Japanese Auxiliary Netlayers

KYUSETSUMOKAN!

BOSEMMOTEI!

(KOSEI MARU, sistership of FUKUEI MARU No. 15, prewar – Peter Cundall collection)

IJN FUKUEI MARU No. 15:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2019 Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall

1939:
Osaka. Laid down by Mihara Zosen Tekkosho K.K. for Mansen Unyu K.K. as 867-tons cargo ship.
9 August 1939:
Launched and named FUKUEI MARU No. 15. [1]
8 December 1939:
Completed and registered at Kobe.
10 May 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
15 May 1941:
Registered as an auxiliary netlayer in the Sasebo Naval District under instruction No. 526. Attached to Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo’s (36) Third Fleet, in Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Kubo Kyuji’s (38) First Base Force based at Takao, Formosa (now Kaohsiung, Taiwan), 52nd Subchaser Division also consisting of auxiliary subchasers SHONAN MARU No. 17 and TAKUNAN MARU No. 5. Rated as auxiliary netlayer No. 52-1.
Wakamatsu. Conversion to military duty begins at Tochigi Shoji K.K shipyard.
That same day, Navy Resv Lt (jg) Tashiro Takayoshi is appointed CO.
10 June 1941:
The conversion is completed. Departs Sasebo.
E 11 June ~ 8 July 1941:
Operates in southern China waters.
9 July 1941:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores.
13 July 1941:
Departs Mako.
E 13 July ~ 7 September 1941:
Operates in southern China waters.
8 September 1941:
Arrives at Sasebo.
7 December 1941: The Occupation of Batan Island, Batan Islands, Luzon Strait.
At 1800, departs Takao for Batan Island with the rest of the 52nd Subchaser Division, the 53rd Subchaser Division (KOREI MARU, KYO MARU No. 2, KYO MARU No. 11) and the 54th Subchaser Division (NAGARA MARU, SHONAN MARU No. 1, SHONAN MARU No. 2) escorting IJA transport TEIUN MARU (ex-German BREMERHAVEN) carrying part of the 24th Airfield Battalion.
8 December 1941:
At 1215, the convoy arrives at Baluarte Bay, off Basco Village, W coast of Batan Island. TEIUN MARU lands the 24th Airfield Battalion which advances to Basco Airfield until sunset.
9 December 1941:
Arrives at Bataan, Luzon, Philippines.
10 December 1941:
Departs Bataan.
11 December 1941:
Arrives at Takao.
17 December 1941: The Invasion of Lamon Bay, Southern Luzon:
Imperial General Headquarters launches the combined IJA and IJN Lamon Bay Operation. The Army force consists of Gen (later Field Marshal) Count Terauchi Hisachi’s Southern Expeditionary Army. Its 14th Army, under LtGen Homma Masaharu, fields MajGen Morioka Susumu's Invasion Unit of about 7,000 troops consisting of elements of the 16th Infantry division: 20th Infantry, 22nd Field Artillery, HQ and II Battalion, 16 HQ Company, 16th Eng Battalion, 16th Recon Battalion, 3/45 AA Company, 16th Transport, 16th Signal Company, 16th Medical Unit and 16th Veterinary Unit. Two AA and one Signals regiments are stationed on IJA transports.
The invasion units are embarked on 20 IJA transports: LISBON, BENGAL, DAINICHI, DURBAN, KAIMEI, KAYO, KITANO, KOFUKU, NAGATO, NICHIREN, RYOKA, RYUYO, SHINSEI, SHINSHU (4182 GRT), TAIAN, TATSUNO, TOFUKU, TOYAMA and TOYOHASHI MARUs and TAMON MARU No. 5.
The naval force consists of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Kondo Nobutake's (35) (former CO of KONGO) Southern Force, Philippines Invasion Group that includes Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo’s (36) (former CO of YAMASHIRO) Third Fleet. Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Kubo Kyuji’s (38) (former CO of KAGA) Invasion Unit consists of his 1st Base Force HQ, in light cruiser NAGARA, 1st Quartermaster Ports and Docks Unit and 1st Naval Signal Unit, aboard HAKUSAN MARU, 1st Naval Guard Unit, aboard KIMISHIMA MARU, 1st Naval Survey Unit in SENKO MARU and Captain (later Vice Admiral) Mori Kunizo's (40) (former CO of SATA) Sasebo No. 1 and 2 Combined Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) aboard MYOKO MARU.
The convoy’s escort consists of light cruiser NAGARA (F), heavy cruiser ASHIGARA, destroyers TOKITSUKAZE, YUKIKAZE, KAWAKAZE, SUSUKAZE, UMIKAZE, YAMAKAZE, minelayer AOTAKA, minesweepers W-7 and W-8, auxiliary gunboat/minelayer IKUSHIMA MARU, auxiliary gunboats BUSHO, KEIKO, KANKO and MYOKEN MARUs, auxiliary subchasers SHONAN MARU No. 17 and TAKUNAN MARU No. 5 and auxiliary netlayer FUKUEI MARU No. 15.
At 1500, the Invasion Force departs Koniya, Amami Oshima for Lamon Bay, Quezon, Philippines.
24 December 1941:
Arrives at Lamon Bay, Luzon, Philippines. The landings proceed without strong opposition.
30 December 1941:
Departs Lamon Bay.
4 January 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
6 January 1942:
Departs Takao.
11 January 1942:
Arrives at Davao, Mindanao, Philippines.
19 January 1942:
Departs Davao.
23 January 1942:
Arrives at Palau, Western Carolines.
26 January 1942:
Departs Palau.
30 January 1942:
Arrives at Banka, Celebes, Netherlands East Indies.
10 March 1942:
Attached to Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo’s (36) 2nd Southern Expeditionary Fleet in 24th Special Base Force, assigned to 52nd Subchaser Division also consisting of auxiliary subchasers SHONAN MARU No. 17 and TAKUNAN MARU No. 5. Then attached to Southwest Forces, East Strait Forces, Guard Unit.
16 March 1942:
Navy Resv Lt (jg) Tashiro Takayoshi is confirmed as CO.
26 March 1942:
On patrol duty at Kupang, Timor, Netherlands East Indies.
27 March 1942: Operation "N" – The Seizure of Dutch New Guinea:
Ambon Island. The "N" Expeditionary Force under Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Fujita Ruitaro’s (38) command assembles and includes a Transport Force consisting of auxiliary anti-submarine netlayer and patrol boat SEIAN MARU acting as supply ship and auxiliary transport HOKUROKU MARU. Close escort is provided by the 2nd Gunboat Division with auxiliary gunboats MANYO, TAIKO and OKUYO MARUs. The Transport Force carries Captain Shibuya’s Naval Landing Force consisting of the 4th Guard Unit. [2]
Escort is provided by CarDiv 11’s seaplane carrier CHITOSE, CruDiv 16/3’s KINU, DesDiv 16/1's YUKIKAZE and TOKITSUKAZE, torpedo boats TOMOZURU, HATSUKARI, patrol boats PB-1, PB- 2, PB-38 and PB-39, SubChasDiv 54's SHONAN MARU No. 5 and No. 17 and FUKUEI MARU No. 15 plus smaller craft.
29 March 1942:
Night-time. The "N" Expeditionary Force departs Ambon for Ceram Island.
31 March 1942:
Arrives at Boela, Ceram Island, Moluccas.
1-21 April 1942:
The N Expeditionary Force invades Fak-Fak, Babo, Sorong, Manokwari, Moemi, Nabire, Seroei, Sarmi and Hollandia, New Guinea.
7 April 1942:
Departs Kupang.
9 April 1942:
Arrives at Ambon, Moluccas, Netherlands Indies.
15 April 1942:
Departs Ambon.
16 April 1942:
Arrives at Sapura Island, Moluccas, Netherlands Indies. Departs there and arrives at Ambon later that day.
19 April 1942:
Departs Ambon.
20 April 1942:
Arrives at Waeplau, Buru Island, Moluccas, Netherlands Indies.
21 April 1942:
Departs Waeplau.
22 April 1942:
Arrives at Ambon.
23 April 1942:
The N Expeditionary Force is dissolved.
25 April 1942:
Departs Ambon escorting auxiliary hospital ship TAKASAGO MARU.
26 April 1942:
Arrives at Ambon.
28 April 1942:
Departs Ambon escorting auxiliary hospital ship TAKASAGO MARU.
29 April 1942:
Arrives at Ternate, Moluccas, Netherlands East Indies.
2 May 1942:
Departs Ternate.
3 May 1942:
Arrives at Tobelo, Halmahera, Moluccas, Netherlands Indies.
4 May 1942:
Departs Tobelo.
5 May 1942:
Arrives at Weda, Halmahera, Moluccas, Netherlands East Indies.
6 May 1942:
Departs Weda and arrives at Labuha, Moluccas, Netherlands Indies later this day.
8 May 1942:
Departs Labuha.
9 May 1942:
Arrives at Ambon.
29 May 1942:
Departs Ambon escorting auxiliary repair ship YAMABIKO MARU.
31 May 1942:
Arrives at Ternate.
1 June 1942:
Departs Ternate.
4 June 1942:
Arrives at Labuha.
6 June 1942:
Departs Labuha.
8 June 1942:
Arrives at Kendari, Celebes, Netherlands East Indies.
9 June 1942:
Departs Kendari.
11 June 1942:
Arrives at Ambon.
13 June 1942:
Departs Ambon.
15 June 1942:
Arrives at Kendari.
16 June 1942:
Departs Kendari.
18 June 1942:
Arrives at Ambon.
29 June 1942:
Departs Ambon.
1 July 1942:
Arrives at Dili, Portuguese Timor. Departs there later this day.
2 July 1942:
Arrives at Kupang.
20 July 1942:
Departs Kupang.
21 July 1942:
Arrives at Dili.
22 July 1942:
Departs Dili.
23 July 1942:
Arrives at Ambon.
E 24 July 1942:
Attached to Operation ‘T’ The Seizure of the Tanimbar Islands first invasion unit which has to capture Aru, Kai and Tanimbar, Moluccas, Netherlands East Indies.
25 July 1942:
Departs Ambon to take part in Operation ‘T’ the Seizure of the Tanimbar Islands.
28 July 1942:
With auxiliary gunboat MANYO MARU detaches from the Aru Island capture unit.
29 July 1942:
At 1837 MANYO MARU hands over a special type barge (tokugata unkasen) to FUKUEI MARU No. 15.
2 August 1942:
Enters Ambon port with IJN seaplane tender SANYO MARU, and auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No. 1
4 August 1942:
Departs Ambon.
6 August 1942:
Arrives at Kupang.
10 August 1942:
Carries out an anti-submarine sweep along the Timor coast. Sunk off Beco, Portuguese Timor by RAAF 13rd Squadron Hudson bombers with unknown casualties.
25 August 1942:
Removed from the Navy list under instruction No. 1581.

Authors' Notes:
[1] Also wrongly known as EIFUKU MARU No. 15, a garble of the two name characters.
[2] Battalion size - contained elements of Sasebo Combined Naval SNLF and the 24th Special Base Unit - about 500 men.
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.

- Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall.

Back to the Netlayers Page