49th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
| 49th Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1944 - 1945 |
| Country | Empire of Japan |
| Branch |  Imperial Japanese Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Garrison/HQ | Seoul |
| Nickname(s) | Wolf division |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Takehara Saburo |
The 49th Division (第49師団 Dai-yonju-kyuu Shidan?) was an infantry division of the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the Wolf Division (狼兵団 Ookami Heidan?)
The 49th Division was formed 6 January 1944 in Seoul, using a nucleus formed from 64th infantry brigade and the headquarters of 20th division. The headquarters was located in Nara. About 2% of the soldiers were Korean locals.
In May 1944, the 49th division was subordinated to Japanese Burma Area Army and ordered to Burma, reaching ports of Singapore and Saigon in June 1944. During the transfer, two vessels were sunk, resulting in about 1600 deaths. Upon arrival, 2nd battalion of the 49th mountain artillery regiment and the 168th infantry regiment were incorporated into the 33rd army for delaying action. Also, 3rd battalion of the 49th mountain artillery regiment and the 153rd infantry regiment were sent to south-west Burma to protect local oilfields. The rest of the division was employed in the operation to recapture Sittaung River. It was still occupying a fortified position on the east bank of Sittaung River when the surrender of Japan has happened 15 August 1945.
See also
Reference and further reading
- Madej, W. Victor. Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945 [2 vols] Allentown, PA: 1981
