Japanese Order of Battle, Malayan Campaign
Encyclopedia
The Japanese Imperial Army landed the 25th Army under the command of General Tomoyuki Yamashita
on the east coasts of Malaya and Thailand on the night of 7 December 1941.
and Thailand
on 7 December 1941. The conquest of Malaya was completed in less than three months when Singapore
surrendered on 15 February 1942. The Japanese Twenty-Fifth Army under General Tomoyuki Yamashita was given the task of conquering Malaya.
The Imperial Guards Division made its first appearance in the Malayan Campaign during the Battle of Muar
where it destroyed the 45th Indian Brigade and inflicted heavy casualties on the two supporting Australian infantry battalions. The Imperial Guards took part in the Battle of Singapore
.
The 5th Division faced the brunt of British defences throughout the Battle of Malaya
and participated in the invasion of Singapore
. The 5th Division landed at Patani and Singora in Thailand
on 7 December 1941 and then proceeded to attack down the west coast of Malaya. The 41st Regiment of 5th Division suffered heavy casualties at the Battle of Kampar
when the 11th Indian Division set up an artillery and infantry ambush, but a few days later the 5th Division managed to destroy the 12th Indian and 28th Gurkha Brigades of the 11th Indian Division at the Battle of Slim River
between 6 and 8 January 1942. The 11th and 41st Regiments of 5th Division suffered heavy casualties at the hands of the Australian 8th Division
at the ambush at Gemencheh Bridge
.
This division supplied the troops used in the invasion of Malaya
at Kota Bharu. The 18th Division attacked down the east coast of Malaya
and participated in the Battle of Singapore
especially at Bukit Timah
.
Tomoyuki Yamashita
General was a general of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. He was most famous for conquering the British colonies of Malaya and Singapore, earning the nickname "The Tiger of Malaya".- Biography :...
on the east coasts of Malaya and Thailand on the night of 7 December 1941.
History
The Japanese Imperial Army invaded MalayaBritish Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
on 7 December 1941. The conquest of Malaya was completed in less than three months when Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
surrendered on 15 February 1942. The Japanese Twenty-Fifth Army under General Tomoyuki Yamashita was given the task of conquering Malaya.
Order of Battle Japanese 25th Army on 8 December 1941
- Commanding Officer - Lieutenant-General Tomoyuki YamashitaTomoyuki YamashitaGeneral was a general of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. He was most famous for conquering the British colonies of Malaya and Singapore, earning the nickname "The Tiger of Malaya".- Biography :...
Imperial Guards Division
- Lt-Gen Takuma NishimuraTakuma Nishimurawas a general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. He was later tried by the Allies for war crimes, and was executed. Nishimura was a native of Fukuoka prefecture.-Early military career:...
The Imperial Guards Division made its first appearance in the Malayan Campaign during the Battle of Muar
Battle of Muar
The Battle of Muar was the last major battle of the Malayan campaign. It took place from 14–22 January 1942 around Gemensah Bridge and on the Muar River...
where it destroyed the 45th Indian Brigade and inflicted heavy casualties on the two supporting Australian infantry battalions. The Imperial Guards took part in the Battle of Singapore
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
.
- 3rd Konoye Regt.
- 4th Konoye Regt. - Colonel Kentaro Kunishi
- 5th Konoye Regt. - Colonel Takeo Iwaguro
- (each regiment was 2,600 strong . Total strength 12,600)
5th Infantry Division
- Lt-Gen Takuro Matsui
- (motor transport)
The 5th Division faced the brunt of British defences throughout the Battle of Malaya
Battle of Malaya
The Malayan Campaign was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 31 January 1942 during the Second World War. The campaign was dominated by land battles between British Commonwealth army units, and the Imperial Japanese Army...
and participated in the invasion of Singapore
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
. The 5th Division landed at Patani and Singora in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
on 7 December 1941 and then proceeded to attack down the west coast of Malaya. The 41st Regiment of 5th Division suffered heavy casualties at the Battle of Kampar
Battle of Kampar
The Battle of Kampar was an engagement of the Malayan Campaign during World War II, involving British and Indian troops from the 11th Indian Infantry Division and the Japanese 5th Division....
when the 11th Indian Division set up an artillery and infantry ambush, but a few days later the 5th Division managed to destroy the 12th Indian and 28th Gurkha Brigades of the 11th Indian Division at the Battle of Slim River
Battle of Slim River
The Battle of Slim River occurred during the Malayan campaign in January 1942 between the Imperial Japanese Army and the British Indian Army on the west coast of Malaya.-Background:...
between 6 and 8 January 1942. The 11th and 41st Regiments of 5th Division suffered heavy casualties at the hands of the Australian 8th Division
Australian 8th Division
The 8th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, who were in turn, part of the Allies of World War II. The 8th Division was raised from regular army units and new, all-volunteer infantry brigades, from July 1940 onwards...
at the ambush at Gemencheh Bridge
Battle of Muar
The Battle of Muar was the last major battle of the Malayan campaign. It took place from 14–22 January 1942 around Gemensah Bridge and on the Muar River...
.
- 9th Infantry Brigade - Maj.Gen. Saburo Kawamura
- 11th Regiment - Colonel Tsunahiko Watanabe
- 41st Regiment - Colonel Kanichi Okabe
- 21st Infantry Brigade - Major-General Eikichi Sugiura
- 21st Regiment - Colonel Noriyoshi Harada
- 42nd Regiment - Colonel Tadao Ando
- (each regiment 2,600 strong. Total strength 15,300.)
18th Infantry Division
- Lt-Gen Renya MutaguchiRenya Mutaguchi- Notes :...
- (horse transport)
This division supplied the troops used in the invasion of Malaya
Japanese Invasion of Malaya
The Japanese Invasion of Malaya, or Battle of Kota Bharu, began just after midnight on 8 December 1941 before the attack on Pearl Harbor...
at Kota Bharu. The 18th Division attacked down the east coast of Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
and participated in the Battle of Singapore
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
especially at Bukit Timah
Battle of Bukit Timah
The Battle of Bukit Timah, which took place on 11 February 1942, was part of the final stage of the Empire of Japan's invasion of Singapore during World War II....
.
- 23rd Infantry Brigade - Maj.Gen. Hiroshi Takumi
- 55th Regiment - Colonel Hiroshi Koba
- 56th Regiment - Col. Yoshio Nasu
- 35th Infantry Brigade - Major-General K. Kawaguchi
- 114th Regiment - Colonel Hitashi Kohisa
- 124th Regiment -
- (each regiment was 3,500 strong. Total strength 22,200 .)
- 1st Independent Anti-Tank Battalion.
- Eight independent anti-tank companies.
- 3rd Tank Group, consisting of four tank regiments-
- 1st (Medium), 2nd (Medium) (arrived 29th Jan. ’42) and 6th (Medium) and 14th (Light) Regts.
Artillery
- 3rd Independent Mountain Artillery Regiment
- 3rd Heavy Field Artillery Regiment
- 18th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment - Lt.Col. Katsutoshi Takasu
- 21st Heavy Field Artillery Battalion .
- Two trench mortar battalions (3rd and 5th Mortar Battalions) horsed.
- 14th Independent Mortar Battalion.
- 17th Field Air Defence Unit (consisting of four field anti-aircraft battalions) .
- Three independent field anti-aircraft companies .
- 1st Balloon Company.
Engineers
- Three independent engineer regiments:
- 4th Engineer Regiment
- 12th Engineer Regiment - Lt.Col. Ichie Fuji
- 15th Engineer Regiment - Lt.Col. Yosuke Yokoyama
- 23rd Engineer Regiment
- 5th Independent Heavy Bridging Company (two horsed, one mechanised).
- Three bridging material companies (21st, 22nd and 27th).
- Two river crossing material companies (10th and 15th), one horsed, one mechanised.
- 21st River Crossing Company (horsed).
- 2nd Field Military Police Unit.
- 2nd Railway Unit (consisting of two railway regiments, one railway material depot, two
- Railway station offices and two special railway operating units) .
- 25th Army Signal Unit (consisting of one telegraph regiment (horsed), one independent wire company (mechanised), three independent wireless platoons (two mechanized, one horsed )and five stationary wireless units.)
Line of communication (headquarters and units)
- These included four L. of C. sector units, eight independent motor transport battalions, twelve independent motor transport companies, two horse transport units, ten land service companies, five construction service companies, also survey, water, road, construction, ordnance and medical units.
3rd Tank Group
- At the beginning of operations the 3rd Tank Group comprised four tank regiments (three medium, one light) and ancillary units . The 2nd (Medium) Tank Regiment was transferred to 26th Army on 29 January 1942. The group then had 79 medium tanks, 100 light tanks, and 238 other vehicles. The medium tanks, weighing 16 tons, each carried one 57-mm gun and Two 7.7-mm machine-guns; the light tanks (8 tons) one 37-mm gun and one 7 .7-mm machine-gun.