Steven L. Carruthers - Japanese Submarine Raiders 1942

Steven Carruthers served in the Royal Australian Navy from 1969 to 1977 and specialised as an anti-submarine air controller (ASAC). During his service career, he developed a keen interest in naval history. After serving his time in the RAN, Steven worked as a NSW Fisheries Officer in Sydney Harbour, tagging abalone for a research project, before going overseas to work as a commercial diver in the North Sea, Nigeria and Papua New Guinea. At the age of 32 years, Steven retired as a commercial diver to pursue his interest in writing. His previous books include Australia Under Siege (1982), Japanese Submarine Raiders 1942: A Maritime Mystery (2006) and A Parting Shot: Shelling of Australia by Japanese Submarines 1942 (2013).

Front cover: Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands Protectorate, November 1942. A Japanese midget submarine salvaged by the US Navy after being scuttled by her crew during the Battle of Guadalcanal. In the background is the stranded hulk of the Japanese transport Yamazuki Maru. (AWM 306644 - Naval Historical Collection)

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First published 1982

Revised edition 2006

e-book edition 2013

Steven L. Carruthers 2006

National Library of Australia

Cataloguing-in-publication data

Carruthers, Steven L., 1951

Japanese submarine raiders, 1942 : A maritime mystery

Rev. ed.

Bibliography.

Includes index.

ISBN 9781742982960 (ePub)

1. Japan. Kaigun - Submarine forces. 2. World War, 1939-1945 - Naval operations, Japanese. 3. World War, 1939-1945 - Naval operations - Submarine. 4. Midget submarines. 5. Sydney (N.S.W.) - History - Bombardment, 1942. II. Title. Carruthers, Steven L., 1951- Australia under siege : Japanese submarine raiders, 1942. II. Title.

940.545952

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I am very grateful to the many people who have helped me in the preparation and writing of this book. The task of researching and compiling this story has been a difficult one. I owe a special thanks to Reginald Andrew who provided me with a vivid account of the Japanese midget submarine attack on Sydney Harbour, and to his wife Jean for her patience and hospitality.

A debt of gratitude is also owed to Harold Anderson, James Nelson, James Cargill, Charlie Brown, George Chipley, Tulla Brown and John Hector who have also been most helpful in the sorting out of events and contributing important information.

I wish to thank Kensuki Zusuki, Bureau Chief of Kyodo News Service while in Australia for his assistance in obtaining the official Japanese War History detailing the planning and execution of the Japanese attack on Sydney Harbour. A special debt of gratitude is also owed to members of the Japan Midget Submarine Association who provided an accurate account of Japans midget submarine operations during World War II.

No book of this kind can be compiled without the help of others and to all of these people I express my most sincere gratitude:

Itsuo Ashibe, Koichi Ban, Peter Blazey, Wendy Borches, P. Bradfield, Jack Breyon, John Burden, John Burdett, Ian Burgess, John Burton, Alex J. Burwasser, Margaret Chambers, John DeBoer, Tim Donnellan, Peter Dunn, Bill Fitzegerald, William O. Floyd (Rear-Admiral, USN), Walter C. Ford (Rear-Admiral, USN), Laurie Glenman, June and Ray Henman, E. Jim Higgins, Laurie. E. C. Hinchliffe (Lieutenant-Commander, RAN), Geoffrey Hitchcock, Jikyo Ishino (Admiral, Japanese Navy), Jim James, Shigeko Kimura, George Kittredge (Captain, USN), Junie and Noel Kohler, Marie Kuliffay, Lance LeCornu, John MacKenzie, Kazuko Matuo, M. J. McCann, Hermon J. Mecklenberg (Captain, USN), Imogen Mellifont, Boy Messenger, Mark Morgan, John Moyle, Harvey Newcombe (Captain, RAN), Roland J. Obey (Captain, USN), Stella OBrien, Damien Parer, Vern Pascal, Rick Poole, Lyn Quayle, Neil Roberts, W. O. C. Roberts, Neil Robson, Vicki Rowlands, Rachel Rovay, Frank Rudd, Hirokazu Sano, Quentin Saunders, Gavin Souter, William A. South (Commander, USN), Peter Taylor, Pippa Thompson, Roy Turner, Tony Turner, Kazuo Uyeda, John Verren, Tony Ward, Kevin Warwick, Tony Wheeler, Jeff Whenan, Jim Whitbread, Jim Whitfield, Teddy Willis, Teiji Yamaki, Yoichi Yokoborii.

T he dates and times in this book vary in a number of instances from those recorded in official Australian documents. For example, the reconnaissance flight over Sydney Harbour by a Japanese seaplane occurred in the early morning hours of 29 May, not 30 May 1942 as recorded in the official Australian history. Other inaccuracies in the historical record include the time when the dockyard floodlights were extinguished on Garden Island at 12:25 am on 1 June; not an hour earlier at 11:25 pm on 31 May 1942 as recorded in the official naval history.

All times are expressed according to local geographical time zones. During World War II, Japanese naval activities operated on Japanese time (GMT +9). Times taken from Japanese historical records have been converted to local geographical times.

The Japanese Imperial Navy also used the metric system of measurement, while the Allied Navies used the Imperial system. All measurements in this narrative are expressed according to their source to better reflect the period.

Many historical accounts of the attack on Sydney Harbour adopt the names of the midget submarines recorded in the official history. In fact, the official report lists four midget submarines, whereas only three took part in the Sydney Harbour raid. For simplicity, I have named the midget submarines to correspond with that of their carrier submarines.

PREFACE

I n deciding to write this book my primary aim was to canvass and describe the events that took place on the night of 31 May 1942 when the Japanese launched a surprise midget submarine raid on Sydney Harbour.