the Imperial Japanese Army, the 5th Division saw combat in the First Sino-Japanese War
. Elements of the 5th Division were the first Japanese forces to land in Korea
, and the 5th Division was in charge of the southern Korean garrison and participated in the invasion of the Liaodong Peninsula in China. It was the main Japanese element in the multi-national coalition during the Boxer Rebellion
, and received praise from foreign observers for its bravery, professionalism and discipline. In the Russo-Japanese War
, under the command of General Nozu Michitsura
, it saw combat at the Battle of Sandepu
and Battle of Mukden
.
Assigned to Manchuria
from 1911–1913, the bulk of the Japanese forces in the Siberian Intervention
came from the 5th Division.
In the Second Sino-Japanese War
, it participated in the invasion of Chahar, and the Battle of Xuzhou
before being reassigned to the south China front around Guangzhou
but was defeated heavily in the Battle of Kunlun Pass
where the 21st Brigade was wiped out.
After the start of the Pacific War
the 5th Division was reassigned to the southern front under Field Marshal Terauchi Hisaichi
's Southern Command based in Saigon. With its combat experience and record in China, it was considered one of the best divisions in the Imperial Japanese Army, and was one of the divisions assigned to the conquest of Malaya
and Singapore
.
at Singora and Patani on December 8, 1941 as part of General Tomoyuki Yamashita
's 25th Army. The 5th Division fought its way through northern and central Malaya. It was particularly successful at the Battles of Jitra
and Slim River
where, in both battles, it defeated the Indian 11th Infantry Division. At the Battle of Slim River, the 5th Division's 41st Infantry Regiment, supported by tanks, swept through sixteen miles of British defenses, shattering the exhausted 11th Indian Division and inflicting an estimated 3,000 casualties.
The 5th Division did not have it all its own way during the Battle of Malaya, suffering heavy casualties during the Battle of Kampar
and again when it faced the 8th Australian Division
during the Battle of Muar
at Gemensah Bridge.
.
On the Singapore side, Sarimbun beach was heavily defended by 2 companies, one each from the 2/20th and 2/18th battalions
of the 22nd Australian Brigade, supported by a machine gun company, three artillery batteries and an anti-tank battery. However, the Japanese troops managed to penetrate the British defense perimeter, and the Australian troops retrograded after midnight allowing the 5th Infantry Division, to move on to Ama Keng village and established a beachhead, where they fired a red starshell over the straits to indicate the their success to General Yamashita.
Immediately after this important victory, the 5th Infantry Division moved inwards into Singapore to capture more strategic areas such as Tengah Airfield on 9 February 1942. The unit fought against the 2/29th, 2/20th, 2/18th battalions
of the 22nd Australian Brigade and the Jind Indian Infantry Battalion, the airfield garrison. On 11 February 1942, Bukit Timah
Road was captured by the 5th Infantry Division after fierce fighting. Singapore surrendered 4 days later.
and Guadalcanal
and various islands in the Dutch East Indies
, before surrendering to the Allies on Ceram
, in the Dutch East Indies.
Some of its more noteworthy commanders included Nozu Michitsura
, Oku Yasukata
, Yamaguchi Motoomi, Ueda Arisawa, and Terauchi Hisaichi
.
of the IJA 5th Division included:
The IJA 5th Division was a "motorized" square division, being equipped with 500 trucks. The trucks were for the heavy equipment and the artillery, whereas every soldier not riding in a motor vehicle rode a bicycle
.
Allentown, Pennsylvania: 1981
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...
. Its call-sign was the .
History
The 5th Division was formed in HiroshimaHiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
in January 1871 as the , one of six regional commands created in the fledgling Imperial Japanese Army. The Hiroshima Garrison had responsibility for western region of Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
(Chugoku district), ranging from Hyōgo Prefecture
Hyogo Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
to Yamaguchi Prefecture
Yamaguchi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Yamaguchi, in the center of the prefecture. The largest city, however, is Shimonoseki.- History :...
. The six regional commands were transformed into divisions under the army reorganization of 14 May 1888.
As one of the oldest Divisions in the Imperial Japanese Army, the 5th Division saw combat in the First Sino-Japanese War
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
. Elements of the 5th Division were the first Japanese forces to land in 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...
, and the 5th Division was in charge of the southern Korean garrison and participated in the invasion of the Liaodong Peninsula in China. It was the main Japanese element in the multi-national coalition during the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
, and received praise from foreign observers for its bravery, professionalism and discipline. In the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
, under the command of General Nozu Michitsura
Nozu Michitsura
-External links:...
, it saw combat at the Battle of Sandepu
Battle of Sandepu
The Battle of Sandepu, was a major land battle of the Russo-Japanese War. It was fought within a group of villages about 36 miles southwest of Mukden, Manchuria.-Background:...
and Battle of Mukden
Battle of Mukden
One of the largest land battles to be fought before World War I, the , the last major land battle of the Russo-Japanese War, was fought from 20 February to 10 March 1905 between Japan and Russia near Mukden in Manchuria...
.
Assigned to Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
from 1911–1913, the bulk of the Japanese forces in the Siberian Intervention
Siberian Intervention
The ', or the Siberian Expedition, of 1918–1922 was the dispatch of troops of the Entente powers to the Russian Maritime Provinces as part of a larger effort by the western powers and Japan to support White Russian forces against the Bolshevik Red Army during the Russian Civil War...
came from the 5th Division.
In the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, it participated in the invasion of Chahar, and the Battle of Xuzhou
Battle of Xuzhou
The Battle of Xuzhou was fought between Japanese and Chinese forces in May 1938 during Second Sino-Japanese War. In contemporary accounts in English, the event was usually referred to as the "Battle of Hsuchow", using the Chinese Postal Map Romanization....
before being reassigned to the south China front around Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
but was defeated heavily in the Battle of Kunlun Pass
Battle of Kunlun Pass
The Battle of Kunlun Pass was a series of struggles between the Japanese and the Chinese in contention for Kunlun Pass, a stragetically important position in Guangxiprovince, which the Imperial Japanese Army hoped to cut off aid through China from French-controlled Vietnam and resulted in a...
where the 21st Brigade was wiped out.
After the start 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...
the 5th Division was reassigned to the southern front under Field Marshal Terauchi Hisaichi
Terauchi Hisaichi
|-...
's Southern Command based in Saigon. With its combat experience and record in China, it was considered one of the best divisions in the Imperial Japanese Army, and was one of the divisions assigned to the conquest of Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
Battle of Malaya
The 5th Infantry Division landed on the east coast of ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
at Singora and Patani on December 8, 1941 as part of General Tomoyuki Yamashita
Tomoyuki Yamashita
General was a general of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. He was most famous for conquering the British colonies of Malaya and Singapore, earning the nickname "The Tiger of Malaya".- Biography :...
's 25th Army. The 5th Division fought its way through northern and central Malaya. It was particularly successful at the Battles of Jitra
Battle of Jitra
The Battle of Jitra was a major engagement fought between the invading Japanese and Allied forces during the Malayan Campaign of the Second World War. The battle lasted from 11-13 December 1941...
and Slim River
Battle of Slim River
The Battle of Slim River occurred during the Malayan campaign in January 1942 between the Imperial Japanese Army and the British Indian Army on the west coast of Malaya.-Background:...
where, in both battles, it defeated the Indian 11th Infantry Division. At the Battle of Slim River, the 5th Division's 41st Infantry Regiment, supported by tanks, swept through sixteen miles of British defenses, shattering the exhausted 11th Indian Division and inflicting an estimated 3,000 casualties.
The 5th Division did not have it all its own way during the Battle of Malaya, suffering heavy casualties during the Battle of Kampar
Battle of Kampar
The Battle of Kampar was an engagement of the Malayan Campaign during World War II, involving British and Indian troops from the 11th Indian Infantry Division and the Japanese 5th Division....
and again when it faced the 8th Australian Division
Australian 8th Division
The 8th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, who were in turn, part of the Allies of World War II. The 8th Division was raised from regular army units and new, all-volunteer infantry brigades, from July 1940 onwards...
during the Battle of Muar
Battle of Muar
The Battle of Muar was the last major battle of the Malayan campaign. It took place from 14–22 January 1942 around Gemensah Bridge and on the Muar River...
at Gemensah Bridge.
Battle of Singapore
On the night of 8 February 1942, six battalions of the 5th Infantry Division, under command of Lieutenant General Matsui Takuro as part of Lieutenant General Yamashita Tomoyuki's 25th Army along with the IJA 18th Division crossed the Johor Strait using landing craftLanding craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
.
On the Singapore side, Sarimbun beach was heavily defended by 2 companies, one each from the 2/20th and 2/18th battalions
2/18th Australian Infantry Battalion
The 2/18th Battalion was part of the Australian 22nd Brigade, Australian 8th Division during World War II. It was sent to Singapore to strengthen the defences of that British colony should it be attacked. The 2/18th Battalion saw action against Japanese forces in the Malayan campaign in January...
of the 22nd Australian Brigade, supported by a machine gun company, three artillery batteries and an anti-tank battery. However, the Japanese troops managed to penetrate the British defense perimeter, and the Australian troops retrograded after midnight allowing the 5th Infantry Division, to move on to Ama Keng village and established a beachhead, where they fired a red starshell over the straits to indicate the their success to General Yamashita.
Immediately after this important victory, the 5th Infantry Division moved inwards into Singapore to capture more strategic areas such as Tengah Airfield on 9 February 1942. The unit fought against the 2/29th, 2/20th, 2/18th battalions
2/18th Australian Infantry Battalion
The 2/18th Battalion was part of the Australian 22nd Brigade, Australian 8th Division during World War II. It was sent to Singapore to strengthen the defences of that British colony should it be attacked. The 2/18th Battalion saw action against Japanese forces in the Malayan campaign in January...
of the 22nd Australian Brigade and the Jind Indian Infantry Battalion, the airfield garrison. On 11 February 1942, Bukit Timah
Bukit Timah
Bukit Timah is an area in Singapore and a hill in that area. Bukit Timah is located near the centre of the Singapore main island. The hill stands at an altitude of 163.63 metres and is the highest point in the city-state of Singapore...
Road was captured by the 5th Infantry Division after fierce fighting. Singapore surrendered 4 days later.
Subsequent history
The 5th Division subsequently saw action in RabaulRabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
and 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...
and various islands in the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
, before surrendering to the Allies on Ceram
CERAM
CERAM is a materials science and testing organisation based in Stoke-on-Trent specialising in the field of ceramics. The CERAM Group owns testing facilities around the world.-History:The British Refractories Research Association was formed in 1920...
, in the Dutch East Indies.
Some of its more noteworthy commanders included Nozu Michitsura
Nozu Michitsura
-External links:...
, Oku Yasukata
Oku Yasukata
- Notes :...
, Yamaguchi Motoomi, Ueda Arisawa, and Terauchi Hisaichi
Terauchi Hisaichi
|-...
.
Organization
The original Order of BattleOrder of battle
In modern use, the order of battle is the identification, command structure, strength, and disposition of personnel, equipment, and units of an armed force participating in field operations. Various abbreviations are in use, including OOB, O/B, or OB, while ORBAT remains the most common in the...
of the IJA 5th Division included:
- 11th Infantry Regiment
- 21st Infantry Regiment (ShimadaShimada, Shizuokais a city in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2010, the city has an estimated population of 100,846 and a population density of 319 persons per km². The total area is 315.88 km².-Geography:...
) - 42nd Infantry Regiment (YamaguchiYamaguchi, Yamaguchiis the capital city of Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.As of February 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 198,971 and a population density of 194.44 persons per km²...
) - 5th Special Operations Regiment
- 5th Field Artillery Regiment
- 5th Construction Regiment
- 5th Transport Regiment.
As of July 1937
IJA 5th Division (Motorized Square Division) – Lt. General Seishirō Itagaki- 9th Infantry Brigade
- 11th Infantry Regiment
- 41st Infantry Regiment
- 21st Infantry Brigade
- 21st Infantry Regiment
- 42nd Infantry Regiment
- 5th Mountain Artillery Regiment
- 5th Cavalry Regiment
- 5th Engineer Regiment
- 5th Transport and Logistics Regiment
The IJA 5th Division was a "motorized" square division, being equipped with 500 trucks. The trucks were for the heavy equipment and the artillery, whereas every soldier not riding in a motor vehicle rode a bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
.
Reference and further reading
- Madej, W. Victor, Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937–1945 [2 vols]
Allentown, Pennsylvania: 1981