103rd Division (Imperial Japanese Army)

103rd Division

第103師団
Active| 1944–1945
Country| Empire of Japan
Branch|  Imperial Japanese Army
Type| Infantry
Size| 15500
Garrison/HQ| Luzon
Nickname(s)| Steed division
Engagements| Battle of Luzon

Military unit

103rd Division (1944)

Parent unit|

14th area army

Components|

* 79\. Infantry brigade (Kumamoto)
* 175\. Independent infantry battalion
* 176\. Independent infantry battalion
* 178\. Independent infantry battalion
* 356\. Independent infantry battalion
* 79\. Signals company
* 79\. Labour company
* 80\. Infantry brigade (Kumamoto)
* 177\. Independent infantry battalion
* 179\. Independent infantry battalion
* 180\. Independent infantry battalion
* 357\. Independent infantry battalion
* 80\. Signals company
* 80\. Labour company
* 103\. Artillery company
* 103\. Engineer company
* 103\. Signals company
* 103\. Transport company
* 103\. Field hospital
* 103\. Veterinary department
* 103\. Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department
* Temporarily attached units
* 9\. Independent armored company[1]

The 103rd Division (第103師団, Dai-hyakusan Shidan) was an infantry division of the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the Steed Division (駿兵団, Shun Heidan). The division was formed 15 June 1944 in Luzon. The nucleus of the formation was the 32nd Independent Mixed Brigade. The 103rd division was a Type C (hei) security division therefore the division backbone has comprised independent infantry battalions instead of infantry regiments.

## Action

[edit]

Initially 103rd division was tasked with the garrisoning of north Luzon, with 79th infantry brigade covering north-west and 80th infantry brigade covering north-east quarter of the island.

During the Battle of Luzon since 9 January 1945, the 103rd division zone of responsibility was from Aparri to west. Soon the 103rd division has retreated to the mountains inland and largely survived around Magat River[2] until surrender of Japan 15 August 1945.

## See also

[edit]

* List of Japanese Infantry Divisions
* Independent Mixed Brigades (Imperial Japanese Army)

## Notes and references

[edit]

* This article incorporates material from Japanese Wikipedia page 第103師団 (日本軍), accessed 26 June 2016
* Madej, W. Victor. Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937–1945 [2 vols] Allentown, PA: 1981

1. ^ "Tank Formations of IJA". Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
2. ^ JACAR. "103rd Division (Shun)｜Post-World War Two Demobilization and Repatriation". jacar.go.jp. Retrieved 26 June 2016.

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