Japanese Auxiliary Storeships

KYURYOSEN!

(BANSHU MARU No. 18, sistership of BANSHU MARU No. 21 prewar)

IJN BANSHU MARU No. 21:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2018 Gilbert Casse, Berend van der Wal and Peter Cundall

E 1922: Toba. Laid down by Kobe Seikosho K.K., Toba shipyard for Nakabe Ikujiro.
February 1923:
Launched and named BANSHU MARU No. 21.
E 1923:
Completed with Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) and Net Registered Tonnage (NRT) respectively of 127-tons and 66-tons. [1]
1927:
Her ownership changes to Hayashikane Shoten K.K. Port of registry is Kobe.
1929:
Her GRT and NRT are respectively changed to 128-tons and 79-tons.
19 March 1940:
Requisitioned by the IJN as a general charter ship (Ippan Choyosen). Operates in Korean waters.
1 May 1940:
Operates in Korean waters.
15 October 1941:
Registered by the IJN as an auxiliary stores ship attached to the Sasebo Naval District under instruction No. 1256.
1941:
Attached to Vice Admiral (posthumously Fleet Admiral) Koga Mineichi’s (34) China Area Fleet, Supply Unit as an auxiliary stores ship (Otsu) category. [2]
2 December 1941:
At Shipu area, China, replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
3 December 1941:
At Shipu, replenishes auxiliary gunboat NISSHO MARU No. 12 with fresh food.
December 1941:
Departs Shipu for Shanghai, China.
12 December 1941:
Departs Shanghai for Shipu.
15 December 1941:
At Shipu, replenishes auxiliary gunboat NISSHO MARU No. 12 with fresh food.
December 1941:
Departs Shipu for Shanghai.
23 December 1941:
Departs Shanghai for Shipu.
28 December 1941:
At Shipu, replenishes auxiliary gunboat NISSHO MARU No. 12 and DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
December 1941 ~ January 1942:
Departs Shipu for Dinghai, Zoushan, China.
26 January 1942:
At Dinghai, replenishes auxiliary gunboat NISSHO MARU No. 12 with fresh food.
E February 1942:
Departs Dinghai for Ssu Chiao Shan (now Sijiao Island), China.
2 March 1942:
At Ssu Chiao Shan, replenishes auxiliary gunboat UNKAI MARU No. 10 with fresh food.
E 3 March 1942:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Dinghai.
4 March 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 4 March 1942:
Departs Dinghai for Shipu.
5 March 1942:
At Shipu, replenishes auxiliary gunboat NISSHO MARU No. 12 with fresh food.
E 5 March 1942:
Departs Shipu for Kanmen port, China.
6 March 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboat TOSHO MARU with fresh food.
E 7 ~ 16 March 1942:
Departs Kanmen port for Dinghai.
17 March 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboats TOSHO MARU, NISSHO MARU No. 12 and DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 18 ~ 24 March 1942:
Departs Dinghai for Ssu Chiao Shan.
25 March 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboat UNKAI MARU No. 10 with fresh food.
E 26 ~ 28 March 1942:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Taichow (now Taizhou) Islands.
29 March 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboat NISSHO MARU No. 12 with fresh food.
E 30 March ~ 1 April 1942:
Departs Taichow Islands and arrives at Dinghai.
2 April 1942:
Departs Dinghai.
4 April 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
6 April 1942:
Departs Shanghai for Ssu Chiao Shan. Replenishes there auxiliary gunboats UNKAI MARU No. 10 and SHOSEI MARU with fresh food.
18 April 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboat SHOSEI MARU with fresh food.
E 19 ~ 21 April 1942:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Shipu.
22 April 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboats TOSHO MARU and NISSHO MARU No. 12 with fresh food.
E 23 ~ 25 April 1942:
Departs Shipu.
26 April 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
30 April 1942:
Departs Shanghai for Ssu Chiao Shan. Replenishes auxiliary gunboat UNKAI MARU No. 10 with fresh food.
E 1 ~ 2 May 1942:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Dinghai.
3 May 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 4 ~ 8 May 1942:
Departs Dinghai.
9 May 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
12 May 1942:
Departs Shanghai for Ssu Chiao Shan. Replenishes auxiliary gunboats UNKAI MARU No. 10 and SHOSEI MARU with fresh food.
E 13 ~14 May 1942:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Taichow Islands.
15 May 1942:
Supplied with one Type 92 mod A 7.7mm MG and five Type 38 ‘Arisaka’ rifles under instruction No. 5990. Replenishes auxiliary gunboat NISSHO MARU No. 12 with fresh food.
E 16 ~ 23 May 1942:
Departs Taichow Islands for Ssu Chiao Shan.
24 May 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboat SHOSEI MARU with fresh food.
E 25 ~ 27 May 1942:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Taichow Islands.
28 May 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboats NISSHO MARU No. 12, SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO and DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 29 May ~ 1 June 1942:
Departs Taichow Islands.
2 June 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
5 June 1942:
Departs Shanghai for Fuyao Island, China.
11 June 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboats NISSHO MARU No. 12 and DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
12 June 1942:
Scheduled to be fitted with one 8cm/40cal deck gun under instruction No. 7246.
E 13 ~ 19 June 1942:
Departs Fuyao Island for Rugged Islands (now Qiqu Lidao), China.
20 June 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboat NISSHO MARU No. 12 with fresh food.
E 21 ~ 24 June 1942:
Departs Rugged Islands.
25 June 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
30 June 1942:
Departs Shanghai for Yangkou, China.
4 July 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboat TOSHO MARU with fresh food.
E 5 ~ 8 July 1942:
Departs Yangkou.
9 July 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
12 July 1942:
Departs Shanghai for Ssu Chiao Shan . Replenishes auxiliary gunboat UNKAI MARU No. 10 with fresh food.
E 13 ~ 16 July 1942:
Departs Sijiao Islands for Yueqing Bay, China.
17 July 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboats DAIGEN MARU No. 7, NISSHO MARU No. 12, TOSHO MARU and SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO with fresh food.
18 July 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 19 July 1942:
Departs Yueqing Bay.
20 July 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
25 July 1942:
Departs Shanghai for Ssu Chiao Shan. Replenishes auxiliary gunboat UNKAI MARU No. 10 with fresh food.
E 26 ~ 28 July 1942:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Yueqing Bay.
29 July 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboats DAIGEN MARU No. 7, NISSHO MARU No. 12, TOSHO MARU and SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO with fresh food.
E 30 July ~ 1 August 1942:
Departs Yueqing Bay.
2 August 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
5 August 1942:
Departs Shanghai for Kinmen (Quemoy) Island.
8 August 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboat NISSHO MARU No. 12 with fresh food.
E 8 August 1942:
Departs Kinmen Island.
9 August 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
10 August 1942:
Arrives at Yueqing Bay.
12 August 1942:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboat NISSHO MARU No. 12 with fresh food.
13 August 1942:
Departs Yueqing Bay for Shipu.
18 August 1942:
At Shipu, replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 19 ~ 24 August 1942:
Departs Shipu.
25 August 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
29 August 1942:
Departs Shanghai for Ssu Chiao Shan. Replenishes auxiliary gunboat UNKAIMARU No. 10 with fresh food.
E 31 August 1942:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Dinghai.
1 September 1942:
At Dinghai, replenishes auxiliary gunboat NISSHO MARU No. 12 with fresh food. Departs later.
2 september 1942:
At Yueqing Bay, replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
3 September 1942:
At Yueqing Bay, replenishes auxiliary gunboat SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO with fresh food.
E 4 ~ 5 September 1942:
Departs Dinghai.
6 September 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
10 September 1942:
Departs Shanghai for Ssu Chiao Shan. Replenishes auxiliary gunboats UNKAI MARU No. 10 and HYAKUFUKU MARU with fresh food.
September 1942:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Yueqing Bay.
September 1942:
Departs Yueqing Bay for Shipu.
14 September 1942:
At Shipu, replenishes auxiliary gunboat NISSHO MARU No. 12 with fresh food.
E 14 September 1942:
Departs Shipu for Yueqing Bay.
15 September 1942:
At Heiniu Bay, China replenishes auxiliary gunboats TOSHO MARU and DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 16 September 1942:
Departs Heiniu Bay.
20 September 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai.
22 September 1942:
Departs Shanghai
25 September 1942:
Arrives at Yueqing Bay. Departs there and arrives at Qiqou Yang (Chikuo Yang) later that day. Replenishes auxiliary gunboats TOSHO MARU and DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 26 September 1942:
Departs Chikuo Yang and later arrives at Dinghai . Departs later for Shanghai.
29 September 1942:
Arrives at Shanghai. Departs there for Ssu Chiao Shan.
3 November 1942:
At Ssu Chiao Shan replenishes auxiliary gunboat UNKAI MARU No. 10 with fresh food.
E 4 ~ 5 November 1942:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Shipu.
6 November 1942:
At Shipu replenishes auxiliary gunboat NISSHO MARU No. 12 with fresh food.
E 7 ~ 30 November 1942:
Departs Shipu for Wusong (Woosung), China.
5 January 1943:
At Wusong, replenishes auxiliary gunboat UNKAI MARU No. 10 with fresh food. Calls at Shanghai and departs there for Dinghai later this day.
8 January 1943:
At Dinghai, replenishes auxiliary gunboat TOSHO MARU with fresh food.
E 9 ~ 16 January 1943:
Departs Dinghai for Jiuduan, China.
17 January 1943:
Replenishes auxiliary gunboat UNKAI MARU No. 10 with fresh food. Departs Jiuduan for Ssu Chiao Shan later that day. Replenishes auxiliary gunboat HYAKUFUKU MARU with fresh food.
E 18 ~ 19 January 1943:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Taichow Islands.
20 January 1943:
At Taichow Islands, replenishes auxiliary gunboat TOSHO MARU with fresh food.
January 1943:
Departs Taichow Islands.
24 January 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
29 January 1943:
Departs Shanghai and arrives at Ssu Chiao Shan later that day. Replenishes auxiliary gunboat UNKAI MARU No. 10 with fresh food.
E 30 ~ 31 January 1943:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Shipu.
1 February 1943:
At Shipu, replenishes auxiliary gunboat TOSHO MARU with fresh food.
E 1 February 1943:
Departs Shipu for Yangkou.
2 February 1943:
At Yangkou , replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 3 ~ 7 February 1943:
Departs Yangkou.
8 February 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
10 February 1943:
Departs Shanghai for Ssu Chiao Shan. Replenishes auxiliary gunboat HYAKUFUKU MARU with fresh food.
E 11 ~ 12 February 1943:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Shipu.
13 February 1943:
At Shipu replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 14 ~ 17 February 1943:
Departs Shipu.
18 February 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
22 February 1943:
Departs Shanghai for Hengsha, China. Replenishes auxiliary gunboats UNKAI MARU No. 10 and HYAKUFUKU MARU with fresh food.
E 23 February 1943:
Departs Hengsha for Dinghai.
24 February 1943:
At Dinghai, replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 24 February 1943:
Departs Dinghai for Taichow Islands.
25 February 1943:
At Taichow Islands, replenishes auxiliary gunboat SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO with fresh food.
E 26 ~ 28 February 1943:
Departs Taichow Islands.
2 March 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
6 March 1943:
Departs Shanghai for Ssu Chiao Shan. Replenishes auxiliary gunboat HYAKUFUKU MARU with fresh food.
E 7 March 1943:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Dinghai.
8 March 1943:
At Dinghai, replenishes auxiliary gunboat SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO with fresh food.
E 8 March 1943:
Departs Dinghai for Taichow Islands.
9 March 1943:
At Taichow Islands, replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 10 ~ 13 March 1943:
Departs Taichow Islands.
14 March 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
18 March 1943:
Departs Shanghai for Ssu Chiao Shan. Replenishes auxiliary gunboat HYAKUFUKU MARU with fresh food.
E 19 ~ 26 March 1943:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan.
27 March 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
30 March 1943:
Departs Shanghai for Ssu Chiao Shan. Replenishes auxiliary gunboat HYAKUFUKU MARU with fresh food.
31 March 1943:
Ownership changes to Nishi Taiyo Gyogyo Tosei K.K.
E 1 April 1943:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Shipu.
2 April 1943:
At Shipu replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 3 ~ 8 April 1943:
Departs Shipu.
9 April 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
11 April 1943:
Departs Shanghai for Ssu Chiao Shan. Replenishes auxiliary gunboat HYAKUFUKU MARU with fresh food.
E 12 ~ 13 April 1943:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Taichow Islands.
14 April 1943:
At Taichow Islands, replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 15 ~ 18 April 1943:
Departs Taichow Islands.
19 April 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
23 April 1943:
Departs Shanghai for Ssu Chiao Shan.
24 April 1943:
At Ssu Chiao Shan, replenishes auxiliary gunboats UNKAI MARU No. 10 with fresh food.
E 25 ~ 27 April 1943:
Departs Ssu Chiao Shan for Yueqing Bay.
28 April 1943:
At Yueqing Bay, replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 29 ~ 30 April 1943:
Departs Yueqing Bay.
1 May 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
6 May 1943:
Departs Shanghai.
12 May 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
17 May 1943:
Departs Shanghai.
26 May 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
29 May 1943:
Departs Shanghai for Taichow Islands.
2 June 1943:
At Taichow Islands, replenishes auxiliary gunboat SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO with fresh food.
E 3 ~ 6 June 1943:
Departs Taichow Islands.
7 June 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
10 June 1943:
Departs Shanghai.
19 June 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
22 June 1943:
Departs Shanghai.
30 June 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
4 July 1943:
Departs Shanghai.
10 July 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
16 July 1943:
Departs Shanghai.
25 July 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
11 October 1943:
Departs Shanghai.
19 October 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
20 October 1943; At Taichow Islands, replenishes auxiliary gunboat SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO with fresh food.
23 October 1943:
Departs Shanghai for Taichow Islands.
27 October 1943:
At Taichow Islands, replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 28 ~ 30 October 1943:
Departs Taichow Islands.
31 October 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
5 November 1943:
Departs Shanghai for Dinghai.
7 November 1943:
At Dinghai, replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 8 ~ 11 November 1943:
Departs Dinghai.
12 November 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
17 November 1943:
Departs Shanghai and arrives at Ssu Chiao Shan later that day.
21 November 1943:
At Ssu Chiao Shan, replenishes auxiliary gunboat SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO with fresh food. Departs Ssu Chiao Shan later this day.
25 November 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
28 November 1943:
Departs Shanghai for Fuyao Island.
2 December 1943:
At Fuyao Island, replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
E 3 ~ 9 December 1943:
Departs Fuyao Island.
10 December 1943:
Arrives at Shanghai.
E 11 ~ 12 December 1943:
Departs Shanghai for Taichow Islands.
13 December 1943:
At Taichow Islands, replenishes auxiliary gunboats DAIGEN MARU No. 7 and SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO with fresh food.
10 February 1944:
At the north side of the Xihou (Hsi Hou) Men (West passage Cezi Island), China replenishes auxiliary survey ship HAKUSA with fresh food.
13 February 1944:
At Taichow Islands, replenishes auxiliary gunboat DAIGEN MARU No. 7 with fresh food.
February 1944:
Departs Taichow Islands for the Bell Channel (now Cezi Shuidao), China.
19 February 1944:
At 1000, replenishes auxiliary survey ship HAKUSA with fresh food.
4 March 1944:
At Dinghai, at 1520 replenishes auxiliary survey ship HAKUSA with fresh food.
E 5 March 1944:
Departs Dinghai for Shipu.
6 March 1944:
At Shipu, replenishes auxiliary gunboat SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO with fresh food.
E 7 March 1944:
Departs Shipu for the Bell channel.
8 March 1944:
At the Bell Channel, at 1150 replenishes auxiliary survey ship HAKUSA with fresh food.
1944:
Departs the Bell Channel for Dinghai.
9 April 1944:
At Dinghai, replenishes auxiliary gunboat SHINKO MARU No. 1 GO with fresh food.
2 June 1944:
Replenishes depot ship ASUKA (ex-Chinese gunboat YUNG CHIEN) with fresh food.
15 June 1944:
At Wusong, replenishes depot ship ASUKA (ex-Chinese gunboat YUNG CHIEN) with fresh food.
20 July 1944:
At Bailong Gang replenishes depot ship ASUKA (ex-Chinese gunboat YUNG CHIEN) with fresh food.
11 August 1944:
At Yuan Yuan Sha (Grass Island), replenishes depot ship ASUKA (ex-Chinese gunboat YUNG CHIEN) with fresh food.
25 August 1944:
At Yuan Yuan Sha, replenishes depot ship ASUKA (ex-Chinese gunboat YUNG CHIEN) with fresh food.
7 September 1944:
Replenishes depot ship ASUKA (ex-Chinese gunboat YUNG CHIEN) with fresh food.
11 March 1945:
Off Hengsha, replenishes depot ship ASUKA (ex-Chinese gunboat YUNG CHIEN) with fresh food.
15 August 1945:
Japan surrenders. The ship is at Shanghai at the time.
16 August 1945:
Sails from Shanghai to Nanjing (Nanking).
27 September 1945:
Officially seized by Chinese (Kuomintang) Government. [3]
30 September 1946:
Derequisitioned from IJN. Later allocated SCAJAP No. B-012.
3 May 1947:
Removed from the Navy’s list under instruction No. 327.

Authors' Notes:

[1] NRT is a ship's cargo volume capacity expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of 100 cubic feet (2.83 m3). It is calculated by subtracting non-revenue-earning spaces i.e. spaces not available for carrying cargo, for example engine rooms, fuel tanks and crew quarters, from the ship's gross register tonnage (GRT). Net register tonnage (NRT) is not a measure of the weight of the ship or its cargo, and should not be confused with terms such as deadweight tonnage or displacement.
[2] There were two categories of Kyuryosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
[3] The ship’s fate remains unknown. It is possible the ship was lost in the civil war in China but more likely the ship was eventually seized and incorporated into the Peoples Republic of China merchant marine.
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.

- Berend van der Wal, Gilbert Casse and Peter Cundall.

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