SOKAITEI!

© 2007 Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall

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12 July 1941:
Hong Kong. Laid down as HMS SEAFORD at the Taikoo Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. shipyard.

September 1941:
Renamed HMS WAGLAN while under construction.

8 December 1941:
At the beginning of hostilities, HMS WAGLAN is about 30 percent complete.

26 December 1941:
Captured by the Japanese after the fall of Hong Kong, British Crown Colony.

E 20 March 1943:
Launched and numbered W-102.

28 September 1944:
Completed and commissioned in the IJN. LtCdr Okazaki Hiroshi is the Commanding Officer.

8 November 1944:
At 0952, W-102 departs Keelung to Takao, Formosa escorting the Rinji (Special/Emergency) convoy consisting of HOKUYU and KORYU MARUs.

9 November 1944:
At 0730, KORYU MARU detaches for Mako, Pescadores. At 1100, TOEI MARU joins the convoy. Arrives at Takao later that day.

13 November 1944:
At 0755, W-102, auxiliary KASUGA MARU and auxiliary netlayer KAINAN MARU depart Takao escorting convoy HO-204 consisting of KISHU, HOKUYU and KOEI MARUs Hakushu Maru No. 2 to Hong Kong.

15 November 1944:
Arrives at Hong Kong.

19 November 1944:
At 1345, W-102 departs Hong Kong escorting convoy TA-904 consisting of SHINSEI and GYOSHO MARU, OKINOYAMA MARU No. 5 and KAYU GO. At 1917, KAYU GO suffers engine troubles due to poor fuel and at 2200 returns to port.

21 November 1944:
In bad weather, OKINOYAMA MARU No. 5 is unable to keep up and returns to Hong Kong.

23 November 1944:
At 1330, the rest of the convoy arrives at Takao.

28 November 1944:
At 0726, W-102 departs Kirun escorting convoy KITA-6 consisting of SEIZAN, HAKKA and KOAN MARUs.

29 November 1944:
At 1557, arrives at Saei and leaves at 1740, arriving at Takao at 1840.

1 December 1944:
At 0755, W-102 departs Takao escorting convoy HO-103 consisting of SHINSEI, KACHAOSAN and KANSHU MARUs to Hong Kong.

3 December 1944:
At 1000, arrives at Hong Kong.

15 December 1944:
At 1500, W-102 departs Hong Kong escorting convoy YU-502 consisting of SHINSEI MARU and an unidentified ship.

17 December 1944:
At 1512, arrives at Yulin, Hainan Island.

9 January 1945: The Invasion of Luzon, Philippines:
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Thomas C. Kinkaid lands troops of LtGen Walter Krueger's Sixth Army at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon.Vice Admiral (later Admiral) John S. McCain's Task Force 38 supports the invasion with attacks on Formosa, Ryukyus and the Pescadores Islands. In the Formosa Strait, TF 38's planes damage W-102 and auxiliary subchaser NITTO MARU No. 22 off Keelung.

10-11 January 1945:
W-102 departs Keelung for St Jacques, Indochina.

12 January 1945:
At 0300, W-102, W-20 and minelayer YURISHIMA depart St Jacques escorting convoy SASHI-40 consisting of SHINTAI, HOKOKU, FUSHIMI and FRANCE MARUs and tanker KYOEI MARU No. 7 At 0730, an enemy aircraft sights the convoy and drops flares. At 1100, an air attack begins and continues until 1400. During this time, SHINTAI MARU and KYOEI MARU No. 7 are bombed and sunk and FRANCE MARU is hit and badly damaged and ran ashore where she subsequently burns out. The remaining ships flee back to St Jacques and the convoy is dissolved.

3 February 1945:
N of Haitan Island, China. W-102 is damaged severely by unknown causes at 25-40N, 119-50E.[1]

1945:
Repaired at an unidentified location, probably Hong Kong.

15 August 1945:
LtCdr Okazaki notifies his crew of the end of hostilities.

30 November 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

1 December 1945:
Assigned to the Allied Minesweeping Service and used to clear mines.

20 November 1947:
Ceded to the United Kingdom.

31 March 1948:
Tokyo. Scrapped at the Uraga Dockyard Co.

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Authors' Note:
[1] Some sources claim the agent of damage was American aircraft.

-Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall.

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