Japanese gunboat Nankai

History
Empire of Japan
Name	Nankai
Builder	Droogdok Maatschappij Soerabaja, Soerabaja
Laid down	1941
Launched	21 May 1943
Stricken	July 30, 1945
Homeport	Yokosuka
Fate	Sunk by USS Blenny, 16 July 1945
Notes	Call sign: JFPQ[1]
General characteristics
Class and type	Ram class minelayer (originally)
Displacement	2,200 long tons (2,235 t) standard[2]
Length	88 m (288 ft 9 in) overall[2]
Beam	12.7 m (41 ft 8 in)[2]
Draught	4.2 m (13 ft 9 in)[2]
Propulsion	2 × diesel dual shaft, 4800 bhp
Speed	18.0 knots (20.7 mph; 33.3 km/h) to 20.0 knots (23.0 mph; 37.0 km/h)
Armament	2 x Type 10 120 mm AA gun[3] 4 x Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Gun[3]

Nankai (Japanese: 南海) was a Dutch ship that was seized by Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II and converted into a gunboat.

History

She was laid down in 1941 at the Droogdok Maatschappij Soerabaja as an auxiliary minelayer for the benefit of the Gouvernementsmarine and named Regulus.^[2][3][4] She was scuttled before completion by Dutch forces on 2 March 1942^[3] after the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies. She was seized by the Japanese, repaired, and launched on 21 May 1943.^[3] On 1 November 1943, she was assigned to the Yokosuka Naval District.^[3]

On 21 September 1944, Nankai departed Surabaya, Java escorting transport Hokkai Maru.^[5] On 23 September 1944, Nankai and Hokkai Maru both strike mines^[6][5] laid by the submarine USS Bowfin, 15 miles west of Sebuku Island at 03°37′S 116°25′E.^[3] leaving both ships crippled.^[6] Nankai and Hokkai Maru were towed and repaired at the No. 102 Naval Construction and Repair Department at Surabaya, Java.^[7]

On 16 July 1945, while being escorted by No.1-class submarine chaser CH-1,^[8] she was torpedoed and sunk by the USS Blenny at 05°26′S 110°33′E, 150 miles west of Surabaya.^[3] She was struck from the Navy List on July 30, 1945.^[2]

References

1. Toda, Gengoro S. "Tokusetsu Gunkan (Converted Gunboats - Stats)" (PDF). Imperial Japanese Navy - Tokusetsukansen (in Japanese).
2. "Regulus-class Auxiliary Minelayers". Netherlands Navy.
3. Toda, Gengoro S. "南海の船歴 (Gunboat Nankai- Ship History)". Imperial Japanese Navy -Tokusetsu Kansen (in Japanese).
4. Womack, Tom (1 December 2015). The Allied Defense of the Malay Barrier, 1941-1942. McFarland & Company. pp. 40, 60, 64. ISBN 9781476662930.
5. Toda, Gengoro S. (21 September 2019). "北海丸の船歴 (Hokkai Maru - Ship History)". Imperial Japanese Navy - Tokusetsukansen (in Japanese).
6. Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander (2012). "Zatsuyosen: IJN Hokkai Maru: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
7. Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander. "History of the IJN's No. 102 Naval Construction and Repair Department at Surabaya, Java (Indonesia)". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
8. Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander; Cundall, Peter. "IJN Subchaser CH-1: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com.