Ex-German Merchants in Japanese Service

KAKYAKUSEN

(MOSEL, later TEIZUI MARU)

Passenger-Cargo ship TEIZUI MARU: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2010-2014 Bob Hackett, Peter Cundall and Erich Muehlthaler
Revision 2

E 1926:
Bremen, Germany. Laid down at Deschimag (Deutsche Schiff- & Maschinenbau A. G.) at A. G. Weser yard, building number 870, as a 8,428-ton passenger-cargo ship for Norddeutscher Lloyd (North German Lloyd) Line (NDL), Bremen.
October 1927:
Launched and named MOSEL, call sign DOFA.
10 December 1927:
Completed. Officially delivered to Norddeutscher Lloyd.
1927-1940:
In NDL's Europe-Far East service including visits to Australia and New Zealand.
6 August 1933:
Gulf of Aden. Runs aground 8 nautical miles E of Ras al Ara (12-36N, 43-55E). Refloated by throwing part of the cargo over board and by the assistance of a salvage tug. Despite the grounding, the ship´s hull sustains no damage at all.
2 August 1939:
Departs Dairen (former Port Arthur), Manchuria for Bremen under Captain Fritz Leussner.
19 August 1939:
Gulf of Siam. Calls at Ko Si Chang and begins loading a cargo of rice.
3 September 1939: World War II Begins:
Still at Ko Si Chang because loading work is not yet finished. Due to the start of war, laid-up at Ko Si Chang.
22 July 1941:
Departs Ko Si Chang for Japan.
9 September 1941:
The Japanese assign signal letters JWKQ to MOSEL for safe passage through Japanese controlled waters.
22 September 1941:
Arrives at Kobe.
24 December 1941:
Yokohama. Drydocked for repairs in No. 1 Dock at Mitsubishi Jukogyo (Heavy Industries) Senkyo (Dock).
29 December 1941:
Leaves Mitsubishi Yokohama No. 1 Dock.
29 August 1942:
Yokohama. Drydocked for repairs in No. 1 Dock at Mitsubishi Jukogyo Senkyo.
4 September 1942:
Leaves dock.
18 September 1942:
MOSEL's signal letters are changed to JGCR.
2 November 1942:
Tokyo. MOSEL is officially confiscated by the German Government and placed at the disposal of the German naval attaché, Vizeadmiral Paul Wennecker (former CO of Panzerschiff DEUTSCHLAND/LÜTZOW) and Deutscher Admiral Ostasien (German Admiral, East Asia) who time-charters the ship to the Japanese Government´s wholly owned Teikoku Senpaku K.K. (Imperial Steamship Co.), Tokyo.
Renamed TEIZUI MARU and assigned signal letters JGCR, port of registry is now Tokyo. Thereafter, TEIZUI MARU is entrusted to Daido Kaiun K.K., Kobe for operation. The same month, control of the ship is transferred to Senpaku Uneikai (Shipping Control Authority).
4 July 1943:
Departs Kushimoto in convoy 8705A also consisting of YAMAZURU MARU and one unidentified ship escorted by minelayer NARYU. En route to Yuranai TEIZUI MARU breaks down and is detached from the convoy.
12 October 1943:
At 1000 departs Miike.
15 October 1943:
At 1900 due to arrive at Kirun.
21 October 1943:
Due to depart Kirun for Moji.
2 March 1944:
At 1300 arrives at Kirun from Naha.
20 March 1944:
At 0600 departs Kirun for Mutsure.
22 March 1944:
ENE of Okinawa between Oshima and Amami Oshima. At 1350 (I), lookouts aboard LtCdr (later Vice Admiral) Arnold F. Schade’s (USNA ’33) USS GROWLER (SS-215) spot what is taken to be an unescorted cargo ship of about 3,000 tons. At 1443 (I), fires four stern torpedoes at TEIZUI MARU that miss in an unsuccessful attack at 27-55N, 129-15E. Two previously unseen “patrol boats” counterattack with DCs, but Schade evades. At 1700 (I), USS GROWLER comes to periscope depth and spots four escorts, but Schade takes USS GROWLER out of harm’s way.
25 April 1944:
At 1600 arrives at Kirun from Miike.
8 May 1944:
At 0500 departs Kirun for Osaka.
1 June 1944:
Departs Osaka.
8 June 1944:
Arrives at Dairen.
18 June 1944:
Departs Dairen.
21 June 1944:
Arrives at Kobe.
30 June 1944:
Departs Kobe and shifts to nearby Osaka.
28 July 1944:
Departs Osaka and shifts to Kobe.
10 August 1944:
Departs Kobe.
17 August 1944:
Arrives at Dairen.
1 September 1944:
Departs Dairen.
6 September 1944:
Arrives at Osaka.
26 September 1944:
Departs Osaka and arrives at Kobe.
5 October 1944:
Departs Kobe.
13 October 1944:
Arrives at Dairen.
3 November 1944:
Departs Dairen.
9 November 1944:
Arrives at Osaka.
20 November 1944:
Osaka. Enters Hitachi Zosen dockyard for repairs.
13 March 1945:
Osaka. Sustains light damage during a B-29 “Superfortress” heavy bomber fire raid.
19 March 1945:
Osaka. Sustains further light damage from a B-29 attack.
13 April 1945:
At 1000 (JST), departs Dairen for Kobe.
18 April 1945:
Off Yawata, Japan. At 1535 (JST), TEIZUI MARU strikes a mine laid by USAAF 20th Air Force B-29 bombers 200 meters outside No. 1 Swept Channel in the Western entrance to Shimonoseki Stait at about 34-05N-130-50E. The mine explodes between holds No. 4 and No 5. Water floods into the engine and boiler rooms and cannot be stopped with bilge pumps. Therefore, ship is beached in a small bay at Kamo-Shima, at the entrance to Yoshimi harbor, Yamaguchi Prefecture. No casualties are sustained. Prospects for salvaging the ship and cargo appear good, but due to rapidly deteriorating war situation TEIZUI MARU is finally given up and abandoned.
August 1945: Cessation of Hostilties:
Surrendered to the Allies still grounded and abandoned.
December 1945:
An official survey of operable or salvable Japanese Merchant Vessels lists TEIZUI MARU still grounded by mine off Yoshimi with salvability undetermined. Nevertheless, TEIZUI MARU receives SCAJAP designation T045.

Authors Note:
Thanks to Gilbert Casse of France..

Bob Hackett, Peter Cundall and Erich Muehlthaler

Back to Ex-German Merchants in Japanese Service