7th Armoured Division (United Kingdom) Division was recalled to the United Kingdom, along with the 4th and 8th Armoured Brigades, and the 50th (Northumbrian) and 51st (Highland) Infantry Divisions, all of which had seen extensive service alongside the 7th Armoured Division in the Mediterranean and Middle East, to participate in the invasion of North Western Europe with the British Second Army. The 7th Armoured, handing over its battered vehicles and equipment to the recently arrived 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division, left Italy in late December 1943, arriving in Glasgow, Scotland in early January 1944. Many of the men had been overseas for over five years. In
7th Division (Imperial Japanese Army) arrived to front lines, with 26th infantry regiment in particular noted for finally stopping a Soviet advance. Because the Hokkaido was left mostly undefended, the "7th division" has returned to Asahikawa, Hokkaido in August 1940, being subordinated directly to Imperial General Headquarters as part of the strategic reserve. Also in 1940, the 25th infantry regiment was transferred to "Sakhalin mixed brigade", which become 88th division in February 1945. As result, the "7th division" has become the triangular division. In 1942, despite its specialization in Arctic warfare, the 28th Infantry Regiment of the 7th Division, under the command of Kiyonao Ichiki