Battle of Shimushu

Discussions on all aspects of the Japanese Empire, from the capture of Taiwan until the end of the Second World War.
Post Reply
Shinobi
Member
Posts: 25
Joined: 30 Jan 2009, 08:01

Battle of Shimushu

#1

Post by Shinobi » 15 Feb 2010, 14:50

Hello all:
Had some questions about the Battle of Shimushu Island.
1) WHat was the course of the campaign? ( Start and finish)
2) Is there a map showing the different focres dipositions and the general course of the battle?
3) What was the OOB of the opposing forces?
4) WHat were the fortications like?
Thanks in advance,
Shinobi

User avatar
Akira Takizawa
Member
Posts: 3348
Joined: 26 Feb 2006, 18:37
Location: Japan
Contact:

Re: Battle of Shimushu

#2

Post by Akira Takizawa » 16 Feb 2010, 06:38

1) WHat was the course of the campaign? ( Start and finish)
The Soviets landed at the north beach of Shimushu and advanced inland (refer to the map).

2) Is there a map showing the different focres dipositions and the general course of the battle?
I uploaded

3) What was the OOB of the opposing forces?

Japanese 91th Division was deployed at North Kuril islands.

Shimushu
73rd Infantry Brigade [mjr. gen. Iwao Sugino]
11th Tank Regiment [col. Sueo Ikeda] (64 tanks)
2nd Independent Tank Company (deployed to 11th TR)
1st Artillery Unit of 91th Division
2nd Artillery Unit of 91th Division
Engineer Unit of 91th Division
54th Air Regiment (4 Oscars)

Paramushir
HQ 91st Division [lt. gen. Fusai Tsutsumi]
74th Infantry Brigade [Major Gen. Seiji Sato]

IJN on Shimushu and Paramushir
51st Guard Unit (942 men)
52nd Gurd Unit (333 men)
Shimushu Signal Unit (42 men)
32th AA Defence Unit (18 men)
North-East Fleet HQ
Kuril Base Unit HQ
12th Air Fleet HQ
North-East Air Unit (189 men, 4 B5Ns)

4) WHat were the fortications like?
See this page.
http://www006.upp.so-net.ne.jp/yamako/h ... tuyaku.htm

Taki
Attachments
Copia de shumushu map.jpg
Copia de shumushu map.jpg (124.78 KiB) Viewed 18438 times


marek O.
Member
Posts: 434
Joined: 26 Aug 2005, 18:11
Location: Bialystok, Poland

Re: Battle of Shimushu

#3

Post by marek O. » 16 Feb 2010, 19:04

Dear Shinobi,
Here is what I know about Soviet forces that took part in the invasion of Shumshu:
101st Infantry Division [mjr. gen. Porfirij I. Diakov]
355th Independent Naval Infantry Battalion [mjr. M. Barabolko]
128th Mixed Air Division [lt.col. M. A. Eriomin]. Altogether - 8824 soldiers ; 205 guns and mortars. All of them from Kamchatka Defence Region [mjr. gen. A. R. Gnieczko].

Regards,
Marek

Shinobi
Member
Posts: 25
Joined: 30 Jan 2009, 08:01

Re: Battle of Shimushu

#4

Post by Shinobi » 20 Feb 2010, 15:15

Thanks for your help Marek, did the 101st do much of the fighting? Or did the 355th NIBn spearhead the amphiberous assualt?

Shinobi
Member
Posts: 25
Joined: 30 Jan 2009, 08:01

Re: Battle of Shimushu

#5

Post by Shinobi » 20 Feb 2010, 15:18

Thanks Taki for your assistance and the wonderful map.. I read something about an counter attack which drove the Russians back from their gains to the beach head.. Is that correct? It apparantly involved tanks as well. Could you eleborate?

User avatar
Akira Takizawa
Member
Posts: 3348
Joined: 26 Feb 2006, 18:37
Location: Japan
Contact:

Re: Battle of Shimushu

#6

Post by Akira Takizawa » 20 Feb 2010, 17:22

Shinobi wrote:Thanks Taki for your assistance and the wonderful map.. I read something about an counter attack which drove the Russians back from their gains to the beach head.. Is that correct? It apparantly involved tanks as well. Could you eleborate?
Read "Shimushu" in the following page.
http://www3.plala.or.jp/takihome/history2.htm

Taki

User avatar
tom!
Member
Posts: 880
Joined: 15 Dec 2003, 12:42
Location: Dorsten Germany
Contact:

Re: Battle of Shimushu

#7

Post by tom! » 21 Feb 2010, 17:59

Akira Takizawa wrote:...

54th Air Regiment (4 Oscars)

......
North-East Air Unit (189 men, 4 B5Ns)

....

This indicates that thre was an airfield on Shimushu. Where was it on the island?

Yours

tom! :wink:

marek O.
Member
Posts: 434
Joined: 26 Aug 2005, 18:11
Location: Bialystok, Poland

Re: Battle of Shimushu

#8

Post by marek O. » 22 Feb 2010, 00:09

Dear Shinobi,

Soviets divided their forces into 4 groups: Front Unit ; 1st Wave of Main Forces ; 2nd Wave of Main Forces ; Posoration Unit. Unfortunatelly I know not much about these groups. However, On August 18th, at 4.30, on Shumshu landed Front Unit, so i would assume that it was indeed 355th Batalion. At 6.30, landed 1st Wave - 138th IR from 101st ID. At. 8.00, landed 2nd Wave - 302nd and 373rd IR. Yes 101 st ID did most if not all of the fighting.

Regards,
Marek

User avatar
Akira Takizawa
Member
Posts: 3348
Joined: 26 Feb 2006, 18:37
Location: Japan
Contact:

Re: Battle of Shimushu

#9

Post by Akira Takizawa » 22 Feb 2010, 03:35

tom! wrote:This indicates that thre was an airfield on Shimushu. Where was it on the island?
Katoka

IJA/IJN airplanes attacked the Soviets in the battle of Shimushu and sank Russian vessels.

Taki

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

Re: Battle of Shimushu

#10

Post by Peter H » 22 Feb 2010, 05:11

Some recent pics here of Shimushu
http://bbs.tiexue.net/post_3739118_1.html
Attachments
Shimushu1.jpg
Shimushu1.jpg (93.74 KiB) Viewed 18279 times
Shimushu2.jpg
Shimushu2.jpg (59.88 KiB) Viewed 18279 times
Shimushu3.jpg
Shimushu3.jpg (77.7 KiB) Viewed 18279 times

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

Re: Battle of Shimushu

#11

Post by Peter H » 22 Feb 2010, 05:18

Attachments
Shimushu6.jpg
Shimushu6.jpg (112.08 KiB) Viewed 18276 times

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

Re: Battle of Shimushu

#12

Post by Peter H » 22 Feb 2010, 05:42

Attachments
soviets2.jpg
soviets2.jpg (99.53 KiB) Viewed 18274 times
soviets1.jpg
soviets1.jpg (51.41 KiB) Viewed 18274 times

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

Re: Battle of Shimushu

#13

Post by Peter H » 22 Feb 2010, 05:50

Attachments
kurils1.jpg
kurils1.jpg (90.81 KiB) Viewed 18274 times
kurils2.jpg
kurils2.jpg (128.29 KiB) Viewed 18274 times

User avatar
tom!
Member
Posts: 880
Joined: 15 Dec 2003, 12:42
Location: Dorsten Germany
Contact:

Re: Battle of Shimushu

#14

Post by tom! » 23 Feb 2010, 23:16

Hi.

What a grim island....

I found a newer aerial view showing Kataoka/Baikovo (the small buildings on the right) and the remains of the airfield:
Image

Are there any aerial views avaliable of Kataoka and the japanese airfield installations of 1944/45?


Another aerial view showing the area northeast of the airfield (almost directly to the right of the upper picture):
Image
The caption says that these parallel lines are old anti-tank ditches. Were these part of the japanese "Kataoka fortress" or are these from the soviet aera?


Pictures taken from wikipedia.ru

Yours

tom! :wink:

FreyFox
Member
Posts: 227
Joined: 02 Apr 2008, 11:33
Location: Kamchatka
Contact:

Re: Battle of Shimushu

#15

Post by FreyFox » 01 Mar 2010, 02:12

Had some questions about the Battle of Shimushu Island.
1) WHat was the course of the campaign? ( Start and finish)
2) Is there a map showing the different focres dipositions and the general course of the battle?
3) What was the OOB of the opposing forces?
4) WHat were the fortications like?
I have a considerable quantity of the information on it, including documents and photos.
But all information in Russian. If there is an interest, can place here, but without transfer.



I read something about an counter attack which drove the Russians back from their gains to the beach head.. Is that correct? It apparantly involved tanks as well.
It is the incorrect information. Tanks have not reached a beach. All destroyed tanks stand till now around a hill 171
And Russian did not escape to a beach. :)



The caption says that these parallel lines are old anti-tank ditches. Were these part of the japanese "Kataoka fortress" or are these from the soviet aera?
These are the Japanese anti-tank ditches of the main line of defence. On lake it has been located
Base of the Japanese seaplanes

Post Reply

Return to “Japan at War 1895-1945”