KYUNANSEN
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(Salvage Tug by Takeshi Yuki scanned from "Color Paintings
of Japanese Warships")
IJN Salvage and Repair Vessel ARABATO MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2009-2018 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 1
E 1911:
Flushing, Netherlands. Laid down at the Royal Schelde (Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde te Vlissingen) shipyard as an 807-ton gunboat for the Dutch Gouvernementsmarine.
11 August 1911:
Launched and named ALBATROS.
1912:
Completed.
1 September 1939: World War II Begins:
Following mobilization in the Netherlands, Jonkheer (esquire) Governor-General Alidius W. L. Tjarda van Starkenborgh-Stachouwer militarizes the GM and it becomes a part of the Royal Netherlands Navy.
1940-1942:
ALBATROS is a duty ship in the Ambon-New Guinea area. The Commanding Officer is Gezaghebber (LtCdr) Augustinus H. Alfrink.
10 May 1940:
The Germans invade the Netherlands.
Mid-1940:
ALBATROS is tasked to pick up Germans and suspected German-sympathizing Dutch citizens from New Guinea and transport them via Ambon to Java.
May 1940:
ALBATROS picks up a German plantation owner, his wife and children and a few other German citizens from Sorong, New Guinea. By the time the ship passes through Ambon, the number of prisoners on board has increased to 49. They are ultimately transported to Onrust island in Batavia Bay.
8 December 1941:
At 0630, in a radio speech, Governor-General Tjarda van Starkenborgh-Stachouwer announces the declaration of war between the Netherlands and Japan. [1]
Late January 1942:
All GM vessels are recalled to Java. ALBATROS and FOMALHAUT are recalled from Ambon. They are ordered to embark women and children and return to Java via Kupang, Timor. They escort a ship of the Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij (Royal Packet Navigation Company) in the last part of the voyage.
2 March 1942:
Surabaya, Java. Scuttled and sunk by Dutch forces.
20 January 1943:
Surabaya. Raised by the IJN’s 102th Repair Unit and renamed ARABATO MARU.
24 April 1943:
Begins repairs and installation of equipment by the 102th Repair Unit.
15 November 1943:
Registered as an auxiliary salvage ship in the Sasebo Naval District. Attached to the 11th Special Construction Section.
30 November 1943:
Outfitting work is completed.
1 May 1944:
Lt Tsujimatsu Munechika is appointed CO. That same day, ARABATO MARU finishes inspection of converted transport KUNIKAWA MARU, grounded off Balikpapan, Borneo. Then she loads fresh water and coal and at 1744 departs Balikpapan.
2 May 1944:
55 miles south of Balikpapan. Arrives at open sea area in the Macassar Strait. Inspects wreck site where destroyer AMAGIRI struck a mine on 23 April and sank at 02-10S, 116-45E.
4 May 1944:
Departs wreck site.
5 May 1944:
At 0812 arrives at Kotabaru, Java. Loads fresh water and at 1235, departs.
7 May 1944:
At 1027 arrives at Surabaya.
12-15 May 1944:
Loads coal and fresh water.
16 May 1944:
Participates in salvage of the converted rescue ship YUSHO MARU, sunk previously by mine near Surabaya. At 0900 departs Surabaya.
Arrives at disaster site of SHINREI MARU sunk by air attack the day before in Java Sea..
21 May 1944:
Departs disaster site and later that day at 1312, arrives at Surabaya.
22 May 1944:
Loads fresh water.
23 May 1944:
At 0900 departs Surabaya and later that day at 1030 arrives at YUSHO MARU disaster site to continue salvage efforts.
27-31 May 1944:
Loads fresh water.
3 June 1944:
At 1220 departs YUSHO MARU disaster site and later that day at 1350 arrives at Surabaya.
4 June 1944:
Loads fresh water.
5 June 1944:
At 0900 departs Surabaya and later that day at 1050 arrives at a YUSHO MARU disaster site.
9 June 1944:
Loads fresh water.
17 June 1944:
At 1030 departs YUSHO MARU disaster site. Later that day at 1210, arrives at Surabaya. Loads fresh water.
19 June 1944:
At 0930 departs Surabaya and later that day at 1115, arrives at YUSHO MARU disaster site.
25 June 1944:
Loads fresh water.
3-4 July 1944:
At 1210 departs YUSHO MARU disaster site and at 1405, arrives at Surabaya. Loads fresh water and coal.
6 July 1944:
At 0940 departs Surabaya and later that day at 1110, arrives at YUSHO MARU disaster site.
9 July 1944:
Loads fresh water.
12 July 1944:
YUSHO MARU is successfully refloated.
14 July 1944:
Loads fresh water.
18 July 1944:
At 1300 departs YUSHO MARU disaster site and later that day at 1446, arrives at Surabaya. Loads fresh water.
19 July 1944:
Loads fresh water.
21 July 1944:
At 0857 departs Surabaya and later that day at 1105, arrives at YUSHO MARU disaster site.
22-30 July 1944:
Loads fresh water.
3 August 1944:
Loads fresh water.
5 August 1944:
At 1230 departs YUSHO MARU disaster site and later that day at 1420, arrives at Surabaya.
6 August 1944:
Loads fresh water and coal.
7 August 1944:
At 0900 departs Surabaya and later that day at 1120, arrives at YUSHO MARU disaster site.
10 August 1944:
Loads fresh water.
12 August 1944:
At 1330 departs YUSHO MARU disaster site and later that day at 1450, arrives at Surabaya.
13 August 1944:
Loads fresh water.
14 August 1944:
At 0910 departs Surabaya and later that day at 1100, arrives at YUSHO MARU disaster site.
17 August 1944:
Loads fresh water.
19 August 1944:
At 1330 departs YUSHO MARU disaster site and later that day at 1520, arrives at Surabaya.
20 August 1944:
Loads fresh water and coal.
21 August 1944:
At 0910 departs Surabaya and later that day at 1125, arrives at YUSHO MARU disaster site.
24 August 1944:
Loads fresh water.
26 August 1944:
At 1200 departs YUSHO MARU disaster site and later that day at 1330, arrives at Surabaya.
27 August 1944:
Loads fresh water.
28 August 1944:
At 0900 departs Surabaya and later that day at 1030, arrives at YUSHO MARU disaster site.
30 August 1944:
Loads fresh water.
1 September 1944:
At 1227 departs YUSHO MARU disaster site and later that day at 1428, arrives at Surabaya.
2 September 1944:
Loads fresh water and coal.
3 September 1944:
At 0854 departs Surabaya and later that day arrives at 1120, at YUSHO MARU disaster site.
7-12 September 1944:
Loads fresh water.
15 September 1944:
At 1242 departs YUSHO MARU disaster site and later that day at 1427, arrives at Surabaya.
16 September 1944:
Loads fresh water and coal.
17 September 1944:
At 0904 departs Surabaya and later that day at 1114, arrives at YUSHO MARU disaster site.
19 September 1944:
At 1147 departs YUSHO MARU disaster site and at 1309 arrives at Surabaya. At 1829 departs there. Later that day at 2008, arrives at YUSHO MARU disaster site.
20-25 September 1944:
Loads fresh water.
29 September 1944:
At 1142 departs YUSHO MARU disaster site and later that day at 1337, arrives at Surabaya.
30 September 1944:
Loads fresh water.
1 October 1944:
At 0906 departs Surabaya and later that day at 1104, arrives at YUSHO MARU disaster site.
3 October 1944:
At 1109 departs the disaster area, towing YUSHO MARU. At 1235 arrives at Surabaya.
4 October 1944:
Loads fresh water.
6 October 1944:
At 1917 departs Surabaya and later that day at 2049, arrives at Slempit (small village) N of Tanjung Bulu, Madura Island.
9 October 1944:
Loads fresh water.
6 October 1944:
At 0742 departs Slempit and later that day at 0917, arrives at Surabaya.
10-13 October 1944:
Loads fresh water and coal.
14 October 1944:
At 0905 ties up at the harbor service section pier. Loads an air compressor and air reservoir.
15-16 October 1944:
At 0950 ties up at the construction section quay. Loads a diver's decompression chamber.
18 October 1944:
Loads fresh water.
29 October-2 November 1944:
Loads fresh water.
14 November 1944:
Loads fresh water.
22-23 November 1944:
Loads fresh water and coal.
30 November 1944:
Loads fresh water.
5 March 1945:
Surabaya. Loads fresh water. At 1220 enters Harima shipyard’s third drydock.
9 March 1945:
At 1255 undocked.
12 March 1945:
Loads fresh water.
5 March 1945:
Loads lube oil.
16 March 1945:
Loads fresh water and volatile oil.
24 March 1945:
Loads coal, then at 0942 departs Surabaya to conduct a magnetic compass adjustment and speed test. Later at 1510, returns to port.
25 March 1945:
Embarks an emergency construction crew and equipment. Ar 1243 ties up at the commercial harbor's first pier. Loads damage control material and equipment.
26-28 March 1945:
Loads fresh water and coal.
31 March 1945:
At 1535 arrives at Surabaya’s commercial harbor.
2 April 1945:
At 1040 departs Surabaya.
4 April 1945:
At 2125 arrives at Djakarta.
5 April 1945:
Comes alongside a coal-storage yard quay. Loads coal and fresh water.
6-7 April 1945:
In Jakarta, at 0748 off Karang (Serdang-Kalianda) lighthouse (bearing 188).
7 April 1945:
Anchors 203 degrees and about 2 nautical miles off the Djakarta lighthouse.
8 April 1945:
Passes the Berhala lighthouse (bearing 129-10).
9 April 1945:
Passes within two kilometers of Mederau lighthouse (bearing 203).
10 April 1945:
At 1340 arrives at Singapore. Loads fresh water.
17 April 1945:
Comes alongside a coal-storage yard quay. Loads coal.
19 April 1945:
Loads fresh water.
28-29 April 1945:
Comes alongside a coal-storage yard quay. Loads coal, and later fresh water.
30 April 1945:
Loads a buoyancy tank for refloating sunken ships. At 0857 departs Singapore and later that day arrives at Malacca, Malaya.
10 August 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
1 December 1945:
Returned to GM service. Assigned to local repatriation duties, but is written-off after her first trip to an unknown destination because of her poor condition.
1950:
Sank at an unknown location due to unknown causes.
Authors’ Note:
[1] The NEI declaration was slightly premature. The Dutch Government in London did not issue the official declaration of war until 10 Dec '41.
[2] “Disaster site” as used herein refers to any area where a Japanese ship was attacked and damaged or sunk, most probably by an Allied submarine in the Java Sea and surrounding waters.
Special thanks go to Jan Visser "Visje" of the Netherlands for info on ALBATROS' pre-war activities.
[3] The kanji can be read as ARABATO MARU, NIIHATO MARU or SHINKYO MARU.
Thanks also go to Erich Muenthaler of Germany for help in identifying obscure Indonesian locations.
- Bob Hackett Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
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