Japanese gunboat Nankai (1943)

Nankai (Japanese: 南海) was a Dutch ship that was seized by Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II and converted into a gunboat.

History
Empire of Japan
Name: Nankai
Builder: Droogdok Mij Soerabaja, Soerabaja
Laid down: 1941
Launched: 21 May 1943
Stricken: July 30 1945
Homeport: Yokosuka
Fate: sunk by torpedo, 16 July 1945
Notes:
General characteristics
Displacement: 2,200 long tons (2,235 t) standard[2]
Length: 88 m (288 ft 9 in) overall[2]
Beam: 12.7 m (41 ft 8 in)[2]
Draught: 4.2 m (13 ft 9 in)[2]
Propulsion:
  • 2 × diesel
  • dual shaft, 4800 bhp
Speed: 18.0 knots (20.7 mph; 33.3 km/h) to 20.0 knots (23.0 mph; 37.0 km/h)
Armament:

History

She was laid down in 1941 at the Soerabaja Drydock (Droogdok Mij Soerabaja) as an auxiliary minelayer for the benefit of the Gouvernementsmarine and named Regulus.[2][3][4] She was scuttled before completion by Dutch forces on 2 March 1942[3] after the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies. She was seized by the Japanese, repaired, and launched on 21 May 1943.[3] On 1 November 1943, she was assigned to the Yokosuka Naval District.[3]

On 21 September 1944, Nankai departed Surabaya, Java escorting transport Hokkai Maru.[5] On 23 September 1944, Nankai and Hokkai Maru both strike mines[6][5] laid by the submarine USS Bowfin, 15 miles west of Sebuku Island at 03°37′S 116°25′E.[3] leaving both ships crippled.[6] Nankai and Hokkai Maru were towed and repaired at the No. 102 Naval Construction and Repair Department at Surabaya, Java.[7]

On 16 July 1945, while being escorted by No.1-class submarine chaser CH-1,[8] she was torpedoed and sunk by the USS Blenny at 05°26′S 110°33′E, 150 miles west of Surabaya.[3] She was struck from the Navy List on July 30 1945.[2]

References
  1. Toda, Gengoro S. "Tokusetsu Gunkan (Converted Gunboats - Stats)" (PDF). Imperial Japanese Navy - Tokusetsukansen (in Japanese).
  2. "Regulus-class Auxiliary Minelayers". Netherlands Navy.
  3. Toda, Gengoro S. "南海の船歴 (Gunboat Nankai- Ship History)". Imperial Japanese Navy -Tokusetsu Kansen (in Japanese).
  4. Womack, Tom (1 December 2015). The Allied Defense of the Malay Barrier, 1941-1942. McFarland & Company. pp. 40, 60, 64. ISBN 9781476662930.
  5. Toda, Gengoro S. (21 September 2019). "北海丸の船歴 (Hokkai Maru - Ship History)". Imperial Japanese Navy - Tokusetsukansen (in Japanese).
  6. Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander (2012). "Zatsuyosen: IJN Hokkai Maru: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  7. 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.
  8. Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander; Cundall, Peter. "IJN Subchaser CH-1: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.