Post by Administrator on Feb 12, 2024 21:16:18 GMT
The Kisan Maru, which was to go into history as one of the ships sunk by members of Z force in Singapore Harbour on 26th September 1943, started out life flying the Red Ensign.
Built and launched by Robert Duncan & Co, Port Glasgow as SS Camperdown for Glen & Co, Glasgow, she was completed as SS Montezuma for Canadian Pacific Steamships Ltd., London.
5,038GRT, 3,187NRT, length 405.3 ft, beam 53.0 ft & depth 27.4 ft
Single screw powered by a 48 inch stroke triple expansion steam recip. engine built by J G Kincaid & Co. Ltd., Greenock giving 538NHP & 11KTs.
Launched 28th March 1917. Completed in 1918
1923 her name was changed to SS Bedwyn and then the same year to SS Balfour.
1928 she was sold to Lyle Shipping Co. Ltd., Glasgow & renamed SS Cape Verde.
1935 she was sold to Fan Shien Ho, Tsingtao & renamed SS Shang Ho
1938 she was acquired by Miyachi Kisen K.K., Kobe and renamed Kizan Maru.
On 2 September 1943, Krait(a Japanese coastal fish carrier) left Exmouth Gulf and departed for Singapore with a complement of 14 menfrom Z force(the commando arm of SOA(Special Operations Australia) Krait arrived off Singapore on 24 September. That night, six men left the boat and paddled about 30 miles with folboats(collapsible canoes) to establish a forward base in a cave on a small island near the harbour. On the night of 25/26th September 1943, they paddled into the harbour and placed limpet mines on several Japanese ships before returning to their hiding spot.
The mines exploded early on 26 September, and were reported to have sunk seven Japanese transport ships, comprising over 39,000 tons between them. The commandos waited until the commotion over the attack had subsided and then returned to Krait, which they reached on 2nd October. On 19th October, the ship and crew arrived safely back at Exmouth Gulf.
REcent analysis of Japanese records indicate that in fact only six ships were successfully attacked and only three of those, which included Kizan Maru, were sunk, the other three only being damaged.
Info from clydeships.co.uk and Wikipedia
Built and launched by Robert Duncan & Co, Port Glasgow as SS Camperdown for Glen & Co, Glasgow, she was completed as SS Montezuma for Canadian Pacific Steamships Ltd., London.
5,038GRT, 3,187NRT, length 405.3 ft, beam 53.0 ft & depth 27.4 ft
Single screw powered by a 48 inch stroke triple expansion steam recip. engine built by J G Kincaid & Co. Ltd., Greenock giving 538NHP & 11KTs.
Launched 28th March 1917. Completed in 1918
1923 her name was changed to SS Bedwyn and then the same year to SS Balfour.
1928 she was sold to Lyle Shipping Co. Ltd., Glasgow & renamed SS Cape Verde.
1935 she was sold to Fan Shien Ho, Tsingtao & renamed SS Shang Ho
1938 she was acquired by Miyachi Kisen K.K., Kobe and renamed Kizan Maru.
On 2 September 1943, Krait(a Japanese coastal fish carrier) left Exmouth Gulf and departed for Singapore with a complement of 14 menfrom Z force(the commando arm of SOA(Special Operations Australia) Krait arrived off Singapore on 24 September. That night, six men left the boat and paddled about 30 miles with folboats(collapsible canoes) to establish a forward base in a cave on a small island near the harbour. On the night of 25/26th September 1943, they paddled into the harbour and placed limpet mines on several Japanese ships before returning to their hiding spot.
The mines exploded early on 26 September, and were reported to have sunk seven Japanese transport ships, comprising over 39,000 tons between them. The commandos waited until the commotion over the attack had subsided and then returned to Krait, which they reached on 2nd October. On 19th October, the ship and crew arrived safely back at Exmouth Gulf.
REcent analysis of Japanese records indicate that in fact only six ships were successfully attacked and only three of those, which included Kizan Maru, were sunk, the other three only being damaged.
Info from clydeships.co.uk and Wikipedia
