Japanese 33rd Division in Thailand

[Fatboy Coxy]

Hi all, I’m trying to find out when the units of the Japanese 33rd Infantry Division arrived in Thailand. I believe they came from Shanghai, China, may have arrived in Thailand in January 1942, but have no dates, or how, appreciate if anyone can help me

Regards
Fatboy Coxy

[Akira Takizawa]

33rd Division departed from Shanghai by 7 transports on Dec. 15th and arrived at Bangkok on Jan. 10th.

Taki

[Fatboy Coxy]

Thank you for that Taki, most helpful.

That doesn't include the 213th Infantry Regt (Col Miyawaki) and 2 battalions of the 33rd Mountain Artillery Regt, which weren't sent due to shipping shortages, being sent direct to Rangoon end March 1942.

Regards
Fatboy Coxy

[Akira Takizawa]

> being sent direct to Rangoon end March 1942.

No. They landed at Bangkok on Feb. 26th by transports from China. Then, they marched to Burma inland. They reached at Rangoon around late March.

Taki

[Fatboy Coxy]

Oh wow, I'm glad I wrote that down to confirm, I'll amend my notes, thank you for the corrections. I know limitations in availability of shipping restricted the forward deployment of troops, what you have told me makes sense in that context.

Regards
Fatboy Coxy

[rjl3]

I have 3 Transports departing Shanghai on Dec 15: Calcutta, Hiburi, Taiyo, escorted by Hasu.
They went to Takao which would be a logical way-point on the trip south.
Does anyone know if this was part of the 33rd Div Movement and if so what were the names of the other 4 transports?

Thanks!
Ralph

[Akira Takizawa]

> Does anyone know if this was part of the 33rd Div Movement

No. 33rd Division transports were escorted by Sazanami and went to Magong.

Taki

[Berend]

I have 3 Transports departing Shanghai on Dec 15: Calcutta, Hiburi, Taiyo, escorted by Hasu.
They went to Takao which would be a logical way-point on the trip south.

Additional escorts: auxiliary gunboats Nissho Maru No. 12 and Shinko Maru No. 1 Go.

I have Nissho Maru No. 12 departing Shipu with convoy on 16 December. Shinko Maru No. 1 Go joins at 1530 and detaches at 2230. Convoy arrives at Jiu Shan Islands later that day. Nissho Maru No. 12 detaches.

Taiyo Maru = Teiyo Maru (ex German Saarland).

Regards,

Berend.

[rjl3]

Berend
Thank you for your reply. As far as I can tell, there were many Takao and Mako departures in Dec 1941 for C Go, M Go, and E Go. To complicate matters many vessels made the trip to Lingayen Gulf (M Go) and return within the month with a further departure such as E Go.
I have been looking at the Departure south on Dec 31. Apparently had 43 merchants but divided into different sections going to different places including Bangkok and Singora, and probably Hong Kong. I believe that the 33rd Div tranports were part of this movement and were detached to Bangkok enroute. I am trying to find out how the 43 merchants got to Takao and Mako. 7 supposedly from Shanghai but so far have only found 3. haven't even started yet to look at the escorts because they clearly joined and detached frequently.
Any additional info you may have would be much appreciated.
Ralph

[Akira Takizawa]

At Magong, 33rd Div transports joined to the large convoy to Malaya. The convoy consisted of 77 transports and was escorted by Natori, Kashii, Shimushu and 14 destroyers. On Dec. 31th, it departed from Magong and went south. On Jan. 7th, 11 transports for the 15th Army including 7 33rd Div transports departed from the convey to Malaya off Cape Camau of Vietnam and arrived at Bangkok on Jan. 9th.

The details of this convoy operation is stated in Senshi Sosho at the following link from frame 292. But, there is no list of transports in it.

http://www.nids.mod.go.jp/military_hist ... ?kanno=024#

Taki

[rjl3]

Taki
Thanks! So far I have found only 47 transports departing on 31st and only 3 of the 7 arriving from Shanghai. But I do have names for the 11 that detached for Bangkok:
Calcutta, Celebes, Genzan, Hiburi, Hokko, Holland, Kaisho, Kashima, Milan, Panama, and Teiyo.
Apparently several of these went from Bangkok back to Takao and then departed again for J Go.
Thanks for the reference you provided. Sadly I do not know Japanese. Wish there was a study for these movements similar to Senshi Sosho Vol 26.
Regards,
Ralph

[Berend]

I have:

Calcutta, Hiburi and Teiyo departing from Wu Shu.
Celebes and Kashima departing from Ujina.
Hokko departing from Wu Shu, returns departs again on 19th.
Holland and Panama departing from Nanjing.
Kaisho and Milan departing from Shanghai.

Wu Shu is a residential area in Shanghai.

Regards,

Berend.

[rjl3]

thanks Berend. do you have dates of departure?
Ralph

[Berend]

Calcutta maru (甲谷陀丸) departs Wu Shu on 15 December 1941 for Mako
Hiburi maru (日振丸) departs Wu Shu on 15 December 1941 for Mako
Teiyo maru (帝洋丸) departs Wu Shu on 15 December 1941 for Mako
Celebes maru (せれべす丸 ) departs Ujina on 1 December 1941, Departs Takao on 23 December 1941, Departs Kirun on 28 December 1941 for Mako
Kashima maru (鹿島丸) departs Ujina on 21 December 1941 for Mako
Hokko maru (北光丸) departs Nanjing on 14 December 1941, departs Wu Shu on 16 December 1941 for Mako,returns, departs again on 19 December 1941 for Mako
Holland maru (和蘭丸 ) departs Kobe on 23 November 1941 for Nanjing and then Mako
Panama maru (ぱなま丸) departs Nanjing on 13 December 1941 for Mako
Kaisho maru (海祥丸) departs Shanghai on 23 December 1941 for Mako
Milan maru (みらん丸) departs Shanghai on 16 December 1941 for Mako
Genzan maru (玄山丸) departs Shanghai on 19 December 1941, departs Nanjing on 22 December 1941 for Mako

Regards,

Berend.

[rjl3]

Berend

Thank you for this information. Looks like lots of independent sailings! I guess the risk of US attacks was considered extremely low. Do you know if any escorts were involved?

Regards,
Ralph