# 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 Tenryū (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 Jintsū (神通)
** 8th Destroyer Division
*** Destroyer Amagiri (天霧)
*** Destroyer Yūgiri (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 Yūzuki (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 Sōryū (蒼龍)
** Light Aircraft Carrier Ryūjō (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