SOKAITEI!

© 2007 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall

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12 July 1941:
Hong Kong. Laid down at Taikoo Shipbuilding and Engineering's Yard No. 101 as HMS PORTLAND.

September 1941:
Renamed HMS TAITAM while under construction.

8 December 1941:
At the beginning of hostilities, HMS TAITAM is about 60 percent complete.

26 December 1941:
Captured by the Japanese after the fall of Hong Kong, B.C.C.

20 February 1943:
Launched and numbered W-101.

10 April 1944:
Completed and commissioned in the IJN. Lt Yamashita Ginji is the Commanding Officer.

16 April 1944:
At 1530, W-101 departs Hong Kong escorting HONG KONG MARU to Takao. About 1800, HONG KONG MARU suffers engine trouble and returns to Hong Kong.

17 April 1944:
At 1700, the two ships again depart Hong Kong.

18 April 1944:
The two ships are attacked by a lone B-24 "Liberator" heavy bomber, but suffer no damage.

20 April 1944:
Arrives at Takao.

3 August 1944:
At 0700, W-101 departs Laut Island, SE Borneo, escorting a convoy consisting of DAI MARU (ex-Dutch DUYMAER VAN TWIST), SUITEN MARU(ex-Dutch SCHOUTEN), ENOSHIMA MARU, Communication Boat No. 104 (wooden hulled) and tanker HOSEI MARU (ex-POSEIDON).

6 August 1944:
At 1530, the convoy arrives at Surabaya.

27 August 1944:
At 1400, W-101 and auxiliary minesweeper SHONAN MARU No. 2 depart Surabaya escorting a convoy consisting of tankers YAEI MARU No. 2 and NANSHIN MARU No. 6.

29 August 1944:
At 1630, SHONAN MARU No. 2 detaches and heads for Makassar, Celebes.

30 August 1944:
At 1250, the convoy anchors in the Kotabaru Sea. W-101 probably detaches at this point, or before, and heads for Cape St Jacques (near Saigon), Indochina.

2 September 1944:
At 2052, W-101, W-18 and subchasers CH-19 and CH-32 depart Cape St. Jacques for Manila escorting convoy SAMA-12 consisting of RISSHUN and YAMABUKI MARUs.

11 September 1944:
At 0900, arrives at Manila.

20 September 1944:
At 0610, W-101, W-18, minelayer YURISHIMA, auxiliary subchasers KAIKO MARU and CHa-67 and auxiliary transport UJINA MARU depart Bataan in Manila Bay for Cape St. Jacques escorting convoy MASA-11 consisting of MYOGI, MIKASA, FRANCE and UGO MARUs and convoy MAYU-08 bound Samah, Hainan Island consisting of BINGO and NICHIZUI MARUs.

22 September 1944:
At 0900, Convoy MASA-11 splits off from MAYU-08.

26 September 1944:
At 0140, W-101 and convoy MASA-11 arrive at Cape St. Jacques.

September 1944:
W-101 departs Cape St. Jacques and later arrives at Yulin, Hainan Island.

3 October 1944:
At 1025, W-101 departs Yulin escorting a convoy consisting of SHINKO and UJINA MARUs. W-101 is towing damaged kaibokan CD-2, so the convoy proceeds slowly.

7 October 1944:
At 1900, arrives Hong Kong.

10 October 1944:
At 1645, W-101 departs Hong Kong escorting a convoy consisting of KISHU and NISSHIN MARUs.

12 October 1944:
At 1720, arrives Yulin.

15 October 1944:
At 1600, W-101 and old destroyer ASAGAO depart Samah, Hainan Island for Yawata, Japan escorting iron-ore transport convoy YUTA-12 consisting of BINGO and NICHIZUI MARUs and two small unidentified ships.

19 October 1944:
S of Hong Kong. The convoy is attacked by skip-bombing North American B-25 "Mitchell medium bombers. NICHIZUI MARU is hit and later sinks. At 2155, the convoy puts into Hong Kong.

20 October 1944:
Convoy YUTA-12 merges with convoy HOMO-1. At 1900, the combined convoy departs Hong Kong.

1 November 1944:
Arrives at Moji.

15 November 1944:
At 1600, W-101, kaibokan CD-134 and auxiliary subchasers CHa-156 and CHa-157 depart Moji for Miri, Borneo escorting convoy MI-27 consisting of EDOGAWA, SHOHO, MATSUURA, SEISHO, OSAKASAN, KOSHU, ENKI and CHINAKI MARUs. The convoy detours along the Korean coast to avoid American submarines.

17 November 1944:
Yellow Sea. Off Cheju Island. The convoy encounters a three-submarine wolf pack. At 2205, LtCdr Edward E. Shelby's USS SUNFISH (SS-281) torpedoes and sinks EDOGAWA MARU. About 2207, SUNFISH torpedoes and damages SEISHO MARU. W-101 attempts to assist. At 2340, LtCdr Robert H. Caldwell's PETO (SS-265) torpedoes OSAKASAN MARU. The new ship explodes in a ball of flame, lists to starboard and sinks at 33-30N, 124-30E.

18 November 1944:
At 0130, a gun battle erupts between a surfaced submarine and SEISHO MARU. At 0317, Selby's SUNFISH torpedoes and sinks damaged SEISHO MARU.

At 0220, convoy MI-27's W-101 and convoy HI-81's CD-61 are ordered to locate and assist convoy HI-81's escort carrier SHINYO, torpedoed nearby by USS SPADEFISH (SS-411). About 0430, Caldwell's PETO torpedoes and sinks MI-27's CHINAKI MARU carrying troops and ammunition.

26 November 1944:
The remaining ships arrive at Takao.

30 November 1944:
At 2104, W-101 departs Takao for Manila with kaibokan TSUSHIMA, DAITO, CD-14, CD-16, CD-134 and CD-46 escorting convoy TAMA-33 consisting of SHINSHU and KIBITSU MARUs.

1 December 1944:
As a result of air raids on Manila, convoy TAMA-33 is directed to puts its troops ashore at San Fernando, Luzon. At 2205, the convoy anchors at Pamocctan.

2 December 1944:
At 0630, the convoy departs Pamocctan for Manila where it arrives at 2240.

29 December 1944:
South China Sea. At 1725, W-101 joins the escort of convoy HI-85 then consisting of tankers ENKEI, YAMAZAWA, ENGEN, ENCHO, DAIGYO, OTUSUSAN, FUEI, OEI and SERIA MARUs and cargo ship SHINYU MARU escorted by light cruiser KASHII and kaibokan UKURU, DAITO, CD- 23, CD- 27 and CD- 51.

30-31 December 1944:
On both days, sporadic attacks by B-24 "Liberator" heavy bombers are beaten off without loss.

1 January 1945:
At 1720, convoy arrives Qui Nhon Bay,

2 January 1945:
Departs Qui Nhon Bay. That evening, the convoy anchors at Nha Trang Bay, Indochina.

3 January 1945:
At 0730, the convoy departs Nha Trang.

11 January 1945:
At 1100, W-101, kaibokan CD-35 and CD-43, patrol boat No. 103 and subchaser CH-31 depart Cape St Jacques escorting convoy SATA-05 consisting of KENSEI and TOYO MARUs, Landing Ship Transport T-149 and tankers AYAYUKI, KOSHIN and EIHO MARUs. In the evening, T-149 finds the heavy seas too dangerous. She is detached from the convoy and returns to St Jacques.

12 January 1945:
Off Cap Padaran, Indochina. Vice Adm John S. McCain's Task Force 38 operating in the South China Sea bombs shipping, airfields, and other installations in southeastern Indochina. TF 38's planes sink Lt Yamashita's W-101 at 11-10N, 108-55E and all the rest of convoy SATA-05's ships at nearby locations.

10 March 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

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-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

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