©2007 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
1941:
Surabaya, Java, Netherlands East Indies (NEI). Laid down at the Droogdok, Mij shipyard as Gouvernementsmarine ship and auxiliary minelayer Hr.Ms. REGULUS. [1]
2 March 1942:
A demolition party attempts to destroy the partially completed REGULUS to prevent her use by the Japanese, but manages to only cause minor damage to her stern.
8 March 1942:
Bandung, Java. Governor General Alidius W. L. Tjarda van Starkenborgh-Stachouwer surrenders the Netherlands East Indies. REGULUS comes under Japanese control.
June 1942:
Surabaya. REGULUS undergoes repairs and further new construction by the IJN's No. 102 Repair Station.
21 April 1943:
Surabaya. Launched as gunboat NANKAI. [2]
7 June 1944:
Completed and registered in the IJN.
10 July 1944:
Attached to Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi's (38) (former CO of KIRISHIMA) Southwest Area Fleet headquartered at Manila.
23 September 1944:
Near Sebuku Island, off Balikpapan, Borneo, NEI. NANKAI is escorting transport HOKKAI MARU. Both strike and are damaged by mines laid by LtCdr Walter T. Griffith’s USS BOWFIN (SS-287) on 29 January 1944 at 03-37S, 116-25E. HOKKAI MARU is towed to Surabaya for repairs. NANKAI is also salvaged and repaired.
5 February 1945:
NANKAI is attached to Vice Admiral Fukutome Shigeru's (40)(former CO of NAGATO) 10th Area Fleet established that same day at Seletar Naval Base, Singapore.
16 July 1945:
W of Surabaya. At about 0500, subchaser CH-1 and gunboat NANKAI are attacked by LtCdr William H. Hazzard's USS BLENNY (SS-324). Hazzard fires a total of 12 torpedoes in a night surface radar attack and claims four hits that sink NANKAI at 05-26S, 110-33E. At about 0700, BLENNY finds, shells and sets CH-1 on fire, but the subchaser manages to get away.
30 July 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Notes:
[1] The Dutch civil navy, tasked with transport of government goods, charting sealanes and countering piracy, was known as the Gouvernementsmarine.
[2] Some sources list NANKAI as launched on 21 May '43.
Thanks for assistance go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
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