Divisional appointment

[Steen Ammentorp]

Could anybody give me the correct translation/meaning of this appointment:

第53師団兵務部長

The online translations tools gives me Soldier Duty Department Manager 53rd Army Division. How should it be Military Affairs Department or Administration Department?

Kind Regards
Steen Ammentorp
The Generals of the World War II

[VJK]

Hi Steen!

The Ministry of War had a Soldier Duty Bureau which translates as Military Administration Bureau, therefore by analogy your position would be Head of the Military Administration Department of the 53rd Division.

Best regards,

VJK

[Steen Ammentorp]

Hi VJK,

I thought so I just wanted a confirmation. Thank you.

Kind Regards
Steen Ammentorp
The Generals of World War II

[hisashi]

Hi,

heimubu deals with recruitment, care for reserve personnels, assistance for military training in schools and some kinds of propaganda in homeland.
Japan was subdivided to numerous regimental districts and each district was related to a permanent division. Divisional heimubu cooperated with subordinated regimental district offices.
I am not sure but I remember in 1940, the army sorted out regimental districts so that their borders coincide with those of prefectures. As before, each prefecture was related to a division. When the division was sent abroad, in some case 'Rusu (homekeeping)' division was established as an recruitment office, or new division was raised for homeland defense. 53rd division was raised in Kyoto area when 16th division left Kyoto to Philippine, and it had its heimubu for a few prefectures including Kyoto. After 53rd division was sent to Burma in 1943, Rusu 53rd division was established. Perhaps from then on heimubu was left to Rusu 53rd division from 53rd division with its manager. It seems that divisions which did not deal with recruitments did not have its heimubu.

[VJK]

Hello Hisashi!

Thank you very much for your explanation regarding the "Rusu" (homekeeping) divisions. Is this the same as what is commonly called a Depot Division? Also, I would be very grateful if you could confirm (or otherwise) that the following terms both designate the commanding officer of a Depot Division. Is there any special reason/nuance in the Japanese language as to why 2 different terms are used?

留守第3師団長 = 3rd Depot Division Commander

第3師団留守司令官= 3rd Depot Division Commanding Officer

Many thanks in advance and best regards,

VJK

[hisashi]

Yes, depot division must be rusu shidan.
It seems rhat 師団留守司令官 is an old word and renamed around 1940 as 留守師団長. In 1933 a general Lt.Gen. Yasuda appears on a newspaper as 師団留守司令官 of 2nd division just returned from Manchuria.

[VJK]

Thank you very much Hisashi for clearing up those points, much appreciated.

Best regards,

VJK

[hisashi]

Afterwards I recalled that in some period 留守師団　was called as 師団留守隊　(shidan rusutai = homekeeping unit of foo-bar division). Perhaps the designation 留守司令官 was used in that period.