 In World War I the division was strengthened by an additional infantry brigade (the IJA 29th Brigade) and, led by Lieutenant General Kamio Mitsuomi, was given an independent command in the Siege of Tsingtao of the German colony of Tsingtao in the Shandong peninsula, China in October 1914, forcing a surrender of German forces after a week-long assault.Notably, an aircraft from divisional air force has become the first airplane ever downed in the air-to-air combat.However, on 1 May 1925, the division was dissolved by Minister of War Ugaki Kazushige as part of a cost-saving measure during the Kato Takaaki administration, together with the 13th, 15th and 17th divisions.