KOKAI HOKAN!
(KEIJO MARU prewar)
IJN KEIJO MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2020 Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall
16 May 1939:
Uraga Kanagawa. Laid down by Uraga Senkyo K.K. shipyard as a 2,626-tons Peacetime Standard (C) Type cargo ship for Chosen Yusen K.K.
12 October 1939:
Launched and named KEIJO MARU. [1]
20 June 1940:
Completed and registered at Jinsen, Chosen. (Now Incheon, South Korea).
10 February 1941:
Undocked.
E 11 February ~ 31 March 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJA. Served as Army transport No. 443 (The same allotted number was also held by another vessel).
E 1 ~ 7 April 1941:
Departs Macau, Portugal. [2]
8 April 1941:
At 22-08N, 114-12E near Hong Kong, Royal Navy ships fire 8 shots at the ship, without apparent damage.
E 9 April ~ 28 August 1941:
Released to her owners.
29 August 1941:
Requisitioned by the IJN.
20 September 1941:
Tsurumi. Registered as an auxiliary gunboat attached to the Yokosuka Naval District under instruction No. 1093. Conversion to military duty starts at Nihon Kokan K.K. shipyard. That same day, Navy (Resv) Lt Motoi Yoshio is appointed CO.
15 October 1941:
Conversion is completed. Attached to Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Inoue Shigeyoshi’s (37) Fourth Fleet in Vice Admiral Moizumi Shinichi’s (37) 4th Base Force, 5th Gunboat Division under instruction No. 1250. This Gunboat Division, based at Truk, Central Carolines (now Federated States of Micronesia) also consisted of auxiliary gunboats NIKKAI and SEIKAI MARUs. [3]
11 November 1941:
Rated as gunboat No. 53 (5th Gunboat Division, 3rd ship).
22 November 1941:
Departs Palau, Western Carolines escorting 11 unidentified ships.
1 December 1941:
Arrives at Mereyon (Woleai), Eastern Carolines (now Federated States of Micronesia).
2 December 1941:
Departs Mereyon searching for an unidentified ship.
4 December 1941:
Arrives at Mereyon.
5 December 1941:
Departs Mereyon escorting 5 unidentified ships.
10 December 1941:
Arrives at Truk.
11 ~ 12 December 1941:
Loads coal, replenishes fresh water and provisions food.
14 December 1941:
Departs Truk on patrol.
19 December 1941:
Arrives at Truk.
20 ~ 21 December 1941:
Loads coal and replenishes fresh water.
30 December 1941:
Departs Truk to patrol S waterway.
3 January 1942:
Assists skipjack tuna fishing boat NISSHO MARU No. 31 that is drifting due to an engine failure.
5 January 1942:
Arrives at Dublon (Natsu-shima) anchorage, Truk. Scheduled to command Green (Nissan) Island, Territory of New Guinea (now Papua New Guinea) Force under Truk Command instruction No. 4.
7 January 1942:
Loads coal, replenishes fresh water and provisions food.
13 January 1942:
Replenishes fresh water. Receives 12 Type 95 depth charges (24 to be installed) under instruction No. 6281.
13 ~ 16 January 1942:
Auxiliary repair ship SHOEI MARU (5,644 GRT) undertakes repairs.
14 ~ 15 January 1942:
Loads coal.
15 ~ 16 January 1942:
Loads airbase equipment and other items. Each 5th Gunboat Division ship is provisioned with food.
16 January 1942:
Fleet stores ship IRAKO provisions food.
17 January 1942:
Embarks 28 Army soldiers.
18 January 1942:
Departs Truk.
20 January 1942:
Tows auxiliary patrol boat KIMI MARU 11 GO suffering from an engine failure.
22 January 1942:
Engine failure of KIMI MARU 11 GO is repaired. Thereafter, tows low speed auxiliary patrol craft TOTTORI MARU.
23 January 1942:
Arrives at Green Island. (Stays outside atoll). Troops land and starts building a seaplane base.
25 January 1942:
Large seaplane aircraft buoys number is increased and rapid supply of aviation fuel is expanded. Provides assistance for setting up base camp facilities.
1 February 1942:
Attached to “R” district forces No. 1 in Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Inoue Shigeyoshi’s (37) Fourth Fleet, 8th Base Force, 5th Gunboat Division (rated ship No. 51) also consisting of auxiliary gunboats NIKKAI and SEIKAI MARUs based at Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago, Territory of New Guinea (now Papua New Guinea) under South Seas Command instruction No. 66.
2 February 1942:
Rapid replenishment of 10 large craft.
5 ~ 6 February 1942:
Loads aviation fuel and other goods from auxiliary gunboat SEIKAI MARU.
9 February 1942:
Replenishes Seaplane Base with fresh water.
16 February 1942:
Departs Green Island escorting six patrol craft.
17 February 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
18 ~ 19 February 1942:
Auxiliary water tanker WAYO MARU comes alongside and replenishes boiler water.
19 ~ 21 February 1942:
Tethers to pier No. 2 and unloads aviation fuel, transport equipment, bombs etc…
21 February 1942:
Patrols the bay.
22 ~ 24 February 1942:
Auxiliary transport MUKO MARU comes alongside and transfers coal.
23 February 1942:
Undergoes an air attack. An aerial wire cable is cut by 13mm MG fire.
26 February 1942:
Undergoes an air attack. No damage occurs.
27 February 1942:
Supply craft AOMORI MARU comes alongside and provisions food.
1 ~ 11 March 1942:
Hull interior undergoes cleaning.
13 March 1942:
Departs Rabaul as replacement ship of Cape St. George, Bismarck Archipelago’s Garrison.
14 March 1942:
Arrives at Cape St, George. Guard garrison is reshuffled. Departs there and arrives at Rabaul later this day.
15 March 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
16 March 1942:
Arrives at Green Island.
16 ~ 17 March 1942:
Carries out Seaplane Base withdrawal operations.
17 March 1942:
Embarks Garrison troops and departs Green Island later in the day. Tactically assigned to Patrol Unit No. 1 under “R” district forces Command instruction No. 1.
18 March 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
21 March 1942:
Departs Rabaul to patrol (Blanche) Bay entrance.
23 March 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul. Auxiliary water tanker WAYO MARU comes alongside and replenishes boiler water.
24 March 1942:
Tactically assigned to Patrol Unit No. 2 under “R” district forces Command instruction No. 38.
28 March 1942:
Temporarily Flagship of 5th Gunboat Division. Loads seaplane base building materials, food, equipment etc… Loads one patrol craft and her five crew. Embarks 13 base personnel and two interpreters.
29 March 1942:
Embarks one Army platoon. Thereafter departs Rabaul.
30 March 1942:
Arrives at Buka, Bougainville, Solomons (now Papua New Guinea). At 0443, enters Buka Bay. At 0650, lands Army platoon. At 0710, shells Sohana Island, entrance of Buka Passage with three rounds to cover the landing. At 0845, transfers food to patrol craft TOTTORI MARU. At 1500, transfers flying boat base equipment to TOTTORI MARU. At 1515, the Army platoon returns to ship. Thereafter, departs Buka.
31 March 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul. Disembarks the Army platoon. Patrol Unit No. 2 is disbanded and 5th Gunboat Division command is returned to auxiliary gunboat NIKKAI MARU.
2 April 1942:
Boiler water is replenished by auxiliary water tanker TATEYAMA MARU.
3 April 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
4 April 1942:
Arrives at Surumi, Gasmata, New Britain. Unloads and loads transport equipment Equipped with personnel equipment. Thereafter departs Surumi.
5 April 1942: Operation "MO" - The Invasions of Tulagi, Solomons and Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea:
5th Gunboat Division’s KEIJO, SEIKAI and NIKKAI MARUs, CruDiv 18’s TATSUTA and TENRYU and seaplane carriers KAMIKAWA and KIYOKAWA MARUs are assigned to provide cover for Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral posthumously) Kajioka Sadamichi's (39) Port Moresby Attack Force's DesRon 6's light cruiser YUBARI, destroyers OITE, ASANAGI, MUTSUKI and YAYOI with a patrol boat and Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Abe Koso's (40) (former CO of HIEI) Transport Force's 12 transports and minesweeper W-20.
6 April 1942:
Undergoes an air attack and arrives at Rabaul later this day.
10 April 1942:
Attached to Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Inoue Shigeyoshi’s (37) Fourth Fleet, 8th Base Force.
12 April 1942:
Departs Rabaul to patrol Bay entrance.
13 April 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul. Tactically assigned to Patrol Unit No. 2 under “R” district forces Command instruction No. 1.
15 April 1942:
Departs Rabaul to patrol Bay entrance.
16 April 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
17 April 1942:
Departs Rabaul to patrol Bay entrance.
18 April 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul. Auxiliary collier SHIN YUBARI MARU comes alongside and transfers coal.
19 April 1942:
Departs Rabaul to patrol E area.
20 April 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
21 April 1942:
Loads various equipment for Surumi Air Base.
22 April 1942:
Tactically assigned to Rabaul Maritime Force under “R” district forces Command instruction No. 10. Departs Rabaul later that day.
23 April 1942:
Arrives at Surumi. Loads and unloads cargo and departs later this day. Assignment to Operation "MO" as cover unit is confirmed under instructions No. 1 and No. 13.
24 April 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
25 April 1942:
Unloads weapons and equipment.
26 April 1942:
Attached to RZP Operation, 5th Transport Unit under instruction No. 1. Auxiliary water tanker WAYO MARU comes alongside and transfers boiler water.
29 April 1942:
Embarks personnel and weapons. Thereafter, departs Rabaul escorted by auxiliary subchaser TOSHI MARU No. 3.
30 April 1942:
Rear Admiral (Vice Admiral posthumously) Kajioka Sadamichi's (39) Force departs Rabaul and stops briefly at Shortland Islands, Bougainville to set up a seaplane base. Fleet oiler IRO remains at Shortlands as a Station Tanker with KEIJO MARU and elements of the 84th Guard Unit.
2 May 1942:
Undergoes an air attack. Sustains no damage. Arrives at Thousand Ships Bay, Santa Isabel Island, Solomons escorted by auxiliary subchaser TOSHI MARU No. 3. TOSHI MARU No. 3 ends escort.
3 May 1942:
Installs a temporary seaplane base.
4 May 1942:
Withdraws from the temporary seaplane base. Scheduled to depart for Shortland, Solomons under MO Strategic Command instruction No. 8. Thereafter departs Thousand Ships Bay.
5 May 1942:
Arrives at Shortland. Departs there later that day to take part in RZP Operation.
6 May 1942:
At 1135, joins the RZP invasion fleet consisting of five IJN transports, six IJA transports, oilers HOYO and GOYO MARUs, IRO (at anchor at Shortland area with destroyer UZUKI), minelayer TSUGARU, minesweeper W-20, minesweepers HAGOROMO MARU, NOSHIRO MARU No. 2 and FUMI MARU No. 2 and repair ship OJIMA.
At 1430, the course is changed to Deboyne, Louisiades. At 1700, light cruiser YUBARI, DesDiv 29’s destroyers OITE and ASANAGI and auxiliary transport AZUMASAN MARU detach. At 2340, DesDiv 30’s destroyers MUTSUKI and MOCHIZUKI and minesweeper W-20 detach.
7 May 1942:
KEIJO MARU should provide cover to the RZP Invasion Fleet under wireless transmission No. 16.
At 0315, destroyer YAYOI and IJA auxiliary transport ASAKASAN MARU join the invasion fleet. At 0453, YUBARI and the two DesDiv 29 destroyers return. At 0552, two Boeing B-17 ‘Flying Fortress’ attack. At 0700, the invasion fleet heads NW after enemy ships appeared. At 0828, the two DesDiv 30 destroyers return. At 0935, Aircraft carrier SHOHO sinks taking down with her 631 officers, petty officers and men. At 1015, three Boeing B-17 ‘Flying Fortress’ attack. At 1144, course is 00° and speed, 10 knots. At 1240, DesRon 6 (YUBARI, DesDiv 29 and DesDiv 30) detach and prepares for a night fight. At 1320, minesweeper W-20 returns. At 1800, AZUMASAN MARU returns. At 1840, RZP invasion operation is postponed by two days under Fourth Fleet instruction No. 378.
8 May 1942:
At 0600, course is reversed to 210°. At 0828, attacked by enemy aircraft. At 1015, course is reversed to 25° following RZP instruction No. 5. At 1245, attacked by enemy aircraft. At 1420, RZP operation is postponed under Fourth Fleet instruction No. 378. At 1505, attacked by enemy aircraft.
9 May 1942:
At 0750, AZUMASAN MARU is detached and heads towards Rabaul. At 0848, IJA transport No. 410 MATSUE MARU is detached and heads towards Rabaul. At 0920, DesDiv 30 arrives and start escort. At 1252, DesDiv 30 detaches. At 1405, the invasion fleet is disbanded. Arrives at Rabaul later that day.
11 May 1942:
Attached to ‘R’ Guard Unit under South Seas wireless instruction No. 180. Alongside auxiliary ammunition ship TATSUTAKE MARU and is supplied with ammo.
12 May 1942:
For the ‘Lae transport mission’, Fourth Fleet Command HQ supplies temporarily KEIJO MARU with one Type 93 twin 13mm MG to be installed on rear port deck.
13 May 1942:
Departs Rabaul.
15 May 1942:
Arrives at Lae. Disembarks personnel and unloads base equipment. Thereafter, departs Lae.
17 May 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
19 May 1942:
Auxiliary ammunition ship KOTOKU MARU comes alongside and transfers coal.
22 May 1942:
Departs Rabaul to patrol Bay entrance.
23 May 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
26 May 1942:
Departs Rabaul to patrol Bay entrance.
27 May 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
30 May 1942:
Departs Rabaul to patrol Bay entrance.
31 May 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
1 June 1942:
Temporary Flagship of 5th Gunboat Division.
3 June 1942:
Departs Rabaul to patrol Bay entrance.
4 June 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
7 June 1942:
Tactically assigned to Patrol Unit No. 1 under “R” district forces Command instruction No. 4. Departs Rabaul to patrol Bay entrance.
8 June 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
10 June 1942:
Departs Rabaul to patrol Bay entrance.
11 June 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
12 June 1942:
For the ‘Tulagi transport mission’, 8th Base Force Command HQ supplies temporarily KEIJO MARU with one Type 92 single 7.7mm MG to be installed on port deck near the DC launcher.
16 ~ 17 June 1942:
Loads equipment for building an Air Communication base at Tulagi, Solomons.
17 June 1942:
At 1025, departs Rabaul on escort mission with minesweeper W-20.
19 June 1942:
Arrives at Shortland and departs later this day.
21 June 1942:
While heading for Tulagi, hit by two torpedoes fired by LtCdr John R. Moore’s (USNA '29) USS S-44 (SS-155). Sinks at 09-00S, 160-00E, 257° and about 10 nautical miles off Tulagi. 63 crewmen are KIA, W-20 rescues 62 survivors.
1 July 1942:
Removed from the Navy’s list under instruction No. 1184.
Authors' Notes:
[1] Not to be confused with IJA transport No. 443 (1,076 GRT, 03’) or Wartime Std. 2D Type (2,220 GRT, 45’).
[2] Portuguese Macau remained neutral both during the Japanese war with China and during World War II.
[3] KEIJO MARU armament and equipment include 4 12cm/45 three-year deck guns, 1 Type 93 13mm twin MG, 1 Type 92 7.7mm MG, Type 38 ‘Arisaka’ rifles, Type 14 year handguns, 12 Type 95 DCs with launchers, loading platforms and racks, minesweeping tools and underwater disposal tools.
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.
- Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall.
Back to the Auxiliary Gunboats Page
