Kashima Maru (1913)

For other ships with the same name, see Kashima.
SS Kashima Maru, c. 1941
History
Empire of Japan
Name
  • Kashima Maru (1912–1938)
  • Kasima Maru (1938–1943)
NamesakeKashima
Operator Nippon Yusen (NYK)
BuilderKawasaki Dockyard Company, Kobe, Japan
Yard number362
Laid down1912
Launched8 June 1913
Completed28 October 1913
In service25 November 1913
Out of service27 September 1943
Identification
FateTorpedoed and sunk in the South China Sea while underway from Mako Guard District to Cap Saint-Jacques
General characteristics
Typetwin-screw steamer
Tonnage9,908 GRT
Length490 ft (150 m)
Beam61 ft (19 m)
Draught28 ft 5 in (8.66 m)
Depth36 ft 6 in (11.13 m)
Speed16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Range10,000 nmi (19,000 km; 12,000 mi)
Capacity
  • 112 first class
  • 56 second class
  • 186 steerage class
  • 354 total

SS Kashima Maru (鹿島丸, Kashima maru) was a Japanese steam ocean liner owned by Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK). The ship was built in 1912–1913 by Kawasaki Dockyard Company in Kobe, Japan.

Background

Kashima Maru and sister ship Katori Maru were built to replace Aki Maru and Tango Maru.[1][2] Three other sister ships were also built.[3][4][a] Unlike Katori Maru, which was decorated by Japanese, Kashima Maru was decorated by European designers from Waring & Gillow.[5][6]

Details

Kashima Maru was laid down in 1912,[7][8] and built by the Kawasaki Dockyard Company in Kobe, Japan.[9][10] Unlike its sister ship which had three screws, Kashima Maru was a twin-screw steamer with a gross register tonnage of 9,908 and a displacement of 19,200 tons.[5][11] It had a length of 490 feet (150 m),[12] a beam of 61 feet (19 m), a depth of 36 feet 6 inches (11.13 m), and a draught of 28 feet 5 inches (8.66 m).[9][13][14] Kashima Maru had a normal speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).[15][16]

Kashima Maru was able to accommodate 112 first-class passengers, 56 second-class passengers and 186 steerage passengers.[5][17]

Civilian career

On 8 June 1913, Kashima Maru was launched. Guests present include Governor Hattori Ichizo and Baron Renpei Kondo, president of Nippon Yusen Kaisha.[5][16] On 25 November, Kashima Maru began her maiden voyage from Japan to London.[5][11]

During the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, Kashima Maru was scheduled to transported mobilised German reservists from Singapore to Tsingtau, Kiautschou Bay Leased Territory. However, they were refused passage. Some of them were able to circumvent the restriction by sailing to Java on SS Edendale, and then boarded another ship towards Tsingtau.[18][19]

In May 1917, Kashima Maru was chartered by South Manchuria Railway to operate a cargo service between Dairen and Hong Kong.[20]

In March 1921, three crew members were arrested for attempting to smuggle 36 bottles of whiskey from Kobe to America.[21] On 11 October 1921, a collision occurred between Kashima Maru and Amur Maru in the Port of Yokohama. Kashima Maru sustained no damages, but Amur Maru had its docking bridge carried away and its stern dented in.[22] In May 1922, to cope with the increased demand to Europe, Kashima Maru replaced Shidzuoka Maru on the route from Japan to London.[23][24]

In September 1936, Kashima Maru transported most of the Japanese Olympians for the 1936 Summer Olympics.[25][26] In October 1937, to protest against Japanese activity in China, Chinese dockers refused to load goods on Kashima Maru.[27][28] Under orders from their leaders in Paris, dockers in Marseille also refused to unload the cargo from the steamer.[29] In March 1938, dockers in Middlesbrough and London also refused to load the steamer, along with two other vessels—SS Haruna Maru and SS Asaka Maru. As such, Nippon Yusen Kaisha removed Middlesbrough from its schedules.[30][31]

Military career

On 9 August 1941, Kashima Maru arrived at Sydney. Passengers aboard included Japanese consul-general to Australia Itsuo Goto, and almost 70 Polish refugees who escaped to Japan through Russia after the Invasion of Poland.[32][33] On 15 August 1941, Kashima Maru began its last passenger voyage, repatriating 113 Japanese nationals back to Japan.[34][35] On 22 August, it docked at Brisbane and picked up 8 Japanese nationals.[36] During World War II, Kashima Maru was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Army as a transport ship.

On 27 September 1943, Kashima Maru was sunk in the South China Sea (10°14′N 109°45′E / 10.233°N 109.750°E / 10.233; 109.750) by USS Bonefish,[37] while underway from Mako Guard District to Cap Saint-Jacques.[38][39]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Namely, Yasaka Maru, Fushimi Maru and Suwa Maru.

References

  1. ^ "The Katori Maru. FIRST VOYAGE OF LARGEST N.Y.K. LINER". The Straits Times. 1913-10-29. p. 9. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 2025-08-25 – via NewspaperSG.
  2. ^ "S. S. KATORI MARU". Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle. 1913-10-30. p. 4. Retrieved 2025-08-25 – via NewspaperSG.
  3. ^ "Nippon Yusen Kaisha". Malaya Tribune. 1915-11-11. p. 10. Retrieved 2025-08-27 – via NewspaperSG.
  4. ^ "Mail Steamer Sunk. The Yasaka Maru". Malaya Tribune. 1915-12-24. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-08-27 – via NewspaperSG.
  5. ^ a b c d e "The Kashima Maru". The Straits Times. 1913-11-24. p. 10. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 2025-08-27 – via NewspaperSG.
  6. ^ "New N.Y.K. Vessels". Malaya Tribune. 1915-10-28. p. 12. Retrieved 2025-08-27 – via NewspaperSG.
  7. ^ Kawasaki Dockyard Company (1912-01-30). "Midship Section Plan for Kasima Maru". Lloyd's Register. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  8. ^ Kawasaki Dockyard Company (1912-01-30). "Construction Plan for Kasima Maru". Lloyd's Register. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  9. ^ a b "THE KASHIMA MARU. Kawasaki Yard's Ship-Building Triumph". The Straits Times. 1913-07-14. p. 10. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 2025-08-25 – via NewspaperSG.
  10. ^ "Japanese Shipping. RAPID GROWTH OF MERCHANT FLEET. Large New Constructions". The Straits Times. 1913-06-09. p. 2. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 2025-08-25 – via NewspaperSG.
  11. ^ a b "THE KASHIMA MARU". Singapore Free Press. 1913-11-25. p. 12. Retrieved 2025-08-27 – via NewspaperSG.
  12. ^ James, A. L. (August 1913). "Report of Surveys for Freeboard-Steam Ships for Kashima Maru". Lloyd's Register. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  13. ^ Fane, Richard Ponsonby (June 1935). The Nomenclature of the N.Y.K. fleet. Tokyo: Nippon Yusen Kaisha. pp. 1, 29–30.
  14. ^ Kawasaki Dockyard Company. "Freeboard & Draught Document for Kashima Maru". Lloyd's Register. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  15. ^ "Untitled". The Straits Times. 1913-06-25. p. 8. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 2025-08-25 – via NewspaperSG.
  16. ^ a b "LOGBOOK". Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle. 1913-07-18. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-08-25 – via NewspaperSG.
  17. ^ "Untitled". The Straits Times. 1913-10-08. p. 8. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 2025-08-25 – via NewspaperSG.
  18. ^ "The War and the Port. RUMOURS AND FACTS IN THE CRISIS". The Straits Times. 1914-08-04. p. 9. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 2025-08-27 – via NewspaperSG.
  19. ^ "Situation in Singapore. COLONY PLACED UNDER THE ARMY ACT". The Straits Times. 1914-08-05. p. 9. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 2025-08-27 – via NewspaperSG.
  20. ^ "LOCAL AND PERSONAL". The Straits Times. 1917-05-25. p. 1. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 2025-08-28 – via NewspaperSG.
  21. ^ "Untitled". The Straits Times. 1921-03-03. p. 6. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 2025-09-04 – via NewspaperSG.
  22. ^ "Untitled". The Straits Times. 1921-11-05. p. 8. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 2025-08-28 – via NewspaperSG.
  23. ^ "NIPPON YUSEN KAISHA. NEW STEAMERS FOR LONDON ROUTE". The Malaya Tribune. 1922-02-22. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-08-28 – via NewspaperSG.
  24. ^ "SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE". Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle. 1922-02-23. p. 10. Retrieved 2025-08-28 – via NewspaperSG.
  25. ^ "OLYMPIANS IN Y.M.C.A. POOL". The Straits Times. p. 12. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 2025-09-04 – via NewspaperSG.
  26. ^ "JAPAN'S WOMEN SWIMMERS". Malaya Tribune. 1939-09-16. p. 15. Retrieved 2025-09-04 – via NewspaperSG.
  27. ^ "MARU BOAT BOYCOTTED". Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle. 1937-10-23. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-09-10 – via NewspaperSG.
  28. ^ "KASHIMA MARU". Malaya Tribune. 1937-10-25. p. 6. Retrieved 2025-09-10 – via NewspaperSG.
  29. ^ "Marseilles Dock Workers Refuse to Unload the Kasima Maru". The New York Times. 1937-10-24. p. 3. ISSN 0362-4331. OCLC 1645522. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  30. ^ "SHIP DOCKERS REFUSED TO LOAD IS HERE". The Straits Times. 1938-03-10. p. 12. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 2025-09-10 – via NewspaperSG.
  31. ^ "EFFECTS OF THE BOYCOTT". Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle. 1939-03-08. p. 4. Retrieved 2025-09-10 – via NewspaperSG.
  32. ^ "Japan Confronted With Action By Four Powers". The Straits Times. 1941-08-10. p. 1. ISSN 0585-3923. OCLC 8572659. Retrieved 2025-09-26 – via NewspaperSG.
  33. ^ "POLISH REFUGEE'S BID TO ENTER AUSTRALIA". Singapore Free Press. 1941-08-30. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-09-26 – via NewspaperSG.
  34. ^ "KASIMA MARU: Departure from Sydney: NATIONALS RETURN TO JAPAN". The Canberra Times. 1941-08-16. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  35. ^ "1. Japanese leave Australia 2. More reinforcements for troops overseas 3. Sydney blacks out. (Cinesound News No. 512)". Australian War Memorial. 1941-08-22. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  36. ^ "KASIMA MARU LEAVES THIS MORNING". Bundaberg Daily News. 1941-08-22. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  37. ^ Weekly, Kent (2009-10-12). "Hogan, Thomas Wesley, CAPT". navy.togetherweserved.com. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  38. ^ "The USS Bonefish SS-223". United States Submarine Veterans, Inc. 2021-04-10. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
  39. ^ "Australian Naval History on 27 September 1943". Naval Historical Society of Australia. 1943-09-27. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
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