IJA 7th Infantry Division

Jacob Meckel (Wikipedia)

In 1895, the Japanese government started a reorganization process of the Imperial Japanese Army with the purpose of modernizing it. The army was to be modeled after the Prussian army, due to the German victory against the French in the Franco-Prussian War. Prussian Major Jacob Meckel was invited to Japan as military adviser to oversee the rebuilding process.

The first infantry division created following Meckel´s advice was the 7th Infantry Division, nicknamed as Bear Division, formed in Sapporo, Hokkaidō on 12 May 1888. Its original duty was the defence of Hokkaidō, and was garrisoned in Asahikawa.

It was originally a square division, meaning that it was formed by four Infantry Regiments, and with two regiments forming a Brigade. It was not yet converted to a triangular division until 1942. At the beginning of the 20th century, the 7th division components were:

- 13th Infantry Brigade:

          - 25th Infantry Regiment (stationed in Sapporo).

          - 26th Infantry Regiment (Asahikawa, Hokkaidō).

- 14th Infantry Brigade:

          - 27th Infantry Regiment (Asahikawa, Hokkaidō).

          - 28th Infantry Regiment (Asahikawa, Hokkaidō).

- 7th Cavalry Regiment.

- 7th Field Artillery Regiment.

- 7th Engineer Regiment.

- 7th Transport Regiment.

The 7th Division took part in the Russo-Japanese war (1904-1905), in the Siberian Intervention (1918) and returned to Hokkaidō in 1919.  The Division was permanently assigned to Kwantung Army in February 1938, but by the time it arrived to Manchukuo in July the Battle of Lake Khasan was already over.

Japanese Army entering Vladivostok, 1919 (netmole.blogspot.com).

Some elements of the 7th Division took part in the Nomonhan Incident. At that time, the 7th Division was the finest in Kwantung Army, Its soldiers were veterans with exceptional training, compared with the newly born, poorly trained and equipped 23th Division. The excellent 26th Regiment, under command of Colonel Shinichiro Sumi, was sent to reinforce the 23th Division for the July Japanese offensive. After the Soviet offensive in August, the 28th Regiment, under command of Colonel Toru Morita, was sent to the combat area to help revert the situation.  

Japanese veterans pose with Soviet captured gear in Nomonhan (Pinterest).

Both regiments of the 7th Division suffered high losses in Nomonhan. The 26th Regiment suffered 91% casualties. Colonel Toru Morita, a fencing master who claimed to be immune to bullets, was killed by a burst of machine gun fire while standing boldly atop a trench to encourage his men.

Japanese soldiers with a captured Soviet BA-10 armoured car in Nomonhan (Pinterest).

After Nomonhan, the 7th Division returned to Hokkaidō. It later took part in Guadalcanal, where it was almost completely destroyed. The division was disbanded with the surrender of Japan in September 1945.

Sources:

- Wikipedia

- The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia 

- Nomonhan, 1939 The Red Army's Victory That Shaped WWII, Stuart D. Goldman.