Japanese Army Tankers

RIKUGUN YUSOSEN!

(SOLEN prewar, later SHOSEI MARU)

SHOSEI MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2010-2014 Bob Hackett

E 1921:
Newcastle, Great Britain. Laid down at Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson as a 5,693-ton tanker for the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company.
1922:
Launched and named SOLEN.
May 1922:
Completed. Registered in the Port of London. Assigned call sign GFLC. Managed by Shell Tankers, U.K. and placed in service.
19 August 1934:
Calls at Auckland, New Zealand.
1939:
Singapore. SOLEN and sisters SPIRILLA and PLEIODON are used by Shell as oil storage tanks and probably moored off Pulau Blakang Mati.
December 1941:
The Royal Navy hires SOLEN as an Examination Vessel. [1]
15 February 1942: The Fall of Singapore:
SOLEN’s crew abandons the ship.
1942:
The Imperial Army (IJA) confiscates SOLEN and renames her SHOSEI MARU. [2]
6 November 1942:
Requisitioned by the IJA. The operation of SHOSE MARU is contracted to Nitto Mining Steam Ship Co., Ltd.
21 November 1942:
Departs Singapore.
24 November 1942:
Arrives at Palembang, Sumatra and loads fuel.
2 December 1942:
Departs Palembang.
3 December 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel. [1]
9 December 1942:
Departs Singapore.
11 December 1942:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
13 December 1942:
Departs Palembang.
16 December 1942:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
31 December 1942:
Departs Singapore.
2 January 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
4 January 1943:
Departs Palembang.
7 January 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
17 January 1943:
Departs Singapore.
18 January 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
24 January 1943:
Departs Palembang.
27 January 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
2 February 1943:
Departs Singapore.
8 February 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
12 February 1943:
Departs Palembang.
15 February 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
16 February 1943:
Departs Singapore.
17 February 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
19 February 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
21 February 1943:
Departs Singapore.
22 February 1943:
Arrives at Palembang. Loads fuel.
27 February 1943:
Departs Palembang.
1 March 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
3 March 1943:
Departs Singapore.
4 March 1943:
Arrives at Palembang. Loads fuel oil.
9 March 1943:
Departs Palembang.
11 March 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
16 March 1943:
Departs Singapore.
17 March 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
23 March 1943:
Departs Palembang.
25 March 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
28 March 1943:
Departs Singapore.
29 March 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
30 March 1943:
Departs Palembang.
1 April 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
3 April 1943:
Departs Singapore.
4 April 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
5 April 1943:
Departs Palembang.
7 April 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. Discharges fuel oil.
9 April 1943:
Departs Singapore.
10 April 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
12 April 1943:
Departs Palembang.
14 April 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
16 April 1943:
Departs Singapore.
17 April 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
23 April 1943:
Departs Palembang.
25 April 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
27 April 1943:
Departs Singapore.
28 April 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
30 April 1943:
Departs Palembang.
2 May 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
3 May 1943:
Departs Singapore.
4 May 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
20 May 1943:
Departs Palembang.
22 May 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
8 June 1943:
SHOSEI MARU departs Manila in convoy No. 3501 also consisting of AKASHI, HAMBURG, HIMALAYA and RONSAN MARUs and an unidentified merchant escorted by kaibokan MASUWA.
15 June 1943:
Arrives at St Jacques, Indochina.
19 June 1943:
Arrives at Palembang
21 June 1943:
Departs Palembang.
23 June 1943:
Arrives at Manila and departs that same day.
24 June 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
25 June 1943:
Departs Singapore.
26 June 1943:
Arrives at Palembang. Loads fuel oil.
27 June 1943:
Departs Palembang.
29 June 1943:
Arrives at Singapore.
5 July 1943:
Departs Singapore.
6 July 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
9 July 1943:
Departs Palembang.
11 July 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
14 July 1943:
Departs Singapore.
15 July 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
18 July 1943:
Departs Palembang.
21 July 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
3 August 1943:
Departs Singapore.
4 August 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
5 August 1943:
Departs Palembang.
7 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
11 August 1943:
Departs Singapore.
12 August 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
13 August 1943:
Departs Palembang.
16 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
19 August 1943:
Departs Singapore.
20 August 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
22 August 1943:
Departs Palembang.
24 August 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
27 August 1943:
Departs Singapore.
28 August 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
31 August 1943:
Departs Palembang.
2 September 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
15 September 1943:
Departs Singapore.
16 September 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
18 September 1943:
Departs Palembang.
23 September 1943:
Arrives at Singapore. Discharges fuel.
26/27 September 1943: Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Operation "Jaywick – Canoe Attack on Shipping at Singapore:
Singapore. A group of three two-man canoes launches a night attack on 45 Japanese ships anchored south of Pasir Panjang, and at Keppel Harbor and Pulau Bukum. Each canoe attaches limpet mines on the ships and manages to sink three ships and damage three others including SHOSEI MARU. [3]
6 October 1943:
Undergoes repairs at Singapore. [4]
12 November 1943:
Probably completes repairs. [5]
17 December 1943:
Departs Singapore.
18 December 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
20 December 1943:
Departs Palembang.
22 December 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
26 December 1943:
Departs Singapore.
27 December 1943:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
28 December 1943:
Departs Palembang.
31 December 1943:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
4 January 1944:
Departs Singapore.
5 January 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
8 January 1944:
Departs Palembang.
10 January 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
13 January 1944:
Departs Singapore.
14 January 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
15 January 1944:
Departs Palembang.
18 January 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
26 January 1944:
Departs Singapore.
27 January 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
29 January 1944:
Departs Palembang.
31 January 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
2 February 1944:
Departs Singapore.
6 February 1944:
Departs Palembang.
8 February 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
18 February 1944:
Departs Singapore.
19 February 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
21 February 1944:
Departs Palembang.
23 February 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
29 February 1944:
Departs Singapore.
1 March 1944:
Arrives at Palembang. Loads fuel.
2 March 1944:
Departs Palembang.
14 March 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
16 March 1944:
Departs Singapore.
17 March 1944: Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
19 March 1944:
Departs Palembang.
21 March 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
25 March 1944:
Departs Singapore.
26 March 1944: Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel. Departs later that day.
27 March 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
29 March 1944:
Departs Singapore.
31 March 1944:
Arrives at Palembang. Loads fuel and departs later that day.
1 April 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
2 April 1944:
Departs Singapore.
3 April 1944:
Arrives at Palembang. Loads fuel oil.
4 April 1944:
Departs Palembang.
6 April 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
15 April 1944:
Departs Singapore.
17 April 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
21 April 1944:
Departs Palembang.
23 April 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
26 April 1944:
Departs Singapore.
27 April 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
30 April 1944:
Departs Palembang.
2 May 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
4 May 1944:
Departs Singapore.
6 May 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
8 May 1943:
Departs Palembang.
10 May 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
12 May 1944:
Departs Singapore.
14 May 1944:
Arrives at Palembang. Loads fuel.
16 May 1943:
Departs Palembang.
19 May 1944:
Arrives at Singapore. Discharges fuel.
21 May 1944:
Departs Singapore.
23 May 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
24 May 1943:
Departs Palembang.
27 May 1944:
Arrives at Singapore. Discharges fuel.
29 May 1944:
Departs Singapore.
31 May 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
1 June 1944:
Departs Palembang.
3 June 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
5 June 1944:
Departs Singapore.
8 June 1944:
Arrives at Palembang. Loads fuel and departs.
11 June 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
14 June 1944:
Departs Singapore.
16 June 1944:
Arrives at Palembang. Loads fuel and departs.
18 June 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
20 June 1944:
Departs Singapore.
22 June 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
23 June 1944:
Departs Palembang.
26 June 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
28 June 1944:
Departs Singapore.
29 June 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
30 June 1944:
Departs Palembang.
2 July 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel. Probably undergoes repairs and maintenance.
26 July 1944:
Departs Singapore. Arrives at unknown "three valuable islands."
27 July 1944:
Departs "three valuable islands."
29 July 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
1 August 1944:
Departs Palembang.
4 August 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
10 August 1944:
Departs Singapore.
10-11 August 1944: Operation "Boomerang":
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:
Arrives at Palembang.
12 August 1944:
Departs Palembang.
14 August 1944:
Arrives at Singapore.
25 August 1944:
Departs Singapore.
28 August 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
30 August 1944:
Departs Palembang.
1 September 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
2 September 1944:
Departs Singapore.
5 September 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
25-26 September 1944:
Off Palembang. SHOSEI MARU and cargo HATSU MARU (ex-American PAZ) transship some of their oil cargoes to NICHIEI MARU.
10 October 1944:
Departs Palembang.
11 October 1944:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
11 October 1944:
Departs Singapore.
15 October 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel. Departs and arrives at Singapore that same day.
16 October 1944:
Departs Singapore.
17 October 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
24 October 1944:
Departs and arrives at Singapore that same day. Discharges fuel.
25 October 1944:
Departs Singapore and arrives at Palembang that same day. Loads fuel.
28 October 1944:
Departs and arrives at Singapore that same day. Discharges fuel
29 October 1944:
Departs Singapore.
30 October 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
3 November 1944:
Departs and arrives at Singapore that same day. Discharges fuel.
4 November 1944:
Departs Singapore.
6 November 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
10 November 1944:
Departs Palembang.
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 have to divert to refineries, railway and harbor installations at Belewan Deli.
24 November 1944:
SOLEN arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
25 November 1944:
Departs Singapore.
10 December 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
14 December 1944:
Departs and arrives at Singapore that same day. Discharges fuel.
15 December 1944:
Departs Singapore.
16 December 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
20 December 1944:
Departs and arrives at Singapore that same day. Discharges fuel.
21 December 1944:
Departs Singapore.
24 December 1944:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
29 December 1944:
Departs and arrives at Singapore that same day. Discharges fuel.
30 December 1944:
Departs Singapore.
2 January 1945:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
4 January 1945: Operation "Lentil":
Rear Admiral Vian’s Task Force 63 launches a successful air strike on Pangkalan Brandan refinery by HMS INDOMITABLE, VICTORIOUS and INDEFATIGABLE escorted by light cruisers HMS SUFFOLK, HMS CEYLON, HMS ARGONAUT and HMS BLACK PRINCE and the 25th Flotilla's destroyers HMS GRENVILLE, HMS UNDAUNTED, HMS URSA, and HMS UNDINE and the 27th Flotilla's destroyers HMS WHELP and HMS WAGER. Ninety-two “Avenger” and Fairey “Firefly” bombers escorted by “Hellcat” and “Corsair” fighters inflict heavy damage on the refinery.
6 January 1945:
SOLEN departs and arrives at Singapore that same day. Discharges fuel.
7 January 1945:
Departs Singapore.
9 January 1945:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
14 January 1945:
Departs and arrives at Singapore that same day. Discharges fuel. Probably undergoes repairs and maintenance.
24 January 1945: Operation “Meridian One”:
At 0600, Rear Admiral Vian’s Task Force 63’s (later renamed the British Pacific Fleet) launches a successful air strike on the oil refinery at Pladjoe, north of Palembang. The strike consists of 43 “Avengers” and 12 “Firefly” fighter-bombers armed with rockets escorted by 50 “Hellcat”, “Corsair” and Supermarine “Seafire” fighters from HMS INDOMITABLE, HMS VICTORIOUS and HMS INDEFATIGABLE. Thirty-two aircraft are lost.
10 February 1945:
Departs Singapore.
11 February 1945:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
14 February 1945:
Departs Palembang.
16 February 1945:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
18 February 1945:
Departs Singapore.
19 February 1945:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
22 February 1945:
Departs Palembang.
24 February 1945:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
26 February 1945:
Departs Singapore.
27 February 1945:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
1 March 1945:
Departs Palembang.
5 March 1945:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
7 March 1945:
Departs Singapore.
8 March 1945:
Arrives at Palembang and loads fuel.
9 March 1945:
Departs Palembang.
11 March 1945:
Arrives at Singapore and discharges fuel.
20 August 1945 - Hostilities Cease:
Remains at Singapore.
1945:
Singapore. Reclaimed by the British. Renamed SOLEN. Used as an oil storage hulk.
1946:
Singapore. SOLEN is used as a station oiler and an accommodation vessel for Shell Tanker employees leaving for or joining ships of the British Eastern Fleet.
1949:
Discarded.
1950:
Shanghai. Scrapped.

Authors' Notes:
[1] An examination vessel is used to inspect merchant ships and small craft entering or departing a port during wartime to establish identity and belligerent status and inspect cargoes for legitimacy. Such vessels are normally equipped with one or more machine guns and may be supported by a shore battery.
[2] Also known as SYOSEI MARU.
[3] On 27 Sep ‘43, in Operation "Jaywick", the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) Special Operations Executive organized a limpet mine attack on Japanese shipping at Singapore. The RAN used former Japanese fishing boat KOFUKU MARU, renamed KRAIT. On 2 Sep, a small group of Allied servicemen sailed from Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia through the Java Sea. On 18 Sep, three two-man canoes launched a night attack at Singapore.
[4] SHOSEI MARU made no movements after her arrival at Singapore on 23 Sep ‘43 until her departure for Palembang on 17 Dec ‘43. SHOSEI MARU was probably the ship damaged in a canoe attack by the raid’s Commanding Officer Maj Ivan Lyon and Able Bodied Seaman Huston.
[5] At least five radio signals indicate SHOSEI MARU was under repair from 6 Oct ‘43 to 12 November 1943.
For more, see Operation "Jaywick"

- Bob Hackett

Back to the Oilers Page