RIKUGUN YUSOSEN
(Sister TOYOSAKI MARU, prewar )
HAKUSAN MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement
© 2017 Bob Hackett
E 1919:
Yokohama. Laid down at Uchida Shipbuilding & Engineering Co., Ltd. as a 2,197-ton cargo ship for
Tomoe Gumi Kisen, K. K. of Yokohama.
April 1920:
Launched and named SAPPORO MARU No. 8.
1930:
Sold to Take Kisen (Bamboo Steamship), K.K. Kobe. Renamed HAKUSAN MARU.[1]
12 June 1941:
Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA) and assigned IJA No. 405.
18 February 1943:
HAKUSAN MARU departs Moji in Military Movement No. 8's convoy C2 also consisting of
ADEN, HAKUBASAN, MIYAURA, ROKKOSAN and TATEISHI MARUs.
21 February 1943:
Convoy C2 departs Saeki escorted by patrol boat PB-31 and minelayer NASAMI.
E 23 February 1943:
The escorts are detached at 28-30N.
E 4 March 1943:
Arrives at Palau.
E 13 March 1943:
HAKUSAN MARU departs Palau for Rabaul in a convoy also consisting of ADEN, KANJO,
KENKOKU, MILAN, MIYAURA, TATEISHI, ROKKOSAN and SORACHI MARUs escorted by minesweeper
W-20 and subchaser CH-16.
20 March 1943:
At 1500, HAKUSAN MARU arrives at Rabaul from Palau.
11 May 1943:
HAKUSAN MARU departs Palau for Balikpapan in fleet convoy No. 2501 consisting of DAIGEN,
KENKOKU, KYOEI, HOKO, SANYO and YASUKUNI MARUs escorted by destroyer KURETAKE.
18 May 1943:
At 1600, arrives at Balikpapan where the convoy is dispersed.
11 July 1943:
Java Sea. Billiton Island, Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies. At 1800, HAKUSAN MARU departs for
Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar) in a convoy also consisting of IJA transports MILAN, ANNAN
(2940 grt) and TAMISHIMA MARUs escorted by subchaser CH-21.
23 July 1943:
South China Sea. The convoy departs Penang, Malaya.
26 July 1943:
HAKUSAN, MILAN and ANNAN MARUs are detached and head for Rangoon.
E September 1943:
N Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies. HAKUSAN MARU departs Pangkalan Susu for Singapore, Malaya.
She is probably being used as a tanker (likely through neoprene sealing of holds).
E September 1943:
HAKUSAN MARU departs Singapore for Pulau Bukum.
27 September 1943: “Operation JAYWICK”:
Pulau Bukum (about 10km SW of Singapore Port). British Captain Ivan Lyon of the Gordon Highlanders
and 3 collapsible canoes launched from 70 ft MV KRAIT (ex-Japanese coastal fishing boat KOFUKU
MARU) attack Japanese shipping. Australian Commandos Lt Robert C. Page, RAN, and Able Seaman
Arthur W. Jones, RAN, attach magnetic limpet mines to HAKUSAN MARU anchored at the wharf.
At dawn, the mines explode and sink HAKUSAN MARU at 01-18N, 103-52E. [2]
Author's Note:
[1] Not to be confused with IJN HAKUSAN MARU (10,380T/1922).
[2] For more info please see Peter Cundall's excellent Special Feature at Operation "JAYWICK”
Thanks go to Erich Muehlthaler of Germany.
-Bob Hackett
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