Lewin of Greenwich Naval History & Forum

Two views of HARUNA from KONGO, 25 Feb., '42.............. DFO

Food Supply Ship Irako pictured at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on March 3rd 1944, preparing for torpedo damage repairs. On January 20th 1944, she sustained heavy damage in an attack by Sargo Class Submarine USS Seadragon north of Truk. On July 5th, she was assigned to the Southwest Area Fleet, where she underwent repairs, which were completed in August 1944. She was dispatched to Manila Bay soon afterwards with convoy Hi-71, arriving on September 2nd. She was present for the air raid carried out by Task Force 38 on September 21st, saving survivors from the Destroyer Satsuki. On September 22nd, she headed toward Coron Bay, only to be damaged during an air raid by aircraft of Task Force 38 at and scuttled on September 24th.

Officially rated as a tsūhōkan, meaning dispatch boat or aviso, Lead Ship, Protected Cruiser Yodo pictured c1921..Designed and built domestically in Japan, the lightly armed and lightly armoured Yodo Class vessels were intended for scouting, high speed reconnaissance, and to serve as dispatch vessels. However, they were already obsolete when designed, with the development of wireless communication used during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905.Yodo was the first warship to be built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries at its Kawasaki Shipyard in Kobe. Yodo was demilitarized on April 1st 1940 and renamed Hulk #13. She remained moored to a pier at Iwakuni throughout World War II, and was towed to Hikari, where she was broken up for scrap in 1945.

Several views of the wreck of OYODO, post war...... DFO

Despatch Ship Anegawa (Ex Russian Auxiliary Cruiser Angara and Ex Hospital Ship Moskva) pictured post refit, on handover to the IJN on March 10th 1906 at Kure Naval Arsenal

A late war photo (from a film?) showing ZUIKAKU's radars not long before her loss. Does anyone know the plane type? DFO

A high aerial view of the small light cruiser TENRYU at speed in 1934. DFO

Formerly a Type 2D Cargo Ship, Eijō Maru is pictured at Kure Naval Arsenal on April 11th 1945 undergoing her Minelayer conversion..She was launched at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries-Kōnan Shipyard on August 11th 1944, completed on September 2nd 1944, enlisted by the IJN on January 29th 1945, classified as an Auxiliary Minelayer and assigned to the Minelayer Division 18 (Escort Fleet) on March 10th 1945, armaments installed on April 20th 1945 at Kure Naval Arsenal, Minelayer Division 18 was moved to 7th Fleet, Minelaying of Japanese coastal waters in June 1945, sunk by Balao Class Submarine USS Spadefish off Okushiri Island on June 17th 1945.

The KUMANO in a overhead view, 4 Feb., '43. It looks like A and Y turret tops were painted...white? for air recognition............ Also, a later view from '44. Note bow....oopz! DFO

Launch day for Lead Ship, Pre-Dreadnought Battleship Shikishima at Thames Iron Works Shipyard, Bow Creek, Thames River at Leamouth on November 1st 1898. Shikishima was not hit during the Battle of the Yellow Sea in August, although a shell exploded prematurely in one of her 12-inch guns, disabling it. During the Battle of Tsushima in May 1905, she was hit nine times; the most serious of which penetrated beneath a six-inch gun, killing or wounding the entire gun crew. Again the ship had another 12-inch shell prematurely detonate in one of the forward guns, wrecking it completely. Shikishima was reclassified as a first-class Coast Defence Ship in September 1921, and was used for training duties in various capacities until disarmed and reclassified as a Transport in 1923. Her hulk continued to be used as a Training Ship until she was scrapped in 1948.