IJA 35th Division
Encyclopedia
The 35th Division was a line division of the Imperial Japanese Army
which fought in China
and western New Guinea
during the Pacific War
. The division was formed in 1939 and was disbanded in 1945.
s, 35th Infantry Group Tankette Company, 35th Field Artillery Regiment, 35th Engineer Regiment, 35th Transport Regiment, 35th Division Signal Unit and 35th Division Medical Unit.
The division deployed to China in May 1939 to participate in the Second Sino-Japanese War
. It initially operated in Shansi
and northern Honan
. From some time in 1940 to March 1944 the 35th Division was stationed in the Kaifeng
area of north China. The division was reorganised between June 1943 and March 1944, and this led to the artillery regiment and tankette company being removed. The engineer and transport regiments were also downgraded to 'units' and the medical unit was replaced by a field hospital.
The 35th Division was selected for service in western New Guinea
in early April 1944. The 219th Regiment was detached to garrison the St. Andrew Islands and sailed from Yokohama
on 6 April. The divisional headquarters also sailed with the 219th Regiment, but was to trans-ship at Palau
and continue to New Guinea. The remainder of the division left Shanghai
on 17 April in the Take Ichi convoy
. The convoy was attacked by United States Navy
submarines on 26 April and 6 May, and was diverted to Halmahera
in the Netherlands East Indies to prevent further attacks. Transports carrying elements of the division were sunk during the 6 May attack, and only four of the division's six infantry battalions which embarked in the convoy and a single artillery battery remained at the end of the voyage.
The 35th Division was moved forward from Halmahera to Sorong
in small ships during May. The 219th Regiment was also successfully transferred to New Guinea, though a battalion
was left behind to garrison the St. Andrew Islands. Elements of the 35th Division subsequently fought in the Battle of Biak
and Battle of Sansapor
, but most of the division was stationed on the Vogelkop Peninsula and was isolated there from September 1944 until the end of the war.
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...
which fought 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...
and western 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...
during 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 division was formed in 1939 and was disbanded in 1945.
History
The 35th Division was activated at Higashi in February 1939. Its main subunits were the 219th, 220th and 221st infantry regimentRegiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
s, 35th Infantry Group Tankette Company, 35th Field Artillery Regiment, 35th Engineer Regiment, 35th Transport Regiment, 35th Division Signal Unit and 35th Division Medical Unit.
The division deployed to China in May 1939 to participate 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 initially operated in Shansi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
and northern Honan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
. From some time in 1940 to March 1944 the 35th Division was stationed in the Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
area of north China. The division was reorganised between June 1943 and March 1944, and this led to the artillery regiment and tankette company being removed. The engineer and transport regiments were also downgraded to 'units' and the medical unit was replaced by a field hospital.
The 35th Division was selected for service in western 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...
in early April 1944. The 219th Regiment was detached to garrison the St. Andrew Islands and sailed from Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
on 6 April. The divisional headquarters also sailed with the 219th Regiment, but was to trans-ship at Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
and continue to New Guinea. The remainder of the division left Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
on 17 April in the Take Ichi convoy
Take Ichi convoy
The convoy was a Japanese convoy of World War II. The convoy left Shanghai on 17 April 1944, carrying two infantry divisions to reinforce Japan's defensive positions in the Philippines and western New Guinea. United States Navy submarines attacked the convoy on 26 April and 6 May, sinking four...
. The convoy was attacked by United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
submarines on 26 April and 6 May, and was diverted to Halmahera
Halmahera
Halmahera is the largest island in the Maluku Islands. It is part of the North Maluku province of Indonesia.Halmahera has a land area of 17,780 km² and a population in 1995 of 162,728...
in the Netherlands East Indies to prevent further attacks. Transports carrying elements of the division were sunk during the 6 May attack, and only four of the division's six infantry battalions which embarked in the convoy and a single artillery battery remained at the end of the voyage.
The 35th Division was moved forward from Halmahera to Sorong
Sorong
Sorong is a chartered coastal city in the eastern Indonesian province of West Papua. Its only land borders are with Sorong Regency. It is the gateway to Indonesia's Raja Ampat Islands, species rich coral reef islands in an area considered the heart of the world's coral reef biodiversity. It also...
in small ships during May. The 219th Regiment was also successfully transferred to New Guinea, though a battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
was left behind to garrison the St. Andrew Islands. Elements of the 35th Division subsequently fought in the Battle of Biak
Battle of Biak
The Battle of Biak was part of the New Guinea campaign of World War II. It was fought between the United States Army and the Japanese Army from May 27 to June 22, 1944. It was the first major tactical use of an ambush by the Japanese during the war....
and Battle of Sansapor
Battle of Sansapor
The Battle of Sansapor was an amphibous landing and subsequent operations around Sansapor, Dutch New Guinea on the Vogelkop Peninsula during World War II....
, but most of the division was stationed on the Vogelkop Peninsula and was isolated there from September 1944 until the end of the war.