48th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)

The 48th Division (第48師団) was an infantry division of the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the Sea Division (海兵団)

The 48th Division was formed on 30 November 1940 in Taiwan. The division was composed of the 27th independent mixed brigade (Taiwan mixed brigade) and the 47th infantry regiment which has become available, as the 6th division was converted to the triangular format. The 48th division was initially assigned to the 22nd army, before being reassigned to the Japanese Fourteenth Army on 12 August 1941.

The division was based in Taipei city of Taiwan during the second half of 1941. The base in Taipei was subsequently reused in 1944 by the 50th division.

The mechanization of the 48th division along with the 5th division was completed by 6 November 1941. The 48th division spearheaded the capture of Manila, but did not participate in Battle of Bataan. Instead, in January 1942 the division was transferred to the 16th army. The 48th division landed in eastern Java on 1 March 1942, together with the Sakaguchi detachment from the 56th division, capturing Surabaya 7 March 1942.

Afterwards, the 48th division was garrisoned on Java until been transferred to the 19th army in mid-1942 and sent to Timor island to combat Australian and Dutch commando's. After the 19th army was abolished on 28 February 1945, the 48th division was again subordinate to the 16th army, but did not leave Timor until the surrender of Japan on 15 August 1945.

Reference and further reading

 * Madej, W. Victor. Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945 [2 vols] Allentown, PA: 1981