RIKUGUN YOSOSEN!

BANDOENG MARU [ex-KINNO MARU], prewar)

IJA BANDOENG MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2013 Bob Hackett

22 November 1919:
Yokohama. Laid down at Mitsubishi’s Yokohama Dock Co.’s shipyard as Yard No. 68, a 4,003-ton cargo ship for Nanyo Yusen, K. K., Kobe.

19 April 1920:
Launched and named KINNO MARU. [1]

26 May 1920:
Completed and placed in Nanyo Yusen’s service.

19 February 1921:
KINNO MARU arrives at Fremantle, western Australia.

4 May 1921:
Arrives at Fremantle.

6 July 1935:
Under Government pressure, Nanyo Yusen, Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha (ISK) Ltd. and the Japan-Netherland East Indies services of Osaka Shosen and Nippon Yusen are amalgamated to form a new company, the Nanyo Kaiun K. K. (South Seas Shipping). The previous owners all take a share of the new company. KINNO MARU is one of the assets transferred to the new company (on 22 June 1935) and her port of registry is changed to Tokyo.

1936:
In Nanyo Kaiun’s service. Renamed BANDOENG (BANDON) MARU. [2]

1 November 1941:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA). Converted to an auxiliary troop transport and alloted Army No. 184.

30 November 1942:
BANDOENG MARU departs Pusan, Chosen (Korea) for Saeki, Japan carrying the IJA 20th Field Machine Cannon Company.

2 December 1942:
BANDOENG MARU departs Saeki in Military Movement No. 8's convoy "E" also consisting of CHIFUKU, NICHIRYU and SUMATRA MARUs escorted by minelayer NUWAJIMA and patrol boat PB-31.

4 December 1942:
NUWAJIMA is detached at 29N.

7 December 1942:
Arrives at Palau, Carolines.

15 December 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul, New Britain.

16 December 1942:
At 1655, BANDOENG MARU departs Rabaul for Shortland Island, Bougainville, Solomon Islands in a troop reinforcement convoy also consisting of SORACHI MARU escorted by subchaser CH-29.

17 December 1942:
15 miles NW of Cape Henpan, Buka Island, Bougainville. At 1156, LtCdr (later Cdr) Rob R. McGregor's (USNA ’29) USS GROUPER (SS-214) fires four torpedoes at BANDOENG MARU and two at SORACHI MARU. He claims two hits on BANDOENG MARU including one in the engine room. BANDOENG MARU catches fire, takes on a list and at about 1600, sinks by the bow at 04-55S, 154-25E. 13 crewmen are KIA.

CH-29 carries out an unsuccessful counter-attack, then rescues survivors.

Author's Note:
[1] Also known as KINOO MARU.

[2] Also known as BADOENG MARU and BANDON MARU.

Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany and to John Whitman of Virginia for troop info.

Photo credit to Ships of The World, SOTW, July 2000 Issue No. 570.

Bob Hackett

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