[Matt Wiser]

Found this at j-aircraft.org's forum: it's in their section about the ships of the Imperial Navy, and mentions the Ichiki Detachment.

Re: Ichiki Detachment
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2011, 09:59:28 pm »

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Probably off topic, but to follow up from Bloody Ridge The Battle that Saved Guadalcanal, by Michael S. Smith

Ichiki's First Echelon - taken from Senshi Sosho, 14:292

Detachment Headquarters (with one 70mm gun) - 164
2d Battalion, 28th Infantry (-) - 603
2/28 Headquarters (23)
1st Company (105)
2nd Company (105)
3rd Company (105)
[each company with two platoons only]
2/28 Machine Gun Company
2/28 Gun Platoon (50) (two 70mm guns)
1st Company, 7th Engineer Regiment (150)

Total: 917

Transported to Guadalcanal aboard destroyers Kagero, Hagikaze, Arashi, Tanikaze, Hamakaze, Urakaze (commanded by RAdm Tanaka Raizo), to depart 16 August 1942 and proceed directly to Guadalcanal, landing troops on Taviu Point on evening of 18 August 1942

Each destroyer carrying approximately 150 troops and equipped with two motorboats, two cutters and seven collapsible boats (Hamakaze and Urakaze only had six of the later). Ichiki sailed aboard Arashi.

AND


Ichiki's Second Echelon (commanded by Major Mizuno Takeshi) (1,411 troops) also to depart Truk 16 August 1942 aboard transports Daifuku Maru and Boston Mau, to land Taivu point evening of 23 August 1942. Escorted by CL Jintsu and Patrol Boats 34 and 35.

Ichiki Detachment had two antitank companies: the 28th Regimental Antitank Company (4 37mm guns) and the attached 8th Independent Antitank Company (6 37mm guns)



Here is an interesting look at the Ichiki Detachment of Guadalcanal fame. This is a Babel Fish translation. My notes are in brackets. I have moderately rewritten the translation. It is interesting to note that his detachment included an antitank company, but I guess they were left in the second echelon and not included in the disastrous first echelon. Maybe they never landed, for I can’t find them in Frank’s Guadalcanal OB. I found them later with an OB for the 16th Division on Leyte.

"formation of Ichiki Detachment, the 7th Division’s 28th Infantry Regiment, consisted of 1st Company, 7th Engineers and the 8th Independent Rapid Fire Artillery Company [antitank], staff approximately 2000 names.

As for the 17th Army and the 8th Fleet divided Ichiki Detachment into 2 echelons, riding separately 1st echelon approximately 900 names in six destroyers.

163 men in the task force headquarters, 23 men in battalion headquarters, 420 infantrymen in 4 companies (submachine gun 36, grenade discharge 24), machine gun party 110 name (with 8 heavy machine guns), 50 men with one platoon of battalion guns (2 infantry guns), 150 engineers in 1 company embarks and is dispatched. Remainder of the task force with the Yokosuka 5th special naval landing would be sent in a 2nd echelon by transports. Or more in a manner of speaking was infantry 1 battalions and as for the portable ammunition of the infantry unit each 250 [rounds per man?], food was limited to 7 day's amount.

History

Ichiki Detachment history (1942 May ~ August)
May With the infantry 28th regiment mainstay in Hokkaido Asahikawa city for the Midway capture especially is formed. Task force leader the 28th Regimental Commander is Colonel Ichiki.

May 14th early morning, they boarded a train and starting the Asahikawa city station which is made quiet. Embarking to the wafter Yoshihiro Maru and the Nankai Maru counterespionage system May 18th two, the Hiroshima Ujina departured the port.

Starting, 2 days later, fact of the Midway island capture maneuvers is told to the officers and men for the first time. May 25th entered Saipan port. With the anchorage which is surrounded in the coral reef, the collapsible boat (the folding palpus). Intensive training of the opposed landing which you use was executed.
May 28th Saipan combat mission. From Saipan, guard of the warships is received.

We receive sad news of defeat of the June 6th. Furthermore as for large portion of the guard warships it came to the point of continuing advance, but the transports which carry Ichiki Detachment reverses.

16 day Guam landing. Nearly 2 months from now on, stationing life which utilizes the old US military barracks mark is led. An order to return to Japan arrives on August 6. August 7th early morning, embark to two transports and departs, but, the person of most is surprised the following 8th morning awaking. The transport which place by your, in the Guam of the expectation which yesterday morning departs port. Because it anchored. By August 8th that way wafter departure Guam.

In August 12th Truk Island approaches. As for Ichiki Detachment, the 1st echelon and it means to be divided into the 2nd echelon. As for the August 16th 1st echelon as an advance element, in six destroyers the amount riding. Guadalcanal destination is announced to everyone midway.

It lands to the August 18th nighttime Guadalcanal island [taibo] promontory.

Source is //www.ssystem.net/42.html