China-Burma-India WWII

...LIKE FOAM ON THE CREST OF A WAVE

In the first week of December, while the Russian cavalry was making life difficult for the German troops in the deep snow and severe frost outside Moscow, a convoy of ships was ploughing through the waves of the Pacific Ocean 10,000 km to the east. Crammed into the hold of one of the vessels were the horsemen of the Japanese cavalry, huddled together on the way to their distant destination.

The 5th Mounted Reconnaissance Regiment had been formed from the reorganized 5th Cavalry Regiment (Lieutenant-General Takuro Matsui). Its commander, Colonel Shizuo Saeki, had distinguished himself in the Chinese campaigns as commanding officer of the 40th Cavalry Regiment. Sakei's new regiment included two motorized and two armoured companies, a machine-gun company and a number of quick-firing field guns. At the beginning of October 1941, the reconnaissance regiment, attached to the 5th Division, was posted to the Shanghai region where it was prepared for jungle warfare.

While these training were going on, the commanders of some other units questioned whether Colonel Saeki's regiment would achieve the same success in the Malayan jungle as it did in sand-table exercises. Saeki boiled with indignation. Gritting his teeth and folding his arms over his chest, he answered that the ridiculing of his combat ability would spur on his cavalry to great self-sacrifice.

At the beginning of November, the 5th Reconnaissance Regiment left Shanghai harbour one misty night and sailed southwards. On the way, on the island of Hai-Nan Tao, the last preparations for their mission were completed, using the practical experience of the research centre for tropical war. The cavalrymen suffered uncomplainingly the ordeal of a sea crossing deep in the ship's hold, with three men crowded onto two square metres of straw matting at times, and with food rations limited to a bucket of rice or barley a day per section. Their horses fared little better.

It was only when they were well under way that Colonel Saeki was allowed to open the sealed envelope containing his secret orders:

"The 5th Regiment, minus its armoured company, will land in southern Thailand at the harbour of Singora and will proceed to the railway junction of Hat Yai." Strictly speaking, the Malayan operation was beginning a few hours before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The first Japanese landing took place on December 8th at 3AM local time. Suprise was complete and the troops landed like foam from the crest of a wave.

A rough sea created difficulties for the unloading of tanks and trucks, but nevertheless the 5th Reconnaissance Regiment advanced immediately. Soon after, it ran into heavy fire from Thai forces based in the mountains west of Singora, but Colonel Saeki continued his advance towards Hat Yai. A Thai company which barred their way was beaten back, and the Japanese approached the town of Tonri unchecked. As the enemy had 2,000 men entrenched in the mountains east of Tonri, the Japanese gave them the offer of capitulating. When this was refused, the Japanese went into the attack, and unexpectedly met with only minor resistance.

Various trucks and motor vehicles were captured by the Japanese at the barracks at Tonri and with these they reached the Hat Yai railway junction, which they occupied without difficulty. The mounted reconnaissance regiment had managed to carry out its advance as planned; and it then took up positions in the Hat Yai area to protect the advance of the main Japanese force. That evening, the army headquarters staff arrived at Hat Yai with the remaining sections of the 5th Reconnaissance Regiment, a company of field artillery and some tanks. Here the staff learned that strong British and Indian motorized units had just crossed the Thai-Malay border and occupied Sadao. The mounted reconnaissance sections were then ordered to spy out the Sadao area and explore the situation on the frontier ...

Source:
J. Piekalkiewicz: "Cavalry in World war Two, 1939-1945"

The break down of a Japanese Cavalry regiment was
Hq (82 men)
Regimental train(200 men)
3 rifle and sabre companies(170 men each)
Machinegun company(150 men)
total manpower was 950 menCavalry Group:
Formed 21 April 1933 consisting of the 1st Cavalry Brigade and 4th Cavalry Brigade. The 3rd Cavalry Brigade was added in October 1937. Disbanded on 1 December 1942 with the formation of the 3rd Tank Division.
Assigned to Kwantung Army: April 1933
Assigned to Northern China Area Army: June 1938
Assigned to Mongolia Garrison Army: February 1939
21 Apr 1933 - 1 Aug 1934: Maj. General Okiie Usami
1 Aug 1934 - 1 Aug 1935: General Shigeru Hasunuma
1 Aug 1935 - 2 Aug 1937: Lt. General Heijuro Kasai
2 Aug 1937 - 1 Dec 1937: Lt. General Shiro Inaba
1 Dec 1937 - 7 Jan 1939: Lt. General Shoichi Naito
7 Jan 1939 - 2 Oct 1939: Lt. General Shin Yoshida
2 Oct 1939 - 2 Dec 1940: Lt. General Kichizo Kojima
2 Dec 1940 - 1 Oct 1941: Lt. General Masao Baba
1 Oct 1941 - 1 Dec 1942: Lt. General Isaku Nishihara
1st Cavalry brigade: (Formed 3 November 1901)
13th Cavalry regiment
14th Cavalry regiment
1st Horse artillery regiment
Brigade machine- gun unit
Brigade anti-tank unit
Brigade tank unit
Brigade transport unit
4th Cavalry brigade: (Formed 1 April 1909)
25th Cavalry regiment
26th Cavalry regiment
4th Horse artillery regiment
Brigade machine-gun unit
Brigade anti-tank unit
Brigade tank unit
Motorised infantry battalion
Brigade transport unit
3rd Cavalry brigade: (Formed 1 April 1909)
23rd Cavalry regiment
24th Cavalry regiment
3rd Horse artillery regiment
Brigade machine-gun unit
Brigade anti-tank unit
Brigade tank unit
Brigade transport unit