Guangdong Operation order of battle

Below is the order of battle for the Canton Operation, October to December 1938 during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Imperial Japanese Army

21st Army - Lt. Gen. Motoo Furusho [8]

• 5th Division - Lt. Gen. Rikichi Ando [8]
• 9th Infantry Brigade
• 11th Infantry Regiment
• 41st Infantry Regiment
• 21st Infantry Brigade
• 21st Infantry Regiment
• 42nd Infantry Regiment
• 5th Field Artillery Regiment
• 5th Cavalry Regiment
• 5th Engineer Regiment
• 5th Transport Regiment
• 18th Division - Lt. Gen. Seiichi Kunou [8]
• 23rd Infantry Brigade
• 55th Infantry Regiment
• 56th Infantry Regiment
• 35th Infantry Brigade
• 114th Infantry Regiment
• 124th Infantry Regiment
• 22nd Cavalry Battalion
• 18th Mountain Artillery Regiment
• 12th Military Engineer Regiment
• 12th Transport Regiment
• 104th Division - Lt. Gen. Toshio Miyake [8]
• 107th Infantry Brigade
• 108th Infantry Regiment
• 170th Infantry Regiment
• 132nd Infantry Brigade
• 137th Infantry Regiment
• 161st Infantry Regiment
• 104th Field Artillery Regiment
• 104th Cavalry Regiment
• 104th Engineer Regiment
• 104th Transport Regiment

Forces directly under 21st Army:

• 3rd Independent Machinegun Battalion (独立機関銃第三大隊)
• 6th Independent Machinegun Battalion (独立機関銃第六大隊)
• 21st Independent Machinegun Battalion (独立機関銃第二十一大隊)
• 11th Independent Light Armored Car Company (独立軽装甲車第十一中隊)
• 51st Independent Light Armored Car Company (独立軽装甲車第五十一中隊)
• 52nd Independent Light Armored Car Company (独立軽装甲車第五十二中隊)
• 111th Mountain Artillery Regiment (山砲兵第百十一聯隊)
• 10th Independent Mountain Artillery Regiment (独立山砲兵第十聯隊)
• 1st Heavy Field Artillery Brigade (野戦重砲兵第一旅団)
• 2nd Mortar Battalion (迫撃第二大隊)
• 21st Mortar Battalion (迫撃第二十一大隊)
• 11th Independent Heavy Siege Artillery Battalion (独立攻城重砲兵第十一大隊)
• 1st Independent Heavy Mortar Battalion (独立臼砲第一大隊)
• 2nd Independent Heavy Mortar Battalion (独立臼砲第二大隊)
• 3rd Division's 6th and 7th Field Anti-Aircraft Batteries (第三師団第六、第七野戦高射砲隊)
• 3rd Division's 8th and 9th Field Anti-Aircraft Batteries (第三師団第八、第九野戦高射砲隊)
• 1st Division's 6th and 8th Field Anti-Aircraft Batteries (第一師団第六、第八野戦高射砲隊)
• 5th Division's 2nd Field Anti-Aircraft Battery (第五師団第二野戦高射砲隊)
• 20th Division's 2nd Field Anti-Aircraft Battery (第二十師団第二野戦高射砲隊)
• 1st Independent Balloon Company (独立気球第一中隊)
• 15th Independent Engineer Regiment (独立工兵十五聯隊)
• 8th Signal Communication Unit (第八通信隊)
• 6th Field Meteorological Unit (第六野戦気象隊)
• 3rd Field Survey Unit (第三野戦測量隊)

4th Flight Group - Major Gen. Tomo Fujita [8][2] (Formed on September 19, 1938, under the 21st Army)

• 64th Hiko Sentai - Major Tamiya Teranishi,[2][3] (Base: Ertaokou 8/38 – 11/38)
• 1st Chutai - Captain Mitsugu Sawada
• Nakajima Ki-27 fighter aircraft
• 2nd Chutai - Captain Tsuguroku Nakao
• Kawasaki Ki-10 fighter aircraft
• Nakajima Ki-27 fighter aircraft
• 27th Hiko Sentai - ? [2][3]
• 1st Chutai - ?
• Light bomber - ?
• 31st Hiko Sentai - ? (Base: Canton 11/38 – ) [2][3]
• Light bomber unit.
• 1st Aviation Corps (reconnaissance aircraft)[2]
• 94th Flight Group [2]
• 97th Flight Group [2]
• 3rd Flying Field Squadron [2]
• 1st Field Operation Flying Field team.[2]

Notes:

• 21st Army formed on September 19, 1938, and attacks Guangzhou October 12, 1938. [2]

Tactical Organization of the 21st Army

21st Army

• Oikawa Detachment (及川支隊)
• 9th Infantry Brigade (Detached from 5th Division)
• 11th Infantry Regiment
• 5th Engineer Regiment (Detached from 5th Division)
• 1st Company
• Forces under Oikawa Detachment:
• 52nd Independent Light Armoured Car Company
• 10th Independent Mountain Artillery Regiment (1 Battalion)
• 1st Battalion
• 15th Independent Engineer Regiment
• 18th Division
• 23rd Infantry Brigade
• 55th Infantry Regiment
• 56th Infantry Regiment
• 35th Infantry Brigade
• 114th Infantry Regiment
• 124th Infantry Regiment (Detached except for 3rd Battalion)
• 3rd Battalion
• 22nd Cavalry Battalion
• 18th Mountain Artillery Regiment
• 12th Military Engineer Regiment
• 12th Transport Regiment
• Forces under 18th Division:
• 3rd Independent Machinegun Battalion
• 21st Independent Machinegun Battalion
• 11th Independent Light Armoured Car Company
• 51st Independent Light Armoured Car Company
• 111th Mountain Artillery Regiment
• 2nd Mortar Battalion
• 2nd Independent Heavy Mortar Battalion
• 104th Division
• 107th Infantry Brigade (108th Infantry Regiment remained in Manchuria)
• 170th Infantry Regiment
• 132nd Infantry Brigade (161st Infantry Regiment remained in Manchuria)
• 137th Infantry Regiment
• 104th Field Artillery Regiment (2 Battalions remained in Manchuria)
• 104th Cavalry Regiment (1 Battalion remained in Manchuria)
• 104th Engineer Regiment
• 104th Transport Regiment
• Forces under 104th Division:
• 124th Infantry Regiment (Detached from 18th Division, 2 Battalions)
• 1st Battalion
• 2nd Battalion
• 6th Independent Machinegun Battalion
• 5th Field Artillery Regiment (1 Battalion)
• 2nd Battalion
• 10th Independent Mountain Artillery Regiment (2 Battalions)
• 2nd Battalion
• 3rd Battalion
• 21st Mortar Battalion (1 Company)
• 1st Company
• 11th Independent Heavy Siege Artillery Battalion
• 5th Division
• 9th Infantry Brigade
• 41st Infantry Regiment
• 21st Infantry Brigade
• 21st Infantry Regiment
• 42nd Infantry Regiment
• 5th Field Artillery Regiment (2 Battalions)
• 1st Battalion
• 3rd Battalion
• 5th Cavalry Regiment
• 5th Engineer Regiment (Except for 1st Company)
• 5th Transport Regiment
• Forces under 5th Division:
• 21st Mortar Battalion (3 Companies)
• 2nd Company
• 3rd Company
• 4th Company
• 1st Independent Heavy Mortar Battalion
• 3rd Division's 8th Field Anti-Aircraft Battery
• 21st Army Direct Control
• 1st Heavy Field Artillery Brigade
• 3rd Division's 6th, 7th and 9th Field Anti-Aircraft Batteries
• 1st Independent Balloon Company

Imperial Japanese Navy

5th Fleet - Vice Admiral Kōichi Shiozawa (塩澤中将)

• 9th Cruiser Division - Vice Admiral Kōichi Shiozawa (塩澤中将)
• Cruiser Myōkō (妙高) (Flagship)
• Light Cruiser Tama (多摩)
• 10th Cruiser Division - Rear Admiral Seiichiro Fujimori (藤森少将)
• Light Cruiser TenryÅ« (天龍)
• Light Cruiser Tatsuta (龍田)
• 8th Cruiser Division - Rear Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa (小澤少将)
• Light Cruiser Kinu (鬼怒)
• Light Cruiser Yura (由良)
• Light Cruiser Naka (那珂)
• 2nd Torpedo Squadron
• Light Cruiser JintsÅ« (神通)
• 8th Destroyer Division
• Destroyer Amagiri (天霧)
• Destroyer YÅ«giri (夕霧)
• Destroyer Asagiri (朝霧)
• 12th Destroyer Division
• Destroyer Shirakumo (白雲)
• Destroyer Murakumo (叢雲)
• Destroyer Shinonome (東雲)
• Destroyer Usugumo (薄雲)
• 5th Torpedo Squadron
• Light Cruiser Nagara (長良)
• 16th Destroyer Division
• Destroyer Fuyō (芙蓉)
• Destroyer Asagao (朝顔)
• Destroyer Karukaya (刈萱)
• 23rd Destroyer Division
• Destroyer Kikuzuki (菊月)
• Destroyer Mochizuki (望月)
• Destroyer Mikazuki (三日月)
• Destroyer YÅ«zuki (夕月)
• First Carrier Division
• Aircraft Carrier Kaga (加賀)
• 29th Destroyer Division
• Destroyer Oite (追風)
• Destroyer Hayate (疾風)
• Second Carrier Division
• Aircraft Carrier SōryÅ« (蒼龍)
• Light Aircraft Carrier RyÅ«jō (龍驤)
• 30th Destroyer Division
• Destroyer Mutsuki (睦月)
• Destroyer Mochizuki (望月)
• Destroyer Kisaragi (如月)
• Destroyer Yayoi (弥生)
• Second Base Force
• 14th Air Group
• Takao Air Group
• Seaplane Tender Chitose (千歳)
• Seaplane Tender Kamikawa Maru (神川丸)
• 3rd Destroyer Division
• Destroyer Shimakaze (島風)
• Destroyer Shiokaze (汐風)
• Destroyer Nadakaze (灘風)
• 1st Gunboat Division
• Special Gunboat Shuri Maru (首里丸)
• Special Gunboat Nagatoshiyama Maru (長壽山丸)
• Special Gunboat Nagashiroyama Maru (長白山丸)
• 1st Combined Air Group
• Additional Units:
• 11th Minesweeper Division
• Minesweeper No. 16 (掃十六)
• Minesweeper No. 14 (掃十四)
• Minesweeper No. 15 (掃十五)
• Minesweeper No. 13 (掃十三)
• Minesweeper No. 18 (掃十八)
• Minesweeper No. 17 (掃十七)

China

Canton Area Defense October 1938 [1]

4th Route Army - Yu Han-mou [1]

• 62nd Army - Chang Ta
• 151st Division - Mo His-teh
• 152nd Division - Chen Chang
• 63rd Army - Chang Jui-kuei
• 153rd Division - Chang Jui-kuei
• 154th Division - Liang Shih-chi
• 182nd Division - Li Zhen
• 65th Army - Li Chen-chiu
• 156th Division - Li Chiangi
• 157th Division - Huang Tao
• 158th Division - Tseng Yu-chiang
• 9th Separate Brigade - Li Chen-liang
• 20th Separate Brigade - Chen-liang
• 2nd Separate Regiment - ?
• Humen Fortress Command - Chen Tse
• Chen Chongfan’s Artillery Brigade - Chen Chongfan
• A Tank Battalion from Canton Tank Corps - ?
• Anti-Aircraft Gun Battalion - ?
• Tax Police Division - Sun Liren

Navy[1]

• River Defense Command - ?
• Haimen Fortress
• Pearl River flotilla
• Shao-ho
• Hai-chou
• Hai-hu
• Hai-ou

Airforce[1] Kwang tung Air Defense command - ? (3 x 75mm AA batteries, 20 lesser caliber AA batteries, 4 searchlights )

• 41st AAA Regt.
• 1 battery ? mm (Humen Fortress)
• ?
• 45th AAA Regt.
• 2 76.2mm AA batteries (Canton)
• ?
• 3rd Searchlight detachment
• 4 searchlights

Sources

[1] Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai, History of The Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) 2nd Ed., 1971. Translated by Wen Ha-hsiung, Chung Wu Publishing; 33, 140th Lane, Tung-hwa Street, Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China.

[3] Sino-Japanese Air War 1937-45

[4] Madej, W. Victor Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945 [2 vols] Allentown, PA: 1981

March 1938

• 2nd Carrier Division
• RYUJO (CF Toshihiko Odawara)
• F 9 Mitsubishi A5M
• DB 15 D1A1
• SORYU
• F 18 A5M & A4N1
• DB 27 DA2
• TB 12 B4Y1

References

Citations

Bibliography