- 200th Division (National Revolutionary Army)
The 200th Division (zh-tsp|t=第200師|s=第200师|p=Dì 200 Shī) was the first mechanised division in the
National Revolutionary Army . It was created in1938 by GeneralDu Yuming , who was also its first commander. Its first action was against the 14th Division in theBattle of Lanfeng .Original organization January 1938
200th Division
*1149th Regiment (Tank Regiment)
*1150th Regiment (Tank Regiment)
*1151st Regiment (Armoured Car Regiment)
*1152nd Regiment (Mechanized Infantry)
*52nd Artillery RegimentEquipment
The Tank regiments had 70
T-26 , 4BT-5 , 20 ( 92? ) CV-33 tanks. The armoured car regiment had around 50 BA armoured cars and 12 ( 18? )Leichter Panzerspähwagen (Sd Kfz 221) armoured cars. Besides, it had more than 400 Ford trucks. The motorised infantry regiment used Soviet trucks and rifles, and the artillery regiment had 12 122 mmhowitzer s, also 45 mmanti-aircraft artillery and 75 mmfield gun s.Following the Divisions combats in May in the
Battle of Lanfeng and in operations afterward until September 1938 the Divisions original subordinate mechanized units were placed under direct command of the 11th Army, and the division was reorganized as an infantry division of about around 9000 men due to the June 1938 reorganization of Divisions.Organization (October 1938)
200th Division (Major-General Tai An Lan)
*598thRegiment
*599th Regiment
*600th RegimentIt was next sent as reinforcement to the first Battle of Changsha but was never engaged. The armoured and artillery Regiments were placed under direct command of 5th Corps and the 200th Division became a motorized Infantry Division within the same Corps with the
1st Honor Division . 200th Division participated with 5th Corps against the Japanese invasion of Guanxi, in the defense ofNanning , devastating victory against the Japanese in theBattle of Kunlun Pass , wiping out an entire Japanese brigade. It suffered heavy losses after the battle at Kunlun Pass in an offensive against Batang losing nearly two thirds of its strength.It was rebuilt and reorganized and in early 1942 participated in the
Battle of Yunnan-Burma Road in the Burma campaign. 200th Division distinguished itself in fighting in theBattle of Toungoo , andBattle of Hopong - Taunggyi but then suffered a disastrous defeat in theBattle of Hsipaw-Mogok Highway near the end of the campaign as it was attempting to retreat to China. Its commanding officer,Dai Anlan died of wounds suffered in in that battle while being carried by the remnants of his force as it made its way back to China.Sources
* [http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=124083&start=75 Elite Troops of the National Revolutionary Army, the 200th Division]
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