Japanese tankettes with pioneer troops marching towards Wu-han
Chinese troops crossing the Yellow River in June 1938, the river was deliberately flooded by Chinese forces to buy time to defend Wuhan.
Below are the units and commanders that participated in the Battle of Wuhan, also called the Wuchang–Hankou campaign, fought from early June through November 12, 1938, a phase of the Second Sino-Japanese War.
One hundred vessels, including over 30 naval craft armed with medium-caliber artillery, were gathered. The landing force for Anqing was composed of one infantry brigade, a marine landing battalion, artillery, engineers and chemical elements, totaling about 12,000 men and 80 to 90 guns. The squadron comprised 40 units, including destroyers, minesweepers, naval and river gunboats and blockade boats. Twenty steamboats transported the troops designated to make the landing.[4]
3rd Fleet and China Area Fleet - Adm. Oiakwa Koshiro
Tsubame (Tsubame class minelayer) 1–8 cm/40cal AA gun, 1-13.2 mm AA, 120 mines
Kamone (Tsubame class minelayer) 1–8 cm/40cal AA gun, 1-13.2 mm AA, 120 mines
Yamasemi (torpedo boat) 2–8 cm QF gun, 2–47 mm QF gun, 2–45 cm TT (detached from Torpedoboat Sentai?)
Sugi maru (Military used merchantmen minesweeper ?)
Kashiwa maru (Military used merchantmen minesweeper ?)
2nd Minesweeper Unit 2 awg = Kotaka and Minor/Smaller craft
Kotaka (Gunboat) 5 MGs (detached from 11th Sentai)
Daihatsu, Shohatsu and other small craft
#3 Flying Group (Kosen or Koku Sentai), 3rd Fleet.
Kamikawa Maru (Mobilized Merchantman seaplane tender) 2–15 cm gun, 2–8 cm AA gun, 4–25 mm AA, 2 catapults, 12 or 8 aircraft (E8N)+
Notoro (seaplane tender) 2–8 cm/40cal AA gun, 8 aircraft (E8N)+
Kiji (Otori class torpedo boat) 3–12 cm/45cal gun (1x3), 1–40 mm AA, 3–53 cm TT (1x3) (from 11th Torpedoboat Sentai)
Transport Unit ?
20 steamboat transports
Daihatsu, Shohatsu and other small craft
Special Unit
Formosa Brigade (see 11th Army above)
NLF "Okamoto unit"
Kure 4th SNLF (after Aug. 1938)
Kure 5th SNLF
Special Working Unit
2nd Combined Air Group, 3rd Fleet.
Sōryū detachment +
Fighter daitai - 9 Nakajima A4N1s or Mitsubishi A5M
Bomber daitai - 18 Aichi D1A1
Attack daitai - 9 Yokosuka B3Y1
Based at Wuhu 6/38, Anqing 6/38 - 11/38)
In June the Sōryū detachment moved from Nanking to Wuhu in early June and by mid-June to the Anqing base. At this time they flew air defence and ground support sorties.
Based at Anqing (10/07/38 – 09/38), Kowkong (09/38 – 01/12/38)
Notes on naval forces:
15th Kōkūtai entered combat on 10 July from Anqing, and they included A5Ms from the aircraft carrier Sōryū, stationed off the coast since April. The several A5Ms located at Anqing had been unable to provide adequate air protection for Japanese forces until the arrival of the 15th Kōkūtai. At this time the 15th Kōkūtai had a nominal strength of one unit of carrier fighters (12 aircraft), one unit of carrier bombers (12 aircraft) and a half unit carrier attack aircraft (six aircraft). Actual strength was nine A4Ns, nine A5Ms, 18 carrier bombers and nine carrier attack aircraft. Primary duties were to cooperate in the army’s Hankou operations and in particular air defense in the areas along the Yangtze River.
Pictures and drawings of Japanese gunboats (mostly used on Yangtze River) [1]
There is a listing for a Yamasemi torpedo boat formerly the Chinese torpedo boat
Chi Fu Po renamed Chien Kang was sunk 9/37 and raised by Japan and recommissioned as the Yamasemi the same year armed with 2–8 cm QF gun, 2–47 mm QF gun, 2–45 cm TT
See: http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/sino-japanese-1938.htm
Army Air Force
Over 300 planes were part of the Wuhan operation.[1]
Central China Aviation Army Corps(before Aug.2) - Yoshi Tokugawa,[1][2][5]
Hiko Dai 2 Daitai of Hiko Dai 16 Hiko Rentai
IJAAF Type 88 reconnaissance aircraft
Hiko Dai 8 Rinji Daitai - Colonel Sojiro Takeda :
Hiko Dai 1 Chutai - Kawasaki Ki-10
Hiko Dai 2 Chutai - Kawasaki Ki-10
(8th Hiko Daitai was split on 31 July to form the 77th Flying Sentai and the 41st Airfield Daitai. Based at Shanghai (06/38 – 07/38), Nanking (July 1938)
10th Dokuritsu Hiko Chutai
Kawasaki Ki-10 ( – 07/38)
Nakajima Ki-27 (07/38 –)
Based at Nanking, Anqing, Jiujiang (03/38 – 10/38), Hankou (10/38 – 12/38)
17th Dokuritsu Hiko Chutai
Reconnaissance squadron
2nd Hiko Daitai - Maj. Tamiya Teranishi ::
1st chutai - Kawasaki Ki-10
2nd chutai - Kawasaki Ki-10
2nd Hiko Daitai Was amalgamated on 1 August 1938 with the 9th I F Chutai to form the 64th Sentai.
On August 2, the supreme headquarters issued an order to reorganize the Central China aviation army corps establishment. In to bring it in line with the North China Front Army Aviation Corps. Headquarters Nanjing.[2]
Central China Aviation Army Corps(after Aug.2) - Yoshi Tokugawa[1,2,[5]
77th Hiko Sentai - Col. Sojiro Takeda
1st chutai - Kawasaki Ki-10
2nd chutai - Kawasaki Ki-10
Based in Anqing (08/38 – 11/38). Was formed from the 8th Daitai on 31 July 1938.
3rd Air Regiment - Gen. ?
10th Dokuritsu Hiko Chutai - senior captain
Kawasaki Ki-10 ( – 07/38)
Nakajima Ki-27 (07/38 – 06/42)
Based on Nanking, Anqing, Jiujiang (08/38 – 10/38), Hankou (10/38 – 12/38)
Based: Changte (August 1938), Ertaokou (08/38 – 11/38), Tianhe (09/11/38 – 26/07/39) Was formed on 1 August 1938 from the 2nd Hiko Daitai and the 9th I F Chutai.
9 Gunboats: Yi Sheng, Hsien Ning, Chung Ning, Sui Ning, Chung Shan (Capt Sa Shih Chun), Chu Tung, Yung Sheng, Chu Chien, Hu Fu(?)
Unknown number of “high-speed” boats and PT-boats, among them No. 93, Shin No. 223, Yueh No. 253, Wen No. 42, Wen No. 88. These boats were assigned to the Chinese Navy GHQ after the Torpedo School was deactivated on July 9, 1938.
Minelayer(s): One known; Huying
Naval Gun units at Yangtze Fortress Matang, Hukou, Tienchia and Kotien; see above under Army and below in Notes.
After July 1938 additional craft appear in references at Hankow to await possible evacuation of the National Military Council.
Gunboats: Chu Kuan, Yung Chi, Chiang yuan.
Unknown boat types: Chung Shan, Chaing Chen, Min Sheng.
In PoYang Lake
9 Gun boats: Yin Ning (Capt Yen Chuan Ching), Hai Ning, and seven others.
Notes
The Battle of Antsin (Anqing today) Chinese side includes 27th Group Army, commanded by general Yang Sen, and 20th Army (Sichuan provincial army). Defense of Antsin had been entrusted to the Chinese 146th and 147th Divisions.[4] These were from the Sichuan provincial army, 27th Group Army. They are omitted from the July oob above because they were defeated in June, probably pulled from the line for refitting.
27th Group Army - Yang Sen, Defended Anqing, Wu-wei, Takuanin in June 1938
20th Army - Yang Sen (concurrent)
133rd Division - Yang Han-yu
134th Division - Yang Han-chung
146th Division - ?
147th Division - ?
Matan Fortress Garrison consisted of Naval Fortress troops with twelve 12-cm (4.7 inch) guns, 53rd and 167th Divisions. (53rd Division omitted from the July oob above because they were defeated in June, probably pulled from the line for refitting.)[1]
Other Fortress Units consisted of Naval Fortress troops six 10.5-cm (4 inch) guns at Hukou, sixteen 10.5-cm (4 inch) guns at Tienchiachen, ten 7.5-cm (3 inch) guns at Huang.
20 German trained divisions were trained and organized according to plans of the German advisors. They belonged to the first 2 phases of the reorganization of KMT forces. Another 10 divisions (3rd phase) were in training when war broke out. 60 were planned.
Fully trained: 2nd, 4th, 11th, 10th, 25th, 27th, 57th, 67th, 80th, 83rd, 89th Divisions trained on the German pattern by Chinese officers with 2 German advisors.
Partially trained: 3rd, 6th, 9th, 14th, 36th, 87th, 88th Divisions, and the Tax Police (die Salz Division) Division had German advisors directly involved in their training.
Footnotes
^joined the Central China Expeditionary Force, July 15
^Originally with Exped. Force July 15, with Second Army Aug 22nd
^Originally with Exped. Force, with 2nd Army July 4
References
^ abcdefHsu 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.
Japanese tankettes with pioneer troops marching towards Wu-han
Chinese troops crossing the Yellow River in June 1938, the river was deliberately flooded by Chinese forces to buy time to defend Wuhan.