Japanese Army Auxiliary Transports

RIKUGUN YUSOSEN

(Freighter by Ueda Kihachiro)

WAKATSU (ex-Greek ANDREAS) MARU: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2017-2018 Bob Hackett

E 1916:
Glasgow, Scotland. Laid down by Charles Connell & Co., Co. Ltd. as Yard No. 371, a 5,123 -ton cargo ship for James Gardiner & Co., Ltd.
E 1917:
Launched and named GLENLYON.
1917:
Completed.
1917:
Sold to Furness Withy & Co. Ltd. (Neptune Steam Nav. Co., Norfolk & North American Steam Shipping Co., Hessler Shipping Co.), London.
1922:
Management is transferred to Prince Line Ltd. Renamed INDIAN PRINCE.
1936:
Georgilis P. S. & Cosmas A. I., Syra (Syros). Renamed ANDREAS.
1941:
Dutch East Indies. Seized by the Japanese.
11 October 1941:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA). Alloted IJA No. 836, Renamed WAKATSU MARU and placed under the management of Shimatani Kisen K. K.
2 April 1942:
Forty-five transports depart Singapore including WAKATSU MARU and ALASKA, AYATOSAN, CELEBES, CHILE, KAMO, KYOKUSEI, KOFUKU, KUNITAMA, LONDON, MACASSAR, MAEBASHI, MANJU, MIDORI, MIIKESAN, NAGATO, RYOGA, RASHIN, RAKUYO, SINGAPORE, SHINYU, SHINYO, SHINKYO, TAMAHOKO, WAL ES, YAMAFUJI and YASUKAWA MARUs and DAIGEN MARU No. 3, SHINSEI MARU No. 1 and YOSHIDA MARU No. 3 and fifteen unidentified ships carrying the IJA's 18th Infantry Division. Light cruiser KASHII, kaibokan SHIMUSHU and destroyers SHIKINAMI and HATAKAZE escort the convoy.
4 April 1942:
The convoy arrives at Penang. At 0730 escort duties are taken over by minelayer HATSUTAKA, kaibokan SHIMUSHU and three destroyers of DesRon 5. KASHII is detached from the convoy and returns to Singapore the same day.
7 April 1942:
At 1138, the convoy arrives at the Rangoon rivermouth.
10 July 1942:
Released by the IJA.
26 September 1942:
At 1200, WAKATSU MARU departs off Futtsu in a north east bound convoy also consisting of HEIYO, SEKIHO and TOYU MARUs escorted by subchaser CH-34.
28 December 1942:
Hokkaido. At 0910, WAKATSU MARU departs Muroran carrying 7,100 tons of coal in an unnumbered convoy consisting of TEIFUKU (ex-German R. C. RICKMERS), IJN TAMISHIMA MARU with an unknown escort.
29 December 1942:
About four miles from Inubozaki Lighthouse, Chiba Prefecture. At 0910, TEIFUKU MARU carrying 7,100 tons of coal is hit in hold No. 5 by what is thought to be a torpedo, but possibly is a mine laid by LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Roy S. Benson's (USNA ’29) USS TRIGGER (SS-237) on 20 December at 35-45N, 140-54E. Although taking water, TEIFUKU MARU's captain manages to beach her 800 meters N of Choshi Harbor flood marker.
4 January 1943:
The wreck of TEIFUKU MARU is officially abandoned and considered a constructive total loss.
5 January 1943:
WAKATSU MARU departs Yokohama in convoy No. 1105B also consisting of transports YOKO and HAKUSAN MARUs and TAMON MARU No. 5 and civilian cargo ship TAKE MARU escorted by auxiliary gunboat KEISHIN MARU.
7 January 1943:
Arrives at Shiogama.
9 January 1943:
Departs Shiogama.
10 January 1943:
Arrives at Muroran.
17 January 1943:
WAKATSU MARU departs Muroran for Tokyo in convoy No. 2117 also consisting of civilian cargo ships JINBU, HOKUSHIN and KAMISHIMA MARUs escorted by minesweeper W-18.
20 January 1943:
Arrives at Tokyo.
23 February 1943:
WAKATSU MARU arrives at Tokyo Bay in convoy No. 8223 also consisting of cargo ships KENAN and KIZUGAWA MARUs, transports NICHIWA and TENSHIN MARUs, civilian ore carrier TOYOKUNI (HOKOKU) MARU, civilian cargo ships TOYO MARU No. 1 and KONRI GO (ex-Chinese KWEN LEE) and an unidentified ship escorted by torpedo boat CHIDORI. 25 June 1943:
Re-requisitioned by the IJA.
10 July 1943:
At 1500, WAKATSU MARU departs Moji in convoy No. 175 also consisting of tankers NITTASU and TATSUNO MARUs and TEIRITSU (ex-Vichy French LECONTE DE LISLE), DAINICHI, RAKUYO, FUSEI, transports MACASSAR and KASHU MARUs escorted by destroyer ASAGAO and subchaser CH-9.
18 July 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
19 July 1943:
Departs Takao for Mako.
E 24 July 1943:
Arrives at Saigon.
E 24 July 1943:
Arrives at Saigon. DAINICHI MARU is detached. Later, WAKATSU, FUSEI, and RAKUYO MARUs steam on to Singapore.
3 October 1943:
At 1830, WAKATSU MARU departs Takao escorting the "C" convoy also consisting of HAMBURG, NISSHO and MYOGI MARUs escorted by kaibokan WAKIMIYA.
6 October 1943:
At 1550 arrives at Manila.
12 October 1943:
WAKATSU MARU departs Manila in convoy H-2 also consisting of HAMBURG, SUEZ and YUBAE MARUs escorted by patrol boat P-103.
14 October 1943:
At 1620, the convoy arrives at Cebu. 27 October 1943:
WAKATSU MARU departs Cebu for Kau Bay, Halmahera Island in convoy H-2 also consisting of HAMBURG, SUEZ and YUBAE MARUs escorted by minelayer WAKATAKA. The convoy is carrying the 2nd Field Airfield Construction Command, 14th Field Airfield Construction Unit, 15th Field Airfield Construction Unit and 108th Field Airfield Construction Unit.
29 October 1943:
At 1200, arrives at Kau, Halmahera Island.
9 November 1943:
At 0500, WAKATSU MARU departs Kau in convoy H-2 also consisting of HAMBURG, SUEZ and YUBAE MARUs. The convoy is carrying the 2nd Field Airfield Construction Command, 14th Field Airfield Construction Unit, 15th Field Airfield Construction Unit and 108th Field Airfield Construction Unit.
11 November 1943:
At 1635, convoy arrives at Manokwari.
7 December 1943:
At 0945, WAKATSU MARU departs Surabaya, Java for Lautem, east Timor, in convoy KAI-13 also consisting of GENMEI MARU escorted by subchaser CH-2.
8 December 1943:
At 0900, a fire breaks out on WAKATSU MARU. The convoy reverses course and at 1240 arrives off Kangean Iland, Bali Sea. 120 Army men leave the ship and take refuge on GENMEI MARU. The remaining men fight the fire.
10 December 1943:
The fire is brought under control. The Army men return to WAKATSU MARU. The convoy departs at 1600.
13 December 1943:
At 0640, the convoy arrives at Maumere, Flores Island.
14 December 1943:
At 0240, departs Maumere.
15 December 1943:
Dili, Timor. The convoy arrives, but at 1810 is attacked by eight Dutch North American B-25 "Mitchell" bombers. GENMEI MARU is hit by six bombs and set afire. Eight crewmen, 10 gunners and four passengers are KIA.
16 December 1943:
Still burning, GENMEI MARU is scuttled by shore artillery.
17 December 1943:
WAKATSU MARU is attacked by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) "Beaufighters" bombers from Darwin. At 0750, she blows up and sinks. Six crewmen and 14 soldiers are KIA.

Author's Note:
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.

Bob Hackett

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