I can understand that smaller units like companies and platoons had names after their commanders, and that these are impossible to research. How about larger units like regiments? Were these ever named after commanders as well? If so, is there a list available for these named units? I have seen lists for named detachments: Ichiki, Hayashi, etc., but have seen nothing else concerning the IDing of named units. Any help or leads greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Tom
Units named after commanders
Re: Units named after commanders
Hello Tom,
You probably know this already, it's mostly information from the Japanese Wiki site, I hope adding a time frame to your question is helpful.
The Imperial Japanese Army enacted a regulation regarding the unit names of mobilized troops on September 1, 1937, those deployed outside Japan were to be referred to by the surnames of their commanders.
On September 10, 1940 it was replaced it with the ‘Showa 16 (1941) Plan for Army Mobilization Rules”. Divisions, Mixed Brigades and Units with more than one dependent sub-unit would use a word identity of one or two kanji (tsusho-go).
The September 1937 regulation was of course discontinued in favour of the '1941 plan for mobilization' as casualties of war mounted amongst the officer class. This suggests the 4 years when units had their commander's names the possibility exists some may have had more than one commander during that period.
As a follow on....What would be the naming protocol (original commander's name or a series of names) in that situation?
Thanks, Hysteric
You probably know this already, it's mostly information from the Japanese Wiki site, I hope adding a time frame to your question is helpful.
The Imperial Japanese Army enacted a regulation regarding the unit names of mobilized troops on September 1, 1937, those deployed outside Japan were to be referred to by the surnames of their commanders.
On September 10, 1940 it was replaced it with the ‘Showa 16 (1941) Plan for Army Mobilization Rules”. Divisions, Mixed Brigades and Units with more than one dependent sub-unit would use a word identity of one or two kanji (tsusho-go).
The September 1937 regulation was of course discontinued in favour of the '1941 plan for mobilization' as casualties of war mounted amongst the officer class. This suggests the 4 years when units had their commander's names the possibility exists some may have had more than one commander during that period.
As a follow on....What would be the naming protocol (original commander's name or a series of names) in that situation?
Thanks, Hysteric
Re: Units named after commanders
The general rule hysteric quoted was an information control measure to hide the move of troops. To show the unit size (vaguely), any of these word followed.
Brigade or larger unit: heidan
Regimental or battalion size unit: butai
company or smaller: tai
So you are still bothered with those expressions, and even the problem caused by leader change, as IJA exactly aimed.
Brigade or larger unit: heidan
Regimental or battalion size unit: butai
company or smaller: tai
So you are still bothered with those expressions, and even the problem caused by leader change, as IJA exactly aimed.
Re: Units named after commanders
Hello hisashi,
Thank you very much for your answer. That clears up how the naming rule works in practice and, as you say, while keeping potentially valuable information vague.
hysteric
Thank you very much for your answer. That clears up how the naming rule works in practice and, as you say, while keeping potentially valuable information vague.
Yes. Even though it seems funny to say, that system is still effective after all this time.hisashi wrote:So you are still bothered with those expressions, and even the problem caused by leader change, as IJA exactly aimed.
hysteric
Re: Units named after commanders
Thanks for the information Hysteric and Hisashi, it is very much appreciated!
Tom
Tom
Re: Units named after commanders
I forgot to mention shitai. Shitai was originally a word for any detachment from a unit, regardless of its size. Originally no rule for naming.
In WWII period, often a mixed battlegroup was formed by the order of division or higher echelon leader. Usually they were also called as butai or tai named after its leader.
But in major operation, IJA (GHQ) formed some mixed battlegroups of various size and called them as shitai. It was regarded as if it was a wartime troop. It was named after leader name, deployed area (Hokkai shitai and Nankai shitai), or even a word related to mother troop (Aoba shitai; part of Sendai 2nd division, Aobajo=Sendai Castle).
In WWII period, often a mixed battlegroup was formed by the order of division or higher echelon leader. Usually they were also called as butai or tai named after its leader.
But in major operation, IJA (GHQ) formed some mixed battlegroups of various size and called them as shitai. It was regarded as if it was a wartime troop. It was named after leader name, deployed area (Hokkai shitai and Nankai shitai), or even a word related to mother troop (Aoba shitai; part of Sendai 2nd division, Aobajo=Sendai Castle).
Re: Units named after commanders
Hello hisashi,
Thank you very much, excellent additional information. So it's possible to gather further details about a shitai starting with it's name in many cases, that's helpful.
hysteric
Thank you very much, excellent additional information. So it's possible to gather further details about a shitai starting with it's name in many cases, that's helpful.
hysteric
Re: Units named after commanders
Taken from 'North China Area Operations Record July 1937 - May 1941, Japanese Monograph No. 178.
To Shidan's original question;
Perhaps by doing a unit count of any of the following summations and applying hisashi's excellent information; "Shitai was originally a word for any detachment from a unit, regardless of its size.", " Brigade or larger unit: heidan, regimental or battalion size unit: butai, company or smaller: tai", it will provide further light on Imperial Japanese Army detachments as they should be understood after the September 1, 1937 regulation.
There are some details included with some detachments that show their evolution according to the changing circumstances confronted which may also be of interest. I'm very grateful to the authors of this monograph for having the foresight to include orders of battle. Of course corrections to anything I've presented here are very welcome.
hysteric
1st Army: 20th Division, 108th Division, 109th Division
Honan Prov. Operations February 8, 1938
14th Division
Tachi Detachment: composed mainly of five infantry battalions, one field artillery battalion, one heavy field artillery battalion and one mountain artillery battery and commanded by Maj. Geneneral Yoso Tachi
February 11, 1938
Toyama Detachment: composed principally of two infantry battalions and one mountain artillery battalion commanded by Colonel Toyama
Ishiguro Detachment: composed principally of two infantry battalions, one field artillery battalion and one heavy field artillery battalion and commanded by Colonel Ishiguro.
Sakai Detachment: composed principally of three infantry battalions, one field artillery battalion, one mountain artillery battalion and one heavy field artillery battalion and commanded by Maj. Gen Sakai
108th Division
February 20th
Ohno Detachment: built around one infantry battalion and two field artillery batteries and commanded by Colonel Nobuaki Ohno
February 13th
a) Tomabechi Detachment: consisting mainly of three infantry battalions, one field artillery battalion, two mountain artillery batteries and two heavy field artillery batteries, commanded by Maj. Gen Shiro Tomabechi
February 25th
b) Linfen Detachment: (renamed for their objective) consisting mainly of three infantry battalions, three mountain artillery batteries, one heavy field artillery batteryand one mortar battalion, and reinforced by one infantry battalion and one field artillery battalion, commanded by Major General Tomabechi
Kudo Detachment: consisting mainly of five infantry companies and one mountain artillery battery commanded by Colonel Shizutaka Kudo
20th Division
February 16th
Takagi Detachment: consisting mainly of three infantry battalions, one field artillery battery and two mountain artillery batteries commanded by Maj Gen Yoshito Takagi.
Kobayashi Detachment: consisting mainly of three infantry battalions,. four field artillery batteries and two mountain artillery batteries commanded by Colonel Tauneichi Kobayashi
109th Division
February 12, 1938
a) Tanifuji Detachment: consisting mainly of four infantry battalions and one mountain artillery battalion, commanded by Maj. Gem Nagahide Tanifuji
February 17
b) Tanifuji Detachment: consisting mainly of three infantry battalions and one mountain artillery battalion under the command o fMaj. General Tanifuji
February 17
Honkawa Detachment: consisting mainly of two infantry battalions and one mountain artillery battalion under the command of Maj. General Honkawa
2nd Army:
February 20, 1938
10th Division
Nagase Detachment: composed mainly of four and a half infantry battalions and two field artillery battalions, commanded by Maj. General Takehira Nagase
5th Division
a) Sakamoto Detachment: (Previously the Katano Detachment) originally commanded by Colonel Teiken Katano it was composed mainly of one and a half infantry battalions and one mountain artillery battery
Because the situation was deteriorating in the vicinity of Lini, the 5th Division commander decided to place the detachment under the command of the Brigade commander, Maj. General Jun Sakamoto, and to increase its strength to two infantry battalions, one field artillery battalion and one mountain artillery battery.
On 23 February, 1938 the General together with the reinforcements left Weihsien to join the Detachment, it then became known as the Sakamoto Detachment.
b) Sakamoto Detachment: which was being gradually reinforced until by March 17, 1938 it was composed of approximately six infantry battalions, two field artillery battalions and one mountain artillery battery
Note: As the Detachment commander had left one element south west of Lini and another at Hsiancheng in order to guard the Detachment's rear, the strength of the Detachment was reduced to approximately four infantry battalions and two artillery battalions.
March 14, 1938
10th Division
Seya Detachment: built around four and a half infantry battalions (after the 15th, six battalions) approximately three field artillery battalions, one heavy field artillery battalion and one heavy field artillery battery, commanded by Maj. General Hajime Seya
To Shidan's original question;
Perhaps by doing a unit count of any of the following summations and applying hisashi's excellent information; "Shitai was originally a word for any detachment from a unit, regardless of its size.", " Brigade or larger unit: heidan, regimental or battalion size unit: butai, company or smaller: tai", it will provide further light on Imperial Japanese Army detachments as they should be understood after the September 1, 1937 regulation.
There are some details included with some detachments that show their evolution according to the changing circumstances confronted which may also be of interest. I'm very grateful to the authors of this monograph for having the foresight to include orders of battle. Of course corrections to anything I've presented here are very welcome.
hysteric
1st Army: 20th Division, 108th Division, 109th Division
Honan Prov. Operations February 8, 1938
14th Division
Tachi Detachment: composed mainly of five infantry battalions, one field artillery battalion, one heavy field artillery battalion and one mountain artillery battery and commanded by Maj. Geneneral Yoso Tachi
February 11, 1938
Toyama Detachment: composed principally of two infantry battalions and one mountain artillery battalion commanded by Colonel Toyama
Ishiguro Detachment: composed principally of two infantry battalions, one field artillery battalion and one heavy field artillery battalion and commanded by Colonel Ishiguro.
Sakai Detachment: composed principally of three infantry battalions, one field artillery battalion, one mountain artillery battalion and one heavy field artillery battalion and commanded by Maj. Gen Sakai
108th Division
February 20th
Ohno Detachment: built around one infantry battalion and two field artillery batteries and commanded by Colonel Nobuaki Ohno
February 13th
a) Tomabechi Detachment: consisting mainly of three infantry battalions, one field artillery battalion, two mountain artillery batteries and two heavy field artillery batteries, commanded by Maj. Gen Shiro Tomabechi
February 25th
b) Linfen Detachment: (renamed for their objective) consisting mainly of three infantry battalions, three mountain artillery batteries, one heavy field artillery batteryand one mortar battalion, and reinforced by one infantry battalion and one field artillery battalion, commanded by Major General Tomabechi
Kudo Detachment: consisting mainly of five infantry companies and one mountain artillery battery commanded by Colonel Shizutaka Kudo
20th Division
February 16th
Takagi Detachment: consisting mainly of three infantry battalions, one field artillery battery and two mountain artillery batteries commanded by Maj Gen Yoshito Takagi.
Kobayashi Detachment: consisting mainly of three infantry battalions,. four field artillery batteries and two mountain artillery batteries commanded by Colonel Tauneichi Kobayashi
109th Division
February 12, 1938
a) Tanifuji Detachment: consisting mainly of four infantry battalions and one mountain artillery battalion, commanded by Maj. Gem Nagahide Tanifuji
February 17
b) Tanifuji Detachment: consisting mainly of three infantry battalions and one mountain artillery battalion under the command o fMaj. General Tanifuji
February 17
Honkawa Detachment: consisting mainly of two infantry battalions and one mountain artillery battalion under the command of Maj. General Honkawa
2nd Army:
February 20, 1938
10th Division
Nagase Detachment: composed mainly of four and a half infantry battalions and two field artillery battalions, commanded by Maj. General Takehira Nagase
5th Division
a) Sakamoto Detachment: (Previously the Katano Detachment) originally commanded by Colonel Teiken Katano it was composed mainly of one and a half infantry battalions and one mountain artillery battery
Because the situation was deteriorating in the vicinity of Lini, the 5th Division commander decided to place the detachment under the command of the Brigade commander, Maj. General Jun Sakamoto, and to increase its strength to two infantry battalions, one field artillery battalion and one mountain artillery battery.
On 23 February, 1938 the General together with the reinforcements left Weihsien to join the Detachment, it then became known as the Sakamoto Detachment.
b) Sakamoto Detachment: which was being gradually reinforced until by March 17, 1938 it was composed of approximately six infantry battalions, two field artillery battalions and one mountain artillery battery
Note: As the Detachment commander had left one element south west of Lini and another at Hsiancheng in order to guard the Detachment's rear, the strength of the Detachment was reduced to approximately four infantry battalions and two artillery battalions.
March 14, 1938
10th Division
Seya Detachment: built around four and a half infantry battalions (after the 15th, six battalions) approximately three field artillery battalions, one heavy field artillery battalion and one heavy field artillery battery, commanded by Maj. General Hajime Seya
Re: Units named after commanders
Good information, thanks!
Tom
Tom