Japanese transport ship Hokkai Maru

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For the Japanese rescue tug, see
Japanese rescue tug Hokkai Maru (1942)
.
For the Japanese stores ship, see Japanese stores ship Hokkai Maru (1934).
History
Empire of Japan
NameHokkai Maru
OwnerOsaka Shosen K.K.
BuilderMitsubishi Zosen K.K., Nagasaki
Laid down15 November 1931
Launched3 September 1932
Completed4 March 1933
AcquiredRequisitioned by Imperial Japanese Navy, 22 September 1941
Stricken15 February 1942
Identification38123
Fatedestroyed by accidental fire, 12 November 1945
Notes
General characteristics
Class and typeKinai Maru-class passenger/cargo ship
Tonnage8,416 GRT[1]
Length138.7 m (455 ft 1 in) o/a[1]
Beam18.5 m (60 ft 8 in)[1]
Draught12.5 m (41 ft 0 in)[1]
Installed power8453 bhp[1]
Propulsion2 x 6 cyl. 2SCSA Sulzer diesel engines, dual shaft, 2 screws, diesel
Speed18.5 knots

Hokkai Maru (Japanese: 北海丸) (English: North Sea) was a Kinai Maru-class auxiliary transport of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.[2] She participated in the Japanese occupation of British Borneo and was part of ill-fated convoy HI-71.

History

She was laid down on 15 November 1931 at the Nagasaki shipyard of Mitsubishi Zosen K.K. at the behest of Osaka Shosen K.K./Osaka Merchant Marine Co.[3][4][5] She was launched on 3 September 1932, completed 4 March 1933, and registered in Osaka.[3][4] She served as a passenger ship for Osaka Shosen travelling from Kobe to New York via the Panama Canal and in 1938, further onward to Europe.[3] In July 1941, the US closed the Panama Canal to Japanese shipping due to Japan's invasion of Indochina.[3] On 23 September 1941, she was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy. On 10 November 1941, she was designated an auxiliary transport and assigned to the Yokosuka Naval District under Captain Yamamura Minoru (山村實).[4]

Invasion of Borneo

In November 1941, she was assigned to Southern Force (under Vice Admiral

flying-boat flying from Tarakan.[3]

On 22 December 1941, two battalions of the 25th Army (one battalion remains behind) and the SNLF re-embarked on the nine transports escorted by the same covering force

Soerabaja.[7] Despite the loss of two destroyers, three transports, and a minesweeper as well as the damaging of three transports, the mission successfully occupied Kuching.[3]

On 15 February 1942, Hokkai Maru was removed from the Navy List. In September 1942, she was re-floated and towed to Singapore by auxiliary transport Heito Maru and auxiliary minesweeper Toshi Maru No. 2.[3] Repairs were completed in September 1943 and she returned to transport duty completing numerous uneventful convoys throughout the Japanese occupied zones.[3] She appears to have returned to civilian control.[3]

Convoy Hi-71

In August 1944, she was part of the ill-fated fast

Mako, Taiwan for Manila in a typhoon to deliver much-needed troops and supplies for the defense of the Philippines. The convoy consisted of fleet oiler Hayasui; stores ship Irako; oilers Teiyō Maru, Zuihō Maru, Kyokutō Maru, Nisshō Maru, and Eiyo Maru; transports Awa Maru, Noshiro Maru, Teia Maru, and Noto Maru; cargo ship Kashii Maru; and IJA landing craft depot ships Tamatsu Maru and Mayasan Maru. The force was screened by escort carrier Taiyō, destroyers Fujinami, Yunagi, and Asakaze, and escorts Hirado, Kurahashi, Mikura, Shōnan, Sado, Etorofu, Matsuwa, Hiburi, and CD-11. In the morning on 18 August 1944, the convoy is attacked by the American submarine USS Redfish which torpedoed and damaged the oiler Eiyo Maru (which is forced to return to Takao escorted by destroyers Asakaze and Yunagi). In the late evening, the convoy is attacked by the American submarine USS Rasher sinking the escort carrier Taiyō (killing 747) and the transport Teia Maru (killing 2,665 including 2,316 troops). On 19 August 1944, the convoy divided into two groups. Rasher pursues one group and successfully torpedoes the transports Awa Maru and Noshiro Maru (who are both beached off Currimao, Luzon to avoid sinking). American submarines USS Bluefish and USS Spadefish join in the attack with Bluefish sinking the fleet oiler Hayasui and the oiler Teiyō Maru; and Spadefish sinking the landing craft depot ship Tamatsu Maru (killing 4,890 including 4,755 troops). While escorts Sado, Matsuwa, and Hiburi kept the submarines occupied, the undamaged ships (3 oilers, 1 transport, 1 stores ship, 1 cargo ship, and 1 landing craft depot ship as well as the other escorts) were able to take refuge in San Fernando, La Union before reforming and making it to Manila on 21 August 1944 (Awa Maru arrived later that day under tow and Noshiro Maru on the 24th).[3] The defending escorts Sado, Matsuwa and Hiburi were intercepted and sunk as they attempted to rejoin their convoy in Manila by the American submarines USS Harder and USS Haddo
.

On 25 August 1944, Hokkai Maru and the rest of the much reduced convoy HI-71 departed Manila for Singapore consisting of 4 oilers (Kyokutō Maru and Zuihō Maru augmented by Azusa Maru and Kyokuhō Maru) and the repaired transport Awa Maru escorted by destroyer Fujinami, 3 escorts (Hirado, Mikura, and Kurahashi), and sub-chaser CH-28. Kyokuhō Maru developed engine trouble was diverted with Fujinami to Miri, Malaysia. The remaining convoy arrived at Singapore on 1 September 1944.[3]

Demise

On 21 September 1944, Hokkai Maru departed

W-12 and auxiliary sub-chasers CHa-2 and CHa-3 providing escort.[3] She underwent repairs through the end of the war at the No. 102 Naval Construction and Repair Department at Surabaya, Java.[8] In October 1945, she was seized by the Indonesian People's Revolutionary Front and on 12 November 1945, she was destroyed by a fire.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Lettens, Jan (8 June 2011). "Hokkai Maru [+1945]". wrecksite.eu.
  2. ^ Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander (2012). "Zatsuyosen: Kinai Maru-Class Auxiliary Transports". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander (2012). "Zatsuyosen: IJN Hokkai Maru: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Niehorster, Leo; Donahoo, Jeff. "Auxiliary Transports of the Imperial Japanese Navy". World War II Armed Forces - Orders of Battle and Organizations. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  5. ^ Toda, Gengoro S. (21 September 2019). "北海丸の船歴 (Hokkai Maru - Ship History)". Imperial Japanese Navy - Tokusetsukansen (in Japanese).
  6. ^ Toda, Gengoro S. "第七號驅潜艇の艇歴 (No. 7 submarine chaser - Ship History)". Imperial Japanese Navy -Tokusetsu Kansen (in Japanese).
  7. ^ a b c Kirby, S. Woodburn. The War Against Japan – Volume I - The Loss of Singapore (Chapter XIII) - The Invasion of British Borneo 1942.
  8. ^ Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander. "History of the IJN's No. 102 Naval Construction and Repair Department at Surabaya, Java (Indonesia)". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
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