KUSENTEI!

© 2005-2018 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 9

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1938:
Yokohama. Laid down at the Tsurumi shipyard.

1938:
Launched and numbered CH-7.

15 November 1938:
Completed.

4 December 1941:
At 0600 CH-7 and CH-8 depart Sana. At 1000, CH-7 alone returns to Sana.

6 December 1941:
At 1425 departs Sana, Hainan Island.

7 December 1941:
At 1945 arrives at Camranh Bay.

8 December 1941:
Camranh Bay, Indochina. CH-7 is in Vice Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo’s (37) Southern Fleet with Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hiraoka Kumeichi (39) (former CO of HIEI) 9th Base Force in Cdr Hayashi Risaku’s (50) SubChasDiv 11 with CH-8 and CH-9.

13 December 1941: Operation "B" - The Invasion of British Borneo (Sarawak):
Camranh Bay, Indo-China. At 0730, CH-7 departs escorting the invasion convoy. Other escorts include cruiser YURA with DesDiv 12’s MURAKUMO, SHINONOME, SHIRAKUMO and USUGUMO. The occupation of British Borneo is a combined IJN/IJA operation which involves Gen (later Field Marshal) Count Terauchi Hisachi’s command’s Southern Expeditionary Army. The 25th Army, under LtGen Yamashita Tomoyuki fields MajGen Kawaguchi Kiyotake’s “Detachment” of about 2,500 men consisting of the 35th Infantry Brigade HQ, the 124th Infantry Regiment led by Col Oka Akinosuke, 18th Signal Unit platoon, 18th Medical Unit and 18/4 Field Hospital Medical Unit. In addition, the 21st Field Ordnance Depot Company and 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Field Well drilling (oil well repairs) companies of about 120 men each are embarked on the transports. One AA and one Signal Regiment are also stationed on IJA transports.

The invasion units are embarked on IJA transports KENKON, KATORI, HIYOSHI, MYOHO and NICHIRAN MARUs. The Navy force consists of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Kondo Nobutake's (35)(former CO of KONGO) Southern Force, Borneo Invasion Group that includes Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Kurita Takeo's (38), Support Unit. Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hashimoto Shintaro's (41) Invasion Unit consists of UNYO MARU No. 2 transporting equipment material and supplies, the 4th Naval Construction Unit of about 260 men and materials aboard TONAN MARU No 3, and the No.2 Yokosuka Special Naval Force (SNLF) aboard HOKKAI MARU. Other transports are KAMIKAWA and MITAKESAN MARUs transporting equipment, material and supplies.

The convoy’s close escort consists of CH-7. minesweepers W-3 and W-6 and Other escorts include CruDiv 7’s KUMANO and SUZUYA, light cruisers YURA and KINU, Desdiv 11’s FUBUKI, DesDiv 12’s MURAKUMO, SHINONOME, SHIRAKUMO and USUGUMO and DesDiv 20’s SAGIRI. Seaplane tender KAMIKAWA MARU with six Mitsubishi Type 0 F1M “Pete” (plus two in reserve) and four Aichi E13A1 “Jake” (plus one in reserve) provides air cover. At 0730, the Invasion Convoy departs Camranh Bay.

14 December 1941:
The Invasion Convoy crosses the South China Sea without being sighted. MITAKESAN MARU is detached to the Philippines.

15 December 1941:
At 2330, the main body of the convoy arrives at Miri, Borneo anchorage. At midnight, HIYOSHI MARU arrives at Seria anchorage. About the same time, all IJN transports arrive at Lutong. Because of a rainstorm, three Daihatsu barges capsize when lowered into the water. 19 IJA landing troops are KIA and 15 are MIA.

16 December 1941:
At 0440, troops land at Miri, Seria and Lutong. Despite bad weather, the landings are made without opposition from British defending units. Miri, Seria and Lutong oilfields and Miri airfield are secured in the morning.

17 December 1941:
At midnight, CH-7 participates in the invasion of Miri, Sarawak with CruDiv 7's KUMANO and SUZUYA, light cruiser KINU, seaplane tender KAMIKAWA MARU, DesDiv 12's SHIRAKUMO, MURAKUMO and the SHINONOME and minesweepers W-6 and W-7. Also present are DesDiv 11's FUBUKI and DesDiv 20's SAGIRI. CH-7 departs at 0600 and at 0830 arrives at nearby Seria.

21 December 1941:
At 0200 departs Seria and at 0830 arrives at Miri.

23-24 December 1941:
CH-7 participates in the landings of the Kawaguchi Detachment and the No. 2 Yokosuka SNLF at Kuching, Sarawak with CruDiv 7/1's KUMANO and SUZUYA, KINU, KAMIKAWA MARU and destroyers FUBUKI and the SAGIRI. Also present are DesDiv 12's SHIRAKUMO, MURAKUMO and USUGUMO and minesweepers W- 3 and W-6. West of the Covering Force is CruDiv 7/2's MIKUMA and MOGAMI with destroyer HATSUYUKI.

25 December 1941:
At 1340 departs Miri.

26 December 1941:
At 0930 arrives at Kuching.

30 December 1941:
At 1300 departs Kuching.

3 January 1942:
At 1245 arrives at Camranh Bay.

12 January 1942:
At 1630 departs Camranh Bay.

13 January 1942:
At 1830 arrives at Pulo Condore.

January 1942:
Off Malaya. CH-7 guards Army troop ships.

22 January 1942:
At 1300 CH-7, CH-8 and CH-9 depart Pulo Condore.

26 January 1942:
At 1000 CH-7 arrives at Endau.

28 January 1942:
At 1200 CH-7 and CH-8 depart Endau.

29 January 1942:
At 0330 CH-7 and CH-8 arrive at Anambas.

31 January 1942:
At 1100 CH-7 and CH-8 depart Anambas.

9 February 1942: Operation "L" - The Invasions of Palembang and Banka Island, Sumatra. SubChasDiv 11's CH-7 and CH-8 depart Camranh Bay, Indochina for Palembang with Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Hashimoto Shintaro's (41) DesRon 3's light cruiser SENDAI, DesDiv 11's FUBUKI, HATSUYUKI and SHIRAYUKI, DesDiv 20's ASAGIRI and MinesweepDiv 1's minesweepers W-1, W-2, W-3, W-4 and W-5 escorting eight transports. Covers the invasion landings.

10 March 1942: Operation "T”- The Invasion of Northern Sumatra:
CH-7, minelayer HATSUTAKA and Sec 1 of MinesweepDiv 44 depart Singapore's West Harbor escorting submarine tender NAGOYA MARU and eight transports carrying the main body of the Imperial Guards Division.

19 March 1942: “U” Sakusen (Operation “U”) – The Initial transport operation to Burma:
Subchaser CH-7 departs Singapore in the No. 2 Escort Unit comprised of light cruiser KASHII (F), DesRon 3’s SHIKINAMI and DesRon 5’s ASAKAZE, HARUKAZE (that replaces HATAKZE), HATAKAZE (part way only) and MATSUKAZE, kaibokan SHIMUSHU, minelayer HATSUTAKA, MineSweepDiv 1's W-1, W-3 and W-4 (that provide distant cover only) and and Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Ishikawa Shigeru (40) 12th Special Base Force's SubChasDiv 91's CHOKO MARU and SHONAN MARU No. 5 and No. 7 and the 9th Base Force's gunboat EIKO MARU together with Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Ishikawa Shigeru’s (40) 12th Special Base Force's torpedo boat KARI and auxiliary gunboat KOSHO MARU. The warships escort the First Burma Transport Convoy consisting of 32 ships carrying the main body of the IJA 56th Division: AOBASAN, CELEBES, GENOA, GLASGOW, HARUNA, HAVRE, HIBURI, HOFUKU, HOKUMEI, KAZUURA, KIZAN, KOTOHIRA, KUSUYAMA, MOMOYAMA, MYOKO, NAGARA, NAKO, NAPLES, NICHIRAN, SAKITO, SANKO, SHINAI, SHINANOGAWA, SHINRYU, SHUNSEI, SUMATRA, SYDNEY, TATEISHI, TOKIWA, TSUYAMA and YAE MARUs. A further 11 fast ships sail the following day.

20 March 1942:
Penang, Malaya. The 12th Special Base Force's Transport IJN NOJIMA MARU joins the convoy.

21 March 1942:
At 0858 HATSUTAKA departs Penang and joins the convoy. EIKO MARU follows later that day. SHIMUSHU is detached.

23 March 1942:
At 1800, the convoy arrives at Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanamar).

15 April 1942:
At 0830 departs Penang with submarine chaser CH-8, minelayer HATSUTAKA, torpedo boat KARI and destroyers ASAKAZE and AKIKAZE and joins up with 3rd Convoy of Operation U consisting of TAIKAI, HAMBURG, TEIKAI, HOKURYU, ANYO, GINYO, KUWAYAMA, KOCHI, MEIGEN, KENKOKU (3377 grt), SAMARANG, SUEZ, TAIZAN, BUYO, PENANG, HAVRE, BRAZIL, MONTREAL, YAWATA, YONEYAMA, HOKUROKU, ARGUN, ENGLAND MARUs, SHINTO MARU No. 1, probably TOTAI MARU and four unidentified merchant ships also escorted by auxiliary gunboat CHOSA MARU and other unidentified small escorts.

19 April 1942:
At 0138 arrives at the Rangoon rivermouth. At 1801 departs.

22 April 1942:
At 1130 arrives at Penang.

April- May 1942:
CH-7 is based at Penang. [1]

25 April 1942:
CH-7 and destroyer HARUKAZE arrive at Singapore escorting a Army transport convoy consisting of three unidentified ships (possibly from Rangoon).

3 June 1942:
At 1230 departs Singapore.

8 June 1942:
At 0800 arrives at Penang.

11 June 1942:
At 0800 departs Penang and later arrives and patrols inside Phuket harbour.

16 June 1942:
At 0830 arrives back at Penang.

17 June 1942:
At 1300 departs Penang.

21 June 1942:
At 1140 arrives back at Penang.

2 July 1942:
Departs Penang.

13 July 1942:
At 2230 arrives at Penang.

14 July 1942:
CH-7 is assigned to the Southwest Area Fleet's 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet in the 10th Special Base Force's SubChasDiv 11 with CH-8 and CH-9.

17 July 1942:
Arrives back at Penang.

18 July 1942:
Departs Penang.

19 July 1942:
Arrives at Singapore.

22 July 1942:
Departs Singapore.

25 July 1942:
Arrives back at Singapore.

28 July 1942:
Departs Singapore.

2 August 1942:
Arrives at Mergui.

6 August 1942:
Departs Mergui.

7 August 1942:
Arrives at Port Cornwallis and departs later that day.

8 August 1942:
Arrives back at Mergui.

9 August 1942:
Departs Mergui.

11 August 1942:
At 0900 arrives at Penang.

12 August 1942:
At 1600 departs Penang.

14 August 1942:
Arrives at Penang.

19 August 1942:
At 1630 departs Penang.

22 August 1942:
At 0800 arrives at Penang and departs from there at 2030. Meets up with convoy S-8 consisting of NAMINOUE MARU and escorts ship north towards Rangoon.

29 August 1942:
At 0100 arrives at Penang.

5 September 1942:
At 1800 departs Penang.

7 September 1942:
At 0030 arrives at Penang.

8 September 1942:
At 0800 departs Penang.

10 September 1942:
Arrives at Sabang.

13 September 1942:
Departs Sabang.

16 September 1942:
At 0815 arrives at Penang.

27 September 1942:
At 0830 CH-7 and CH-8 depart Penang.

1 October 1942:
Arrives at Sibolga.

2 October 1942:
At 0815 departs Sibolga.

3 October 1942:
At 1150 arrives at Padang (Emmahaven).

7 October 1942:
At 1700 CH-7 and CH-8 depart Padang (Emmahaven).

13 October 1942:
At 1150 both CH-7 and CH-8 arrive at Seletar, Singapore.

15 October 1942:
At 1230 CH-7 and CH-8 depart Singapore.

17 October 1942:
At 1145 both escorts arrive at Penang together.

26 October 1942:
At 1350 and 1400 CH-7 and CH-8 depart Penang together.

1 November 1942:
At 1200 and 1800 respectively, both CH-7 and CH-8 arrive back at Penang.

3 November 1942:
At 1835 departs Penang.

5 November 1942:
At 0100 joins auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 12.

6 November 1942:
At 2318 separates from SHONAN MARU No. 12.

9 November 1942:
At 0010 arrives at Singapore.

10 November 1942:
At 1145 drydocked.

17 November 1942:
At 1100 undocked.

18 November 1942:
At 1920 departs Singapore.

21 November 1942:
At 1755 arrives at Penang.

25 November 1942:
At 1200 departs Penang on an escort mission.

27 November 1942:
At 1550 joins auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 12.

28 November 1942:
At 0608 separates from SHONAN MARU No. 12.

30 November 1942:
At 0345 joins up with auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 12.

9 December 1942:
At 0915 arrives at Penang.

11 December 1942:
At 1600 departs Penang.

12 December 1942:
At 1127 arrives at Sabang and departs later the same day at 1320.

13 December 1942:
At 1127 arrives at Penang.

16 December 1942:
At 1935 departs Penang.

18 December 1942:
At 0325 arrives at Penang.

5 January 1943:
At 1000 arrives at Penang.

9 January 1943:
At 1750 departs Penang.

10 January 1943:
Arrives at Sabang.

11 January 1943:
Departs Sabang.

13 January 1943:
At 1835 arrives at Penang.

17 January 1943:
At 1800 departs Penang.

19 January 1943:
At 1000 arrives at Sabang and departs later that day.

21 January 1943:
At 1918 arrives at Padang.

4 February 1943:
At 1410 departs Emmahaven (Padang).

5 February 1943:
At 0949 arrives at Sabang and departs later that day at 1217.

7 February 1943:
At 1120 arrives at Penang.

18 February 1943:
At 1640 CH-7 and CH-8 depart Penang.

19 February 1943:
At 2052 both vessels arrive at Malacca.

23 February 1943:
At 2126 departs Malacca.

24 February 1943:
At 1458 arrives at Penang and departs later that day at 1703.

25 February 1943:
At 1603 arrives at Phuket.

26 February 1943:
At 1904 departs Phuket.

27 February 1943:
At 1220 arrives at Sabang. Later that day transfers to off Kotaradja arriving at 1640.

28 February 1943:
At 0300 transfers from Kotaradja back to Sabang, arriving at 0908.

1 March 1943:
At 0811 CH-7 and CH-8 depart Sabang.

2 March 1943:
At 1255 arrives at Kootaradja and departs at 1531, arriving back at Sabang at 1739.

3 March 1943:
At 1400 CH-7 and CH-8 depart Sabang.

4 March 1943:
At 1635 both escorts arrive at Medan.

6 March 1943:
At 1536 CH-7 and CH-8 depart Medan.

9 March 1943:
At 1231 CH-7 arrives at Padang.

11 March 1943:
At 1856 departs Padang.

16 March 1943:
At 1028 arrives at Penang.

18 March 1943:
At 1909 departs Penang.

20 March 1943:
At 0750 returns to Penang.

5 April 1943:
At 1205 departs Penang.

14 April 1943:
At 0630 arrives back at Penang.

21 April 1943:
At 0620 departs Penang.

29 April 1943:
At 0900 arrives back at Penang.

6 May 1943:
At 1500 departs Penang.

7 May 1943:
At 1644 arrives at Sabang.

8 May 1944:
At 0800 departs Sabang to Sibolga on an escort mission.

9 May 1943:
At 1244 arrives at Sibolga and departs from there at 1443.

10 May 1943:
At 0848 arrives back at Sabang.

12 May 1943:
At 1658 departs Sabang.

13 May 1943:
At 1245 stops briefly at Medan.

14 May 1943:
At 1331 arrives at Penang.

16 May 1943:
At 1950 departs Penang on an escort mission.

21 May 1943:
At 0806 departs Penang.

22 May 1943:
At 0751 arrives at Keppel Harbour, Singapore and departs soon after.

23 May 1943:
At 1219 arrives at Pending (near Kuching).

25 May 1943:
At 0846 departs Pending.

28 May 1943:
At 0133 arrives at Penang. At 1930 departs Penang.

31 May 1943:
At 0712 arrives at Singapore.

2 June 1943:
At 1718 arrives in Keppel Harbour.

3 June 1943:
At 1232 drydocked.

12 June 1943:
At 1135 undocked.

13 June 1943:
At 0741 departs Singapore.

14 June 1943:
At 1017 arrives at Penang.

22 June 1943:
At 1200 departs Penang escorting a P series convoy.

27 June 1943:
At 0000 hands over escort and returns to Penang.

29 June 1943:
At 1003 arrives back at Penang.

9 July 1943:
At 1755 departs Penang.

12 July 1943:
At 1141 arrives at Port Blair and departs there at 1433.

14 July 1943:
At 1220 arrives back at Penang.

15 July 1943:
At 1752 departs Penang.

16 July 1943:
At 1152 arrives at Sabang and at 1520 departs (NB: location unconfirmed).

17 July 1943:
At 2220 arrives back at Penang.

23 July 1943:
At 2310 departs Penang.

26 July 1943:
At 1630 escorts an unidentified ship en route to Tavoy.

28 July 1943:
At 2030 meets up with TAMISHIMA MARU and escorts the ship.

29 July 1943:
At 2250 begins an anti submarine sweep.

3 August 1943:
At 1558 arrives at Sabang.

4 August 1943:
At 0457 departs Sabang and shelters at Pulau Weh. Later at 1617 returns to Sabang.

5 August 1943:
At 0750 departs Sabang. At 1757 arrives back at Penang.

6 August 1943:
At 1610 departs Penang on an anti submarine sweep.

12 August 1943:
At 04.13N 100.17E in the Malacca Stratits detects an enemy submarine, and together with auxiliary netlayer CHOKO MARU (889 gt) launches a depth charge attack, without result.

14 August 1943:
At 1853 arrives back at Penang.

21 August 1943:
At 1200 CH-7 and CH-8 depart Penang on an anti submarine sweep.

27 August 1943:
At 2130 both arrive back at Penang.

3 September 1943:
At 0740 departs Penang.

5 September 1943:
At 1233 arrives at Sabang and departs from there at 1940.

7 September 1943:
At 1836 arrives back at Penang.

8 September 1943:
At 1350 departs Penang.

11 September 1943:
At 0107 arrives at Car Nicobar with auxiliary gunboat EIKO MARU and departs at 0705.

12 September 1943:
CH-7 and EIFUKU MARU depart Car Nicobar.

14 September 1943:
At 1408 both ships arrive at Singapore. CH-8 goes to Seletar.

20 September 1943:
At 0850 CH-7 and Auxiliary gunboat EIKO MARU depart Singapore. At 1758 arrive at Batupahat.

21 September 1943:
At 0852 both depart Batupahat.

24 September 1943:
At 2120 both ships arrive at Car Nicobar.

25 September 1943:
At 0130 both ships depart Car Nicobar. At 1041 both arrive at Nancowry and depart at 1150.

27 September 1943:
At 0425 both ships arrive at Penang.

4 October 1943:
At 1940 CH-7 and auxiliary gunboat EIKO MARU depart Penang.

6 October 1942:
At 0943 both ships arrive at Sabang.

9 October 1943:
At 2024 both ships depart Sabang.

11 October 1943:
At 1900 both ships arrive at Sibolga.

13 October 1943:
At 0853 CH-7 and EIKO MARU depart Sibolga.

14 October 1943:
At 0921 CH-7 arrives at Sabang and at 1046 departs.

15 October 1943:
At 0555 arrives at Pulau Weh (NB: location unconfirmed).

18 October 1943:
At 1809 departs Pulau Weh for Sabang.

20 October 1943:
At 0708 arrives at Sabang.

21 October 1943:
At 0547 departs Sabang but returns at 2358.

26 October 1943:
At 0758 departs Sabang.

27 October 1943:
At 1131 arrives at Penang.

28 October 1943:
At 1842 departs Penang.

29 October 1943:
At 15400 arrives at Sabang.

30 October 1943:
At 0820 departs Sabang.

31 October 1943:
At 1645 arrives at Belawan.

1 November 1943:
At 1900, departs Sabang escorting KUNITSU MARU.

2 November 1943:
At 1030 arrives back at Sabang.

3 November 1943:
At 0600 departs Sabang.

5 November 1943:
At 1400, arrives at Sibolga. At 2245 arrives back at Sabang.

10 November 1943:
At 0355 departs Sabang. At 1830 arrives back at Sabang

11 November 1943:
At 1200 departs Sabang.

12 November 1943:
At 0253 arrives at Penang. At 0900 departs Penang.

14 November 1943:
At 0700 arrives back at Penang.

15 November 1943:
In the late evening arrives back at Penang.

3 December 1943:
At 1000 departs Penang but returns at 1929.

4 December 1943:
At 1229 departs Penang.

8 December 1943:
At 1008 arrives at Penang.

12 December 1943:
At 2315 departs Penang.

16 December 1943:
At 1740 arrives at Penang.

20 December 1943:
At 1000 departs Penang.

21 December 1943:
At 1113 arrives at Sabang.

25 December 1943:
At 1104 departs Sabang.

29 December 1943:
At 0045 arrives back at Sabang and departs at 1356 on an escort mission.

31 December 1943:
At 0130 arrives at Penang.

4 January 1944:
At 0850 CH-7 and auxiliary gunboat EIKO MARU depart Penang.

5 January 1944:
At 2058 both arrive at Sabang.

6 January 1944:
At 0900 departs Sabang.

8 January 1944:
At 2000 begins an escort mission.

10 January 1944:
At 0730 arrives back at Sabang.

11 January 1944:
At 0952 CH-7 and auxiliary gunboat EIKO MARU depart Sabang.

12 January 1944:
At 1452 both arrive at Car Nicobar.

15 January 1944:
At 0759 CH-7 and auxiliary gunboat EIKO MARU depart Car Nicobar.

17 January 1944:
At 1756 arrives back at Penang.

21 January 1944:
CH-7 departs Penang.

22 January 1944:
At 0600 arrives at Singapore. Late that day enters drydock.

11 February 1944:
At 0800 departs Singapore. From 1600 commences an anti submarine sweep.

14 February 1944:
At 1800 CH-8 joins the anti submarine sweep.

17 February 1944:
At 2000 arrives at Penang.

22 February 1944:
At 2100 CH-7 and CH-8 depart Penang on an anti submarine sweep.

25 February 1944:
At 1915 both arrive at Singapore.

26 February 1944:
At 1600 CH-7 departs Singapore.

28 February 1944:
At 0500 arrives at Penang and departs soon after at 1256.

2 March 1944:
At 2105 arrives at Sabang.

4 March 1944:
At 0835 departs Sabang.

5 March 1944:
At 2247 arrives at Sibolga.

6 March 1944:
At 1100 departs Sibolga. At 2400 returns to Sibolga.

7 March 1944:
FRUMEL decrypts the following message from Sumatra Base Force, timed 061145:
"Enemy submarines and aircraft have appeared frequently for some days in southern Sumatran waters and apparently something is cooking. Subchaser 7 is to sail from Simalur and reconnoitre towards Cocos."

At 0900 CH-7 departs Sibolga with auxiliary gunboat EIKO MARU.

9 March 1944:
At 0130 arrives back at Sibolga and departs there at 2230.

10 March 1944:
At 1637 arrives at Penang and at 2030 departs port.

12 March 1944:
At 1550 arrives at Padang.

13 March 1944:
At 1002 departs Padang.

17 March 1944:
At 0300 arrives at Padang.

21 March 1944:
At 2100 departs Padang.

24 March 1944:
Arrives in the Sunda Straits.

27 March 1944:
At 1200 arrives at Singapore.

28 March 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.

29 March 1944:
Departs Singapore for Moji with kaibokan AWAJI escorting convoy HI-54 consisting of NANKAI, ARIMASAN, KYOKUHO and MIRI MARUs.

31 March 1944:
Arrives and anchors at Cap St. Jacques, Indochina. At this point detaches from the convoy.

3 April 1944:
At 0504 departs Saigon and at 1428 arrives at St Jacques.

4 April 1944:
At 0338 CH-7 departs St Jacques escorting convoy SASHI-16 consisting of SHOEI MARU (1986 GRT), CHINA, FUKUJU and DURBAN MARUs.

7 April 1944:
At 1537 arrives at Singapore.

9 April 1944:
At 1529 departs Singapore. Later joins with minelayer No. 4, minesweeper W-7 and auxiliary subchaser CHa-59 that also depart Singapore for Port Blair, Andaman Islands escorting the "Matsukawa convoy" consisting of cargo ships MATSUKAWA MARU and KONAN MARU No. 1.

14 April 1944:
At 1240 arrives at Port Blair and departs from there at 2144.

15 April 1944:
At 0215 returns to Port Blair and departs there at 0955.

16 April 1944:
At 0010 arrives off La-N-U-I anchorage. At 2152 anchors there.

18 April 1944:
At 0730 departs the anchorage and at 1514 arrives at Penang.

19 April 1944:
At 0144 departs Penang but returns at 1925.

20 April 1944:
At 1158 departs Penang.

21 April 1944:
At 0753 anchors off Dindings and departs at 1726.

22 April 1944:
At 1041 arrives at Penang and undergoes repairs.

9 May 1944:
At 2000 departs Penang.

10 May 1944:
At 1100 arrives at Belawan and departs there at 1800.

19 May 1944:
At 1015 arrives at Penang.

21 May 1944:
At 2013 departs Penang.

22 May 1944:
At 1335 arrives at Port Swettenham.

28 May 1944:
At 1814 departs Port Swettenham.

15 June 1944:
S of Palau. CH-7 hits a mine and is damaged at 04-03N, 135-08E.

June 1944:
Singapore. Undergoes repairs.

30 June 1944:
Completes repairs. CH-7 resumes convoy escort duties from Penang. [1]

22 October 1944:
At 0800 CH-7 and CH-8 depart Singapore escorting convoy SHIMA-03 consisting of six unidentified merchant ships.

26 October 1944:
At 0800 arrives at Miri, Borneo.

27 October 1944:
Departs Miri.

1 November 1944:
At 0649 temporarily anchors off Palawan Island.

5 November 1944:
At 0250 arrives at Manila.

7 November 1944:
At 1907, CH-7 and CH-8 depart Manila for Singapore escorting convoy MASHI-03 consisting of tankers NICHINAN MARU No. 2 and SHIMOTSU MARU Singapore.

8 November 1944:
At 2127, an abortive torpedo attack occurs, but at 2257, LtCdr (later Cdr) Marshall H. Austin's (USNA ’35) USS REDFIN (SS-272) torpedoes and sinks NICHINAN MARU No. 2 at 14-10N, 116-37E. The ship is carrying Apprentice Paratroopers and men from the 60th and 62nd Special Machine Gun Squads. 80 of these men together with five gunners and one crewman are killed. The forepart of the wreck sinks at 1030 the following day.

9 November 1944:
At 0055, SHIMOTSU MARU is torpedoed by LtCdr (later Captain) Irvin S. Hartman's (USNA ’33) USS BARBERO (SS-317) after a series of unsuccessful attacks by REDFIN and BARBERO. At 1100, SHIMOTSU MARU sinks at 14-32N, 116-53E. Nine escorting troops and 30 crewmen are KIA. The convoy is dissolved.

10 November 1944:
At 1550 arrives at Manila.

13 November 1944:
At 2049 CH-7 and CH-8 depart Manila on an anti submarine sweep.

17 November 1944:
At 0903 both arrive at Saigon and depart there at 1550.

18 November 1944:
At 2020 both arrive at St Jacques.

19 November 1944:
At 0355 CH-7 and CH-8 depart St Jacques escorting convoy SASHI-34 consisting of nine unidentified merchant ships.

22 November 1944:
At 1542, arrives at Singapore. CH-7 is drydocked.

5 December 1944:
At 0922 undocked and transfers to Seletar Naval base port.

7 December 1944:
At 1404 departs Seletar escorting DAICHO MARU.

10 December 1944:
At 1740 arrives at Sabang.

12 December 1944:
At 1150 departs Sabang with CH-63 escorting DAICHO MARU.

15 December 1944:
At 1035 arrives at Singapore and undergooes further repairs.

21 December 1944:
At 0854 departs Singapore and later arrives at the Telang Straits (Selat Telan), south of Bintan Island.

23 December 1944:
At 0050 begins an anti submarine sweep in the area.

25 December 1944:
At 0200 completes the anti submarine sweep and departs the area.

26 December 1944:
At 0900 arrives at Singapore.

28 December 1944:
At 1751 CH-7 and CH-9 and auxiliary subchaser KYO MARU No. 1 depart Singapore escorting RISUI MARU (ex-British LIPIS) to Port Blair.

3 January 1945:
At 2107 arrives at Port Blair and CH-7 and CH-9 depart almost immediately at 2131. Both probably undertake local patrols.

5 January 1945:
At 0923 arrives back at Port Blair.

6 January 1945:
At 0931 the convoy departs Port Blair with subchaser CH-34 as an additional escort.

7 January 1945:
At 1130 arrives at Car Nicobar where CH-34 is detached and the rest of the convoy departs there at 2102.

12 January 1945:
At 1130 arrives at Penang.

21 January 1945:
At 1652 CH-7 and CH-9 depart Penang on an escort mission.

25 January 1945:
At 2025 arrive at Port Blair.

27 January 1945:
At 0825 both subchasers depart Port Blair on an escort mission.

28 January 1945:
At 1300 arrive at Car Nicobar.

29 January 1945:
At 0850 both subchasers depart Car Nicobar on an escort mission.

30 January 1945:
At 1435 both escorts arrive back at Port Blair.

11 April 1945:
Andaman Sea. E of Car Nicobar. CH-7 and auxiliary netlayer AGATA MARU are bombed by B-24 "Liberator" bombers of the Royal Air Force's No. 203 Squadron that sink both ships at 08-57N, 93-38E.

25 May 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

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Author's Notes:
[1] The authors could find no data detailing CH-7's movements during April- May 42 and July '44 to Oct'44. Readers with access to such data are requested to post the information on the Discussion and Questions board or at j-aircraft.org's IJN Ship Message Board

Special thanks go to Hans Mcilveen of the Netherlands for info on FRUMEL intercepts. Further thanks go to Gilbert Casse of France.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.

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