© 2007 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 1
10 January 1918:
Laid down at Hawthorn Leslie & Co. (Hebburn-on-Tyne, U. K.) as an Admiralty S class destroyer.
5 March 1920:
Launched, named and numbered HMS THRACIAN (D86).
21 April 1920:
Commissioned in the Royal Navy. Transferred to Sheerness Dockyard for fitting out and completion.
21 April 1922:
Completed.
26 October 1936:
China. LtCdr Edward B. Tancock, RN, assumes command of HMS THRACIAN.
8 August 1937:
Off Chilang Point, 90 miles N of Hong Kong. A China National Aviation Corporation Sikorsky S-43 "Chekiang“ passenger flying boat bound for Shanghai crashes in the sea. THRACIAN and a Chinese customs cruiser are dispatched to the site of accident. Eight survivors are transferred to THRACIAN that delivers them to Hong Kong the next day at 0630.
2 September 1937:
One of the worst typhoons of the 20th Century hits Hong Kong. Twenty-seven ships are driven aground and the storm does enormous damage to the city and its environs; however, damage, if any, to THRACIAN is unknown.
18 August 1938:
Cdr Henry Dudley G. De Chair, RN, assumes command of HMS THRACIAN that is assigned to the Hong Kong Local Defence Flotilla with HMS TENEDOS; later that year they are joined by destroyers HMS THANET and SCOUT.
Mid-September 1939:
Following the outbreak of World War II, THRACIAN is fitted with an additional 4-in gun, torpedo tubes and mine rails. She participates in laying several minefields in the Hong Kong area.
8 December 1941:
The Japanese open their offensive on Hong Kong by moving troops across the New Territories frontier. Twelve Tachikawa Ki-36 "Ida" Army bombers of the 45th Sentai based at Canton escorted by nine Ki-27 "Nate" fighters also attack Kai Tak airport on Kowloon. The Ida's bomb from low level, while the Nates strafe. All five of the token RAF aircraft (2 "Walrus" amphibians and 3 Vickers "Vildebeeste" torpedo bombers) stationed at Kai Tak are quickly either damaged or destroyed as are numerous light trainers and civilian cargo planes. In the harbor, PanAm’s visiting Sikorsky S-42B flying boat "Hong Kong Clipper" is bombed, set afire and sinks.
That same day, destroyers HMS THANET and SCOUT depart Hong Kong for Singapore.
13 December 1941:
Major General Christopher M. Maltby, RA, orders the evacuation of Kowloon Peninsula. Laden with troops, LtCdr A. L. Pears’s THRACIAN, now Hong Kong's only destroyer, plus several boats of the 2nd MTB Flotilla, assorted launches and Chinese sampans withdraw to Hong Kong Island. By 0930, all British and Commonwealth troops are evacuated from the Mainland to Hong Kong Island. In the meantime, Royal Engineers destroy anything useful on the north side.
December 1941:
HMS THRACIAN and two old gunboats HMS ROBIN and CICALA lay off the southern coast of Hong Kong Island and bombard Japanese positions.
15 December 1941:
Hong Kong Island is subjected to heavy air and artillery bombardment. LtGen Sakai Takashi, C-in-C, 23rd Army, begins preparations for the invasion of the island.
THRACIAN is damaged by grounding off Lamma Island while engaging two anchored river steamers that may have been full of Japanese troops. She sinks them both in Kowloon Bay, 1,000 yards E of the electric power station.
16 December 1941:
THRACIAN is badly damaged by Japanese aircraft. She is scuttled by being run aground on Round Island in Repulse Bay. [1]
18 December 1941:
The Japanese land on the NE corner of Hong Kong Island. They soon seize Taikoo Dockyard before it can be destroyed and capture minesweepers HMS TAITAM and WAGLAN under construction in the yard. [2]
19 December 1941:
A mixed naval force of about 200, including men from THRACIAN, are sent to take over defense of the Little Hong Kong ordnance base area.
25 December 1941: Christmas Day and the Fall of Hong Kong:
General Maltby advises Governor Sir Mark A. Young to surrender the outnumbered British garrison because of lack of food and water. At 1800, in Japanese
headquarters in the Peninsula Hotel at Kowloon, Young surrenders the Crown Colony to General Sakai. That night, nearly 6,500 British and Commonwealth troops go into Japanese captivity.
10 July 1942:
THRACIAN is salvaged and refloated by the IJN. Repaired at No. 2 Repair Facility in Hong Kong.
27 September 1942:
LISBON MARU departs Hong Kong for Shanghai with 1816 prisoners of war aboard.
1 October 1942:
Six miles from Tung Fusham Island, China coast. LtCdr Rob R. McGregor's USS GROUPER (SS-214) torpedoes and sinks LISBON MARU at 29-57N, 122-56N. At least 820 POWS are lost with her, including seven former crewmen of HMS THRACIAN.
That same day, PB-101 is attached to the Yokosuka Naval District.
25 November 1942:
Completes repairs and is tentatively registered as patrol vessel PB-101, for alternative use as a training vessel. Transferred to Yokosuka later that year for a weapons refit. [2]
15 February 1943:
At Yokosuka. Redesignated as patrol boat.
15 August 1943:
PB-101 is redesignated as a training patrol boat at Yokosuka Naval Torpedo School.
17 August 1943:
At sea escorting convoy No. 8 consisting of HOKURYU, TAMA, TAISEI and MIYAZAKI MARUs from the Kuriles to Japan.
1 December 1943:
Yokosuka Navy Yard. Starts rebuild. THRACIAN's British AA guns and torpedo tubes are landed and replaced by Japanese weapons. A breakwater is fitted forward of No. 1 gun turret. The foremast and charthouse layout are rearranged. The aft magazine is rebuilt for embarking additional depth charges. One 13.2-mm Type 93 AA twin machine gun and one Type 94 depth-charge thrower are installed.
31 December 1943:
LtCdr Fukuchi Akiji is appointed Commanding Officer.
18 January 1944:
The rebuild is substantially complete. Departs Yokosuka for trials, returns later that night.
15 March 1944:
Reconstruction is completed. Redesignated as special training ship No. 1 (Toku 1-go Renshutei). Attached to the Torpedo School at Yokosuka.
12 November 1944:
At 1800, PB-101 and PB-38 depart Takao for Manila escorting convoy TAMA-31B consisting of MANJU MARU and 6 LST's (5 Navy, 1 Army).
15 November 1944:
Anchors off the west coast of Formosa to avoid Allied air attacks.
19 November 1944:
S side of the mouth of Lingayan Gulf. At 1700, arrives at Santiago Island Strait. Later that evening, TAMA-31B is attacked by 27 Grummans that inflict only slight damage.
20 November 1944:
At 1030, departs Santiago Island Strait for Manila.
21 November 1944:
At 1500, arrives at Manila.
15 August 1945:
PB-101 is at Yokosuka when the Japanese surrender.
Early September 1945:
Yokosuka. A party from Australian destroyers HMAS NAPIER and HMAS NIZAM board PB-101.
October 1945:
Hong Kong. Returned to the Royal Navy.
February 1946:
Sold for breaking up. Scrapped at Hong Kong.
Authors' Note:
[1] Sources conflict as to the date of THRACIAN's scuttling. Most British sources say she was intentionally grounded on 16 Dec '41, but others put this date at 24 Dec '41.
[2] HMS TAITAM and WAGLAN are later completed by the Japanese and registered in the IJN as minesweepers W-101 and W-102.
[3] PB-101 is, of course, an Allied designation. The original IJN designation was "101-go Shokaitei" or No. 101 Patrol Boat.
An account exists that PB-101 was used as a radar trials ship, in which the Japanese installed all their latest experimental gear including water-cooled S-band magnetrons, but the story is questionable.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.
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