Japanese Army Tankers

RIKUGUN YUSOSEN!

(WAR SIRDAR prewar, later HONAN (KONAN) MARU)

IJA HONAN (KONAN) MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2014 Bob Hackett

E 1919:
Sunderland, Great Britain. Laid down by Sir J. Laing & Son, Ltd's Depford Yard as a 5,542-ton WW1 Standard tanker for the Shipping Controller, London.
February 1920:
Launched and named WAR SIRDAR.
1920:
Completed. Assigned No. 144354, call sign GTQB and registered in the port of London. Managed by Anglo-Mexican Petroleum Co.
8 August 1921:
Arrives at Ellis Island, New York from London carrying immigrants to the United States.
1921:
Acquired by the British Admiralty as a Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) tanker.
1940:
Gross registered tonnage is changed to 5,647-tons.
25 February 1942:
Tanjong Priok, Batavia, Java, NEI (now Jakarta, Indonesia). WAR SIRDAR and light cruiser HMAS HOBART which she is fuelling are attacked by 27 Japanese bombers. About 60 bombs fall near the ships. HOBART suffers bomb splinter damage and some casualties. WAR SIRDAR suffers an unknown amount of damage. [1]
27/28 February 1942:
At about midnight, WAR SIRDAR departs Tanjong Priok for Tjilatjap, Java in a convoy also consisting of tankers BRITISH JUDGE, HMS FRANCOL, depot ship HMS ANKING and two unidentified ships escorted by sloops HMAS YARRA II, and HMIS JUMMA and minesweepers HMS GEMAS, HMAS WOLLONGONG and Motor Minesweeper No. 51.
Shortly after departure, HMS GEMAS suffers a malfunction and is detached for Tanjong Priok. At about 0400, WAR SIRDAR runs aground on long reef west of Tanjong Priok. HMAS WOLLONGONG is detached and stands by until daylight when she makes repeated, but unsuccessful attempts to tow the tanker off the reef.
1 March 1942:
Sunda Srait. A Japanese air attack ends towing attempts. WOLLONGONG departs to rejoin the convoy after advising WAR SIRDAR's master to beach her on a nearby island and abandon ship.
1942:
Refloated and refurbished by the Japanese.
1942:
The Imperial Army confiscates WAR SIRDAR. Renamed HONAN (KONAN) MARU . Alloted IJA No. 2057 and assigned call sign JAXT. [2]
June 1942:
Departs Batavia.
11 June 1942:
Requisitioned by the Japanese Government's Senpaku Uneikai civilian wartime shipping authority and alloted to Iino Kaiun Kaisha, Ltd. Chartered with a civilian crew.
October 1942:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA).
16 October 1942:
Arrives at Singapore, Malaya.
17 October 1942:
Departs Singapore.
19 October 1942:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel. [3]
231 October 1942:
Departs Palembang, Sumatra, NEI.
24 October 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
29 October 1942:
Departs Singapore.
31 October 1942:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
2 November 1942:
Departs Palembang.
4 November 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
8 November 1942:
Departs Singapore.
9 November 1942:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
12 November 1942:
Departs Palembang.
15 November 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
20 November 1942:
Departs Singapore.
21 November 1942:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
24 November 1942:
Departs Palembang.
26 November 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
3 December 1942:
Departs Singapore.
5 December 1942:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
6 December 1942:
Departs Palembang.
9 December 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
13 December 1942:
Departs Singapore.
13 December 1942:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
16 December 1942:
Departs Palembang
18 December 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
21 December 1942:
Departs Singapore.
22 December 1942:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
2 January 1943:
Departs Palembang.
5 January 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
7 January 1943:
Departs Singapore.
9 January 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
11 January 1943:
Departs Palembang.
13 January 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
16 January 1943:
Departs Singapore.
17 January 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
20 January 1943:
Departs Palembang.
25 January 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
29 January 1943:
Departs Singapore.
31 January 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
1 February 1943:
Departs Palembang.
3 February 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
7 February 1943:
Departs Singapore.
8 February 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
12 February 1943:
Departs Palembang.
14 February 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
16 February 1943:
Departs Singapore.
18 February 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
21 February 1943:
Departs Palembang.
22 February 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
24 February 1943:
Departs Singapore.
26 February 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
3 March 1943:
Departs Palembang.
4 March 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
22 April 1943:
Departs Singapore.
24 April 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
26 April 1943:
Departs Palembang.
28 April 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
3 May 1943:
Departs Singapore.
4 May 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
7 May 1943:
Departs Palembang.
8 May 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
13 May 1943:
Departs Singapore.
15 May 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
19 May 1943:
Departs Palembang.
20 May 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
27 May 1943:
Departs Singapore.
28 May 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
30 May 1943:
Departs Palembang.
1 June 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
5 June 1942:
Departs Singapore.
5 June 1942:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
71 June 1942:
Departs Palembang.
9 June 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
12 June 1942:
Departs Singapore.
15 June 1942:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel oil.
19 June 1942:
Departs Palembang.
20 June 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
23 June 1942:
Departs Singapore.
25 June 1942:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
27 June 1942:
Departs Palembang.
28 June 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
2 July 1942:
Departs Singapore.
4 July 1942:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
7 July 1942:
Departs Palembang.
9 July 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
2 July 1943:
Departs Singapore.
17 July 1943:
Arrives at Palembang. Loads fuel oil and departs.
18 July 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
25 July 1943:
Departs Singapore.
27 July 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
30 July 1943:
Departs Palembang.
2 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. Discharges fuel.
11 August 1943:
Departs Singapore.
12 August 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
14 August 1943:
Departs Palembang.
16 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
19 August 1943:
Departs Singapore.
21 August 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
22 August 1943:
Departs Palembang.
26 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
28 August 1943:
Departs Singapore.
29 August 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
31 August 1943:
Departs Palembang.
3 September 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
7 September 1943:
Departs Singapore.
8 September 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
10 September 1943:
Departs Palembang.
13 September 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
15 September 1943:
Departs Singapore.
17 September 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
19 September 1943:
Departs Palembang.
22 September 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
24 September 1943:
Departs Singapore.
25 September 1943:
Arrives at Palembang. Loads fuel oil.
30 September 1943:
Departs Palembang.
2 October 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
6 October 1943:
Departs Singapore.
7 October 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
14 October 1943:
Departs Palembang.
16 October 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
24 November 1943:
Departs Singapore.
26 November 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
28 November 1943:
Departs Palembang.
29 November 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel .
2 December 1943:
Departs Singapore.
4 December 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel oil.
5 December 1943:
Departs Palembang.
8 December 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
11 December 1943:
Departs Singapore.
13 December 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
16 December 1943:
Departs Palembang.
18 December 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
23 December 1943:
Departs Singapore.
24 December 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
26 December 1943:
Departs Palembang.
29 December 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
2 January 1944:
Departs Singapore.
3 January 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
8 January 1944:
Departs Palembang.
10 January 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
15 January 1944:
Departs Singapore.
17 January 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
18 January 1944:
Departs Palembang.
20 January 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
23 January 1944:
Departs Singapore.
24 January 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
27 January 1944:
Departs Palembang.
29 January 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
1 February 1944:
Departs Singapore.
2 February 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
4 February 1944:
Departs Palembang.
6 February 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
9 February 1944:
Departs Singapore.
10 February 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
12 February 1944:
Departs Palembang.
14 February 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
22 February 1944:
Departs Singapore.
23 February 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
25 February 1944:
Departs Palembang
27 February 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
4 March 1944:
Departs Singapore.
5 March 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel oil.
7 March 1944:
Departs Palembang.
9 March 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
11 March 1944:
Departs Singapore.
12 March 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
14 March 1944:
Departs Palembang.
17 March 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
18 March 1944:
Departs Singapore.
20 March 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
22 March 1944:
Departs Palembang.
24 March 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
28 March 1944:
Departs Singapore.
30 March 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuell.
31 March 1944:
Departs Palembang.
1 April 1944:
The IJA returns ship to Iino Kaiun Kaisha, Ltd.
2 April 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
5 April 1944:
Departs Singapore.
6 April 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
9 April 1944:
Departs Palembang.
13 April 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuell.
15 April 1944:
Departs Singapore.
17 April 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
20 April 1944:
Departs Palembang.
23 April 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
26 April 1944:
Departs Singapore.
28 April 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
30 April 1944:
Departs Palembang.
2 May 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
6 May 1944:
Departs Singapore.
26 May 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
27 May 1944:
Departs Palembang.
30 May 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuell.
11 June 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
10 July 1944:
Arrives at St. Jacques, Indochina and departs.
26 July 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
27 July 1944:
Departs Palembang.
20 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
2 August 1944:
Departs Singapore.
4 August 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
6 August 1944:
Departs Palembang.
9 August 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
10-11 August 1944:
Thirty-one Boeing B-29 “Super Fortress” heavy bombers of the USAAF’s Twentieth (XXth) Bomber Command’s 58th Bomb Wing at Chengtu, China stage through Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and attack the refinery at Palembang. Eight B-29's also sow mines in the Musi River near Palembang. One B-29 is lost 90 miles from Ceylon on return due to fuel shortage, but all crewmen except one are rescued.
11 August 1944:
Departs Singapore.
13 August 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
14 August 1944:
Departs Palembang
16 August 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
24 August 1944:
Departs Singapore.
26 August 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
30 August 1944:
Departs Palembang.
1 September 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
3 September 1944:
Departs Singapore.
5 September 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel
6 September 1944:
Departs Palembang.
7 September 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
8 September 1944:
Departs Singapore.
9 September 1944:
Arrives at Muntok, Bangka Island, Sumatra.
10 September 1944:
Departs Muntok.
14 September 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
17 September 1944:
Departs Singapore.
19 September 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
20 September 1944:
Departs Palembang.
8 October 1944:
Arrives at Muntok. Possibly discharges some fuel and departs that day.
9 October 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel oil.
10 October 1944:
Departs Singapore.
13 October 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
14 October 1944:
Departs Palembang.
15 October 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
20 October 1944:
Departs Singapore.
22 October 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
23 October 1944:
Departs Palembang.
25 October 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
27 October 1944:
Departs Singapore.
29 October 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
30 October 1944:
Departs Palembang.
2 November 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
12 November 1944:
Departs Singapore
14 November 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
15 November 1944:
Departs Palembang
18 November 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
19 November 1944:
Departs Singapore.
20 November 1944: Operation "Robson":
Rear Admiral (later Admiral of the Fleet/Sir) Philip Vian’s British Task Force 67 launches an unsuccessful air strike on the Pangkalan Brandan refinery by carriers HMS INDOMITABLE and HMS ILLUSTRIOUS escorted by light cruisers HMS ARGONAUT, HMS BLACK PRINCE and HMS NEWCASTLE screened by destroyers HMS KEMPENFELT, HMS WAKEFUL, HMS WESSEX, HMS WHIRLWIND and HMS WRANGLER. Twenty-eight Grumman “Avengers”, 16 Grumman“Hellcats” and 16 Chance-Vought “Corsairs” attempt to attack the refinery, but because of bad weather over Pangkalan Brandan the planes divert to refineries, railway and harbor installations at Belewan Deli.
20 December 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
21 December 1944:
Departs Palembang
24 December 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
1 January 1945:
Departs Singapore fur Moji.
10 February 1945:
Arrives at Moji. Probably discharges fuel oil at Tokuyama Fuel Depot.
16 February 1945:
At 2100, convoy HI-88-H departs Moji consisting of HONAN, EISHO and NICHIYOKO MARUs escorted by kaibokan YAKU, CD-13 and subchaser CH-57. Enroute, KONAN MARU is detached for St. Jacques, Indochina and probably arrives that day.
E February 1945:
Departs St. Jacques.
E February 1945:
Arrives at Singapore.
19 March 1945:
HONAN MARU departs Singapore for Moji in convoy HI-88-J also consisting of KAIKO, ASAOKAWA, SARAWAK, ARAOSAN and TENCHO MARUs and an unidentified merchant escorted by kaibokan CD-18, CD-26, CD-84, CD-130, CD-134 and probably CD-33, subchasers CH-8, CH-9, CH-33. At 1310, while leaving the Singapore straits, SARAWAK MARU is mined and badly damaged. She sinks on 27 March.
22 March 1945:
Arrrives at Cape Camau.
23 March 1945:
Off St Jacques. ARAOSAN and TENCHO MARUs and the unidentified merchant are detached.
27 March 1945:
Nha Trang Bay. Convoy HI- 88-I is absorbed into new convoy HI-88J. Additional escorts are added. HI-88J now consists of tankers HONAN, ASOKAWA, KAIKO MARUs and probably NANSHIN MARU No. 30 escorted by destroyer AMATSUKAZE (with a temporary bow fitted) and kaibokan MANJU, CD-1, CD-18, CD-26, CD-84, CD-130, CD-134, and probably subchasers CH-9 and CH-20.
28 March 1945:
At 0800, departs Nha Trang Bay. At 1040, an air attack begins. ASOKAWA MARU is hit and sinks. MANJU and CD-84 rescue survivors. NANSHIN MARU No. 30 probably is detached.
At 1220, LtCdr (later Captain) Eric L. Barr's USS BLUEGILL (SS-242) fires three stern torpedoes and gets two hits on HONAN MARU. Her captain runs her aground W of Hon Doi at 12-40N, 109-30E. BLUEGILL endures heavy DC counterattacks. 49 men are KIA.
29 March 1945:
Barr notes his target is hard aground by the bow and down by the stern, but looks salvageable. At 0430 (H), BLUEGILL makes a night surface attack and Barr hits HONAN MARU with two more torpedoes.
5 April March 1945:
HONAN MARU is deemed a total loss.

Author's Notes:
[1] HMAS HOBART’s inability to complete fueling prevents her from taking part in the Battle of the Java Sea on 27 February 1942.
[2] Also known as KONAN MARU
[3] "Fuel" as used in this TROM means refined product such as various grades of naval fuel oil, diesel, aviation gasoline and automotive gasoline.

-Bob Hackett

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