Division Artillery Group Headquarters

[wdgysin]

I am currently trying to fill in my list of division artillery groups and commanding officers. I would appreciate any assistance
anyone could offer to help complete my listing. Below is what I have so far:

IG D Art Gp
Maj Gen Kanaoka Takashi (25) 31Aug40-13Jul41

1st D Art Gp
Col Tomohisa Hachiyorozu? (24) 29Jul41-9Nov42

2nd D Art Gp?
?

3rd D Art Gp
Maj Gen Hosokawa Tadayasu (24) 1Aug40-13Jul41
Maj Gen Sumiyoshi Tadashi (26) 13Jul41-19Sep42
? 19Sep42-1Mar43
Maj Gen Takeda Seiichi (26) 1Mar43-14Feb44
Maj Gen Mishima Giichirō (28) 14Feb44-14Jul44
? 14Jul44-10Jun45
Maj Gen Iwata Eiji (28) 10Jun45-25Jul45

4th D Art Gp
?

5th D Art Gp?
?

6th D Art Gp?
?

7th D Art Gp
?

8th D Art Gp
Col Morikawa Kiyoshi (22) (MG 25Aug41) 1Aug40-1Mar43
Maj Gen Fujimura Yuzuru (26) 1Mar43-21Jun44

9th D Art Gp
Col Usui Kengo (26) (MG 25Aug41) 5Dec40-4May42

10th D Art Gp
?

11th D Art Gp
Col Kōno Seizō (26) 7Jul41-?

12th D Art Gp
Maj Gen Funabiki Masayuki (25) 28Sep40-15Oct41
Maj Gen Horike Kazumaro (28) 15Oct41-1Dec42
Maj Gen Tamura Hiroshi (28) 1Dec42-16May44

13th D Art Gp?
?

14th D Art Gp
Col Kōji Yahachi (24) 7Jul41-1Jul42

15th D Art Gp?
?

16th D Art Gp?
?

17th D Art Gp?
?

18th D Art Gp?
?

19th D Art Gp
Col Takeda Seiichi (26) (MG 25Aug41) 24Mar41-6Mar42
Col Yoshida Gonhachi (29) (MG 1Mar43) 6Mar42-26Jul43
Col Suzuki Tadashi (26) (MG 2Aug43) 26Jul43-16May44

20th D Art Gp
Col Tsuji Enbu (25) 27Jul41-19Jan42

21st D Art Gp?
?

22nd D Art Gp?
?

23rd D Art Gp
Col Mishima Giichirō (28) (MG 15Oct41) 7Jul41-26Jun42

24th D Art Gp
Col Masai Yoshihito (26) (MG 25Aug41) 12Aug(8Dec?)40-26Jun42
Col Nakayama Masayasu (25) (MG 1Aug42) 26Jun42-10Jun44

25th D Art Gp
Col Suzuki Tadashi (26) 15Aug41-26Jul43

28th D Art Gp
Col Yano Masao (28) (MG 15Oct41) 7Jul41-1Dec42

51st D Art Gp
Col Yamazaki Kiyotsugu (24) (MG 15Oct41) 29Jul41-10Aug42

57th D Art Gp
Maj Gen Nagano Murato (27) 1Apr42-13Oct42

I know the 1941 mobilization plan called for an artillery group HQ of 164 men and that this applied only to the regular
divisions and not the wartime divisions although it seems not all regular divisions had the HQ. TIA for any responses.

[Carl Schwamberger]

I have nothing on that, but ham curious if you have information on the organization & equipment of the artillery HQ?

Thanks

[wdgysin]

I have very little information on these units. Rikugun by Leland Ness in the note on page 306 states that the 1-4, 8-12, 14, 19,
24, 25, 28, and 51 Divisions all had Artillery Group Headquarters (Hoheidan shirbiebu) and I found other references in the Sakura
Taro Data Base (now defunct) and the generals.dk website. Since these units were commanded by Major Generals, we can confirm
some dates of their existence by appointments of officers. It seems that these Headquarters were brought about under the 1941
mobilization plan around Aug-Sep 1940 wich also created the Infantry Group Headquarters in each Division. The units were only
mandated in the Type A Regular Divisions although some Type B and Special Divisions had them also. It's possible that they were
only created for Divisions serving in Manchuria, but I have yet to confirm this. The Artillery Group Headquarters seem to be very
confusing - some existing for long periods and others for very short times.
As far as the unit structure, Rikugun only gives a total strength for the unit of 164 men equiped with 2 LMG. Japanese Armed
Forces Order of Battle 1937-1945 Vol II by W Victor Madej gives a strength of 174. I can only assume that the elements would con-
sist of staff, defense, survey, signals, sound ranging, trains and other elements common to other countries divisions of the same
period. The headquarters was to control and coordinate division artillery and independent artillery units attached to the division,
as Ness points out, a role somewhat duplicating the division artillery regiment headquarters functions.
Hopefully, one of our Japanese members of the forum might have more information on these units and can weigh in on the sub-
ject.

[wdgysin]

Also found this from War Department TM-E-30-480 dtd 15Sep44 Handbook of Japanese Military Forces
Artillery in the strengthened divisions: The artillery element in strengthened divisions consists of an artillery group, composed of the artillery group headquarters, a regiment of field artillery containing 75-mm and 105-mm weapons, and a medium artillery battalion of 150-mm howitzers. Other independent artillery and antiaircraft units may be assigned or attached. The artillery group is under command of either a major general or a colonel.
Artillery group headquarters: An artillery group headquarters consists of approximately 160 officers and enlisted men. It includes a staff,
a small guard, and a train, and an observation-balloon platoon also may be included. The functions of the group headquarters are to com-
mand the organic artillery of the division and unify control of attached artillery.

[Carl Schwamberger]

... I can only assume that the elements would consist of staff, defense, survey, signals, sound ranging, trains and other elements common to other countries divisions of the same period. The headquarters was to control and coordinate division artillery and independent artillery units attached to the division,as Ness points out, a role somewhat duplicating the division artillery regiment headquarters functions.
...

It has appeared to me the Japanese artillery command was very decentralized in the field units. It is possible the artillery regiment HQ did not have the same command capability as the US Army & the group HQ was not so redundant.

Thanks for the referral to Ness

[wdgysin]

Your right, the more I look at it the more the Japanese artillery seems to be dated in regards to other countries artillery organizations.
They seem to be closer to other countries World War I organizations and equipment well into World War II and it wasn't till the later
stages that they developed more modern equipment and procedures. I read somewhere that Japanese artillery accounted for only 2%
of battlefield casualties.

[fontessa]

Hello wdgysin,

I showed the differences in Japanese materials.

3rd D Art Gp
Maj Gen Hosokawa Tadayasu (24) 1Aug40-13Jul41
Maj Gen Sumiyoshi Tadashi (26) 13Jul41-19Sep42
19Sep42-1Mar43
Maj Gen Takeda Seiichi (26) 1Mar43-14Feb44
Maj Gen Mishima Giichirō (28) 14Feb44-14Jul44
? 14Jul44-10Jun45
Maj Gen Iwata Eiji (28) 10Jun45-25Jul45

Maj Gen Hosokawa Tadayasu (24) 細川忠康: 1Aug40-13Jul41
Maj Gen Takeda Seiichi (26) 竹田政一: 1Mar43-14Feb44
Maj Gen Mishima Giichirō (28) 三島義一郎: 14Feb44 - 14Jul44
Maj Gen Iwata Eiji (28) 岩田英二: 10Jun45 - 25Jul45

9th D Art Gp
Col Usui Kengo (26) (MG 25Aug41) 5Dec40-4May42

Col Usui Kengo (26) 臼井倹吾 (MG 25Aug41): 5Dec40-1Apr42
Maj Gen Ihara Shigejiro (27) 井原茂次郎: 1Apr42 - 10Jun53

11th D Art Gp
Col Kōno Seizō (26) 7Jul41-?

Col Kōno Seizō (26) 河野省三: 7Jul41-10Jun1943

12th D Art Gp
Maj Gen Funabiki Masayuki (25) 28Sep40-15Oct41
Maj Gen Horike Kazumaro (28) 15Oct41-1Dec42
Maj Gen Tamura Hiroshi (28) 1Dec42-16May44

Maj Gen Yamamoto Tsutomu (24) 山本務: 1Aug40 - 28Sep40
Maj Gen Funabiki Masayuki (25) 船引正之: 28Sep40-15Oct41
Maj Gen Horike Kazumaro (28) 堀毛一麿: 15Oct41-1Dec42
Maj Gen Tamura Hiroshi (28) 田村浩: 1Dec42-16May44

24th D Art Gp
Col Masai Yoshihito (26) (MG 25Aug41) 12Aug(8Dec?)40-26Jun42
Col Nakayama Masayasu (25) (MG 1Aug42) 26Jun42-10Jun44

Col Masai Yoshihito (26) 正井義人 (MG 25Aug41): 2Aug40-26Jun42
Col Nakayama Masayasu (25) 中山政康: 26Jun42-10Jun44

28th D Art Gp
Col Yano Masao (28) (MG 15Oct41) 7Jul41-1Dec42

Col Yano Masao (28) 矢野政雄 (MG 15Oct41): 1Jul41-1Dec42

2nd D Art Gp
5th D Art Gp
6th D Art Gp
7th D Art Gp
10th D Art Gp
13th D Art Gp
15th D Art Gp
16th D Art Gp
17th D Art Gp
18th D Art Gp
21st D Art Gp
22nd D Art Gp

The Gps above didn’t exist.
It is unknown whether 4th D Art Gp existed.

I know the 1941 mobilization plan called for an artillery group HQ of 164 men

According to the 1941 mobilization plan, authorized strengs of artillery group HQ was 174 men.

fontessa

[wdgysin]

Thank you, Fontesssa, for the updates on the information. It will help clean up this section of my database.