''I-124'', originally named ''Submarine Minelayer No. 52'' and then named ''I-24'' from before her
launch until June 1938, was an of the
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender ...
that served during the
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
and
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. During the latter conflict, she operated in support of the
Japanese invasion of the Philippines and was sunk during anti-shipping operations off
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
in January 1942.
After she was renumbered ''I-124'' in 1938, the number ''I-24'' was assigned to
a later submarine which also served during World War II.
Design
''I-124'' and her three
sister ship
A sister ship is a ship of the same class or of virtually identical design to another ship. Such vessels share a nearly identical hull and superstructure layout, similar size, and roughly comparable features and equipment. They often share a ...
s — ''I-21'' (later renumbered ), ''I-22'' (later renumbered ) and ''I-23'' (later renumbered ) — were the Imperial Japanese Navy's only submarine
minelayers.
[Boyd and Yoshida, p. 18.] They were known in Japan by the type name , commonly shortened to .
[
The ''Kiraisen''-type design was based on that of the ]Imperial German Navy
The Imperial German Navy or the Imperial Navy () was the navy of the German Empire, which existed between 1871 and 1919. It grew out of the small Prussian Navy (from 1867 the North German Federal Navy), which was mainly for coast defence. Wilhel ...
minelaying
A minelayer is any warship, submarine or military aircraft deploying explosive mines. Since World War I the term "minelayer" refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines. "Mine planting" was the term for installing controll ...
submarine , a Type UB III submarine which was the largest of seven German submarines transferred to Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
as a war reparation after World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and served in the Imperial Japanese Navy as ''O-6'' from 1920 to 1921.[ Like ''UB-125'', the ''Kiraisen''-type submarines had two ]diesel engine
The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-call ...
s producing a combined , could carry 42 mines and had four torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a cylindrical device for launching torpedoes.
There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units (also referred to as torpedo launchers) installed aboa ...
s and a single deck gun — a gun on the Japanese submarines in contrast to a gun on ''UB-125''.[ Compared to the German submarine, they were larger — longer and displacing 220 more tons on the surface and 300 more tons submerged — and had a longer range both on the surface — farther at — and submerged — farther at .][ They were slower than ''UB-125'' both surfaced and submerged, carried two fewer ]torpedo
A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, su ...
es and could dive to only compared to for ''UB-125''.[
]
Construction and commissioning
Built by Kawasaki at Kobe
Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, ''I-124'' was laid down
Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilding company and the ultimate owners of the ship.
Keel laying is one o ...
on 17 April 1926 with either the name ''Submarine No. 60''[I-124 ijnsubsite.com 19 September 2018 Accessed 8 February 2022]
/ref> or ''Submarine Minelayer No. 52'', according to different sources. She was launched on 12 December 1927 and renamed ''I-24'' that day.[ She was completed and commissioned on 10 December 1928.][
]
Service history
1928–1937
Upon commissioning, ''I-24'' was attached to the Yokosuka Naval District
was the first of four main administrative districts of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Navy. Its territory included Tokyo Bay and the Pacific coasts of central and northern Honshū from the Kii Peninsula to Shimokita Peninsula. Its headquarters, a ...
[ and assigned to Submarine Division 9 in the Yokosuka Defense Division in the district.][ On 11 December 1933, Submarine Division 9 was reassigned to the Yokosuka Guard Unit][ or Yokosuka Guard Squadron][ in the Yokosuka Naval District.][
While conducting deep diving trials with her ]sister ship
A sister ship is a ship of the same class or of virtually identical design to another ship. Such vessels share a nearly identical hull and superstructure layout, similar size, and roughly comparable features and equipment. They often share a ...
'' I-23'' on 25 May 1935, ''I-24'' suffered damage to her main ballast tank
A ballast tank is a compartment within a boat, ship or other floating structure that holds water, which is used as ballast to provide hydrostatic stability for a vessel, to reduce or control buoyancy, as in a submarine, to correct trim or list, ...
s.[ She was placed in ]reserve
Reserve or reserves may refer to:
Places
* Reserve, Kansas, a US city
* Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish
* Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County
* Reserve, New Mexico, a US vi ...
that day[ to have her ballast tanks reinforced.][ On 15 November 1935, Submarine Division 9 was reassigned to the Yokosuka Defense Squadron in the Yokosuka Naval District,][ and, with her ballast tank work complete, ''I-24'' returned to active service that day,][ but in 1936 all four submarines of her ]class
Class or The Class may refer to:
Common uses not otherwise categorized
* Class (biology), a taxonomic rank
* Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects
* Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...
had their designed diving depth limited to .[
]
Second Sino-Japanese War
On 7 July 1937 the first day of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident
The Marco Polo Bridge Incident, also known as the Lugou Bridge Incident () or the July 7 Incident (), was a July 1937 battle between China's National Revolutionary Army and the Imperial Japanese Army.
Since the Japanese invasion of Manchuria ...
took place, beginning the Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
.[ In September 1937, Submarine Division 9, consisting of ''I-23'' and ''I-24'',][ moved to a base at Tsingtao, ]China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
and began operations in northern Chinese waters as part of a Japanese blockade of China.[Boyd and Yoshida, p. 54.] On 1 December 1937, Submarine Division 13 was assigned to Submarine Squadron 3 in the 4th Fleet, a component of the Combined Fleet,[ and in December 1937, the light cruiser arrived at Tsingtao to serve as ]flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...
of Submarine Squadron 3, which consisted of Submarine Division 13 (made up of '' I-21'' and ''I-22 I22 or I 22 may refer to:
* Interstate 22, a highway in the United States
* Värmland Regiment, a Swedish infantry regiment; active 1816–1939
* Lapland Ranger Regiment
The Lapland Ranger Regiment ( sv, Lapplands jägarregemente), designatio ...
'') as well as Submarine Division 9 (''I-23'' and ''I-24'').[
''I-24'' was renumbered ''I-124'' on 1 June 1938,][ freeing up her previous number for the new submarine , whose keel was laid that year. On 20 June 1938, Submarine Division 9 was assigned to the Gunnery School in the Yokosuka Naval District.][ In an effort to reduce international tensions over the conflict in China, Japan withdrew its submarines from Chinese waters in December 1938,][
]
1939–1941
On 1 May 1939, Submarine Division 9 was placed in the Third Reserve in the Yokosuka Naval District,[ and it moved to the Second Reserve in the district on 15 November 1939.][ On 20 March 1940, ''I-124'' herself was placed in reserve at Yokosuka.][ While in reserve, ''I-124'' and all three of her sister ships — which, like her, had been renumbered on 1 June 1938, ''I-21'' becoming ''I-121'', ''I-22'' becoming ''I-122'' and ''I-23'' becoming ''I-123'' — underwent conversion into submarine ]tankers
Tanker may refer to:
Transportation
* Tanker, a tank crewman (US)
* Tanker (ship), a ship designed to carry bulk liquids
** Chemical tanker, a type of tanker designed to transport chemicals in bulk
** Oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanke ...
.[ Retaining their minelaying and torpedo capabilities, they were modified so that each of them could carry 15 tons of ]aviation gasoline
Avgas (aviation gasoline, also known as aviation spirit in the UK) is an aviation fuel used in aircraft with spark-ignited internal combustion engines. ''Avgas'' is distinguished from conventional gasoline (petrol) used in motor vehicles, whi ...
with which to refuel flying boat
A flying boat is a type of fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that a flying boat's fuselage is purpose-designed for floatation and contains a hull, while floatplanes rely on fusela ...
s,[ allowing the flying boats to extend their range during reconnaissance and bombing missions by meeting the submarines in harbors and ]lagoon
A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') a ...
s for more fuel.[
''I-124'' was recommissioned on 24 April 1940,][ and on 1 May 1940 Submarine Division 9 was assigned to Submarine Squadron 5 in the 4th Fleet.][ ''I-124'' soon began a lengthy training cruise in the Pacific in company with ''I-121'', ''I-122'', and ''I-123'':][I-123 ijnsubsite.com 19 September 2018 Accessed 7 February 2022]
/ref>
/ref>
/ref> The four submarines departed Sasebo
is a core city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. It is also the second largest city in Nagasaki Prefecture, after its capital, Nagasaki. On 1 June 2019, the city had an estimated population of 247,739 and a population density of 581 persons p ...
, Japan, on 16 May 1940 and visited the waters of the Caroline Islands, Marshall Islands
The Marshall Islands ( mh, Ṃajeḷ), officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands ( mh, Aolepān Aorōkin Ṃajeḷ),'' () is an independent island country and microstate near the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, slightly west of the Internati ...
, and Mariana Islands
The Mariana Islands (; also the Marianas; in Chamorro: ''Manislan Mariånas'') are a crescent-shaped archipelago comprising the summits of fifteen longitudinally oriented, mostly dormant volcanic mountains in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, betw ...
before concluding their cruise with their arrival at Yokosuka, Japan, on 22 September 1940.[ On 11 October 1940, ''I-124'' was one of 98 Imperial Japanese Navy ships that gathered along with more than 500 aircraft on the Japanese coast at ]Yokohama Bay
is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of T ...
for an Imperial fleet review — the largest fleet review in Japanese history — in honor of the 2,600th anniversary of the enthronement of the Emperor Jimmu, Japan's legendary first emperor
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
.[
Submarine Division 9 was reassigned directly to the Yokosuka Naval District on 15 November 1940.][ On 1 May 1941, the division was assigned to Submarine Squadron 6 in the 3rd Fleet, a component of the Combined Fleet, and ''I-123'' and ''I-124'' were based at Kure.][ From 7 to 9 April 1941, temporarily substituted for ''I-124'' as ]flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...
of Submarine Division 9.[ ''I-123'' again took over from ''I-124'' as flagship of Submarine Division 9 on 2 August 1941.][
As the Imperial Japanese Navy began to deploy in preparation for the impending ]conflict
Conflict may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Films
* ''Conflict'' (1921 film), an American silent film directed by Stuart Paton
* ''Conflict'' (1936 film), an American boxing film starring John Wayne
* ''Conflict'' (1937 film) ...
in the Pacific, ''I-123'' and ''I-124'', under the command of Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...
Kishigami Koichi, moved from Yokosuka, Japan, to Samah on Hainan Island
Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slightly l ...
in China, where ''I-124'' arrived on 27 November 1941 in company with the submarine tender .[ She received the message "Climb ]Mount Niitaka
Yu Shan or Yushan, also known as Mount Jade, Jade Mountain, or , and known as Mount Niitaka during Taiwan under Japanese rule, Japanese rule, is the highest mountain in Taiwan at above sea level, giving Taiwan the List of islands by highes ...
1208" ( ja, Niitakayama nobore 1208) from the Combined Fleet on 2 December 1941, indicating that war with the Allies
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
would commence on 8 December 1941 Japan time (7 December 1941 on the other side of the International Date Line
The International Date Line (IDL) is an internationally accepted demarcation on the surface of Earth, running between the South and North Poles and serving as the boundary between one calendar day and the next. It passes through the Pacific O ...
in Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
, where the war would begin with Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
).[
]
World War II
First war patrol
On 7 December 1941, ''I-124'' laid 39 Type 88 Mark 1 mines off Manila Bay
Manila Bay ( fil, Look ng Maynila) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Phili ...
in the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
.[ ''I-124'' then proceeded to an area southwest of Lubang Island to provide weather reports and to stand by to rescue Japanese aircrews downed in air strikes on ]Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
launched from Formosa
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, press and literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of the land area of the territorie ...
after hostilities began.[
On 8 December 1941, Pacific campaign of ]World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
began in East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...
. On 10 December 1941, ''I-124'' torpedoed and sank the 1,523- gross register ton British cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is a merchant ship that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year, handling the bulk of international trade. Cargo ships are usu ...
''Hareldawns'' — which was on a voyage from Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
to Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
— off western Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
at and took her captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
prisoner.[ She concluded her patrol with her arrival at Cam Ranh Bay in Japanese-occupied ]French Indochina
French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China),; vi, Đông Dương thuộc Pháp, , lit. 'East Ocean under French Control; km, ឥណ្ឌូចិនបារាំង, ; th, อินโดจีนฝรั่งเศส, ...
on 14 December 1941.[
The mines ''I-124'' laid off Manila Bay sank the 1,881-gross register ton American ]merchant ship
A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which are u ...
''Corregidor'' on 17 December 1941 at [ and the 1,976-gross register ton ]Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...
nian-flagged cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is a merchant ship that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year, handling the bulk of international trade. Cargo ships are usu ...
''Daylite'' on 10 January 1942, also at .[
]
Second war patrol
''I-124'' got back underway from Cam Ranh Bay on 18 December 1941 to begin her second war patrol.[ By 22 December she was patrolling off the entrance to Manila Bay.][ She then proceeded via ]Mindoro Strait
The Mindoro Strait ( tgl, Kipot ng Mindoro) is one of the straits connecting the South China Sea with the Sulu Sea in the Philippines. It separates Mindoro Island from Busuanga Island (one of the Calamian Islands of Palawan Province). Located bet ...
to the Sulu Sea
The Sulu Sea ( fil, Dagat Sulu; Tausug: ''Dagat sin Sūg''; Chavacano: ''Mar de Sulu''; Cebuano: ''Dagat sa Sulu''; Hiligaynon: ''Dagat sang Sulu''; Karay-a: ''Dagat kang Sulu''; Cuyonon: ''Dagat i'ang Sulu''; ms, Laut Sulu) is a body o ...
. Reassigned with ''I-121'', ''I-122'' and ''I-123'' to Submarine Group "A" on 26 December 1941, she concluded her uneventful patrol on 31 December 1941, arriving at newly captured Davao on Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
in company with ''I-122''.[ The rest of Submarine Squadron 6 — ''I-121'', ''I-123'' and ''Chōgei'' — soon joined them there.][
]
Third war patrol
Submarine Squadron 6 received orders to operate next in the Flores Sea
The Flores Sea covers of water in Indonesia. The sea is bounded on the north by the island of Celebes and on the south by Sunda Islands of Flores and Sumbawa.
Geography
The seas that border the Flores Sea are the Bali Sea (to the west), Java ...
and the Torres Strait
The Torres Strait (), also known as Zenadh Kes, is a strait between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. It is wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is Cape York Peninsula, the northernmost extremity of the Australian mai ...
north of Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. On 10 January 1942, the four submarines departed Davao, commencing ''I-124''′s third war patrol.[ ''I-124'' reached her patrol area off the western entrance of the off Australia′s ]Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...
on 14 January 1942.[ That day, she sighted the ]United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
heavy cruiser and destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort
larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...
s and , which were returning to Australia from a sweep in the Banda Sea, but was unable to gain an attack position.[ On 16 January she laid 27 mines near Darwin, Australia.][ Four Japanese mines that washed ashore near Darwin on 11 February 1942 may have been laid by ''I-124''.][
On 18 January 1942, ''Houston'' reported sighting two Japanese submarines — probably ''I-123'' and ''I-124'' — west of Darwin.][ At 17:40 on 19 January, ''I-124'' reported the arrival at Darwin of three ]Allied
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
transports escorted by a destroyer.[ She repeated the report at 22:36,][ which was the last time the Japanese ever heard from her.][ Allied codebreakers intercepted the signal and warned Allied forces that ''I-124'' was off Darwin.][
]
Loss
On 20 January 1942, ''I-124''′s sister ship ''I-123'' conducted an unsuccessful torpedo attack in the Beagle Gulf west of Darwin at against the U.S. Navy fleet oiler , escorted by ''Alden'' and ''Edsall''.[ ''Trinity'' sighted the ]wake
Wake or The Wake may refer to:
Culture
*Wake (ceremony), a ritual which takes place during some funeral ceremonies
*Wakes week, an English holiday tradition
* Parish Wake, another name of the Welsh ', the fairs held on the local parish's patron s ...
s of three of ''I-123''′s torpedoes and reported the attack, after which ''Alden'' carried out a depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapon. It is intended to destroy a submarine by being dropped into the water nearby and detonating, subjecting the target to a powerful and destructive Shock factor, hydraulic shock. Most depth ...
attack. ''Alden'' soon lost contact with ''I-123'', which escaped unscathed and departed the area.[ ''Trinity'', ''Alden'' and ''Edsall'' continued their voyage and reached Darwin safely.
When news of the attack reached Darwin, the ]Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...
corvette
A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or " rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the slo ...
s , and put to sea to search for ''I-123''.[ ''Deloraine'' reached the vicinity of the attack first.][ In the meantime, ''I-124'' also had arrived in the area and she fired a torpedo at ''Deloraine'' at 13:35.][ ''Deloraine'' turned to ]starboard
Port and starboard are nautical terms for watercraft and aircraft, referring respectively to the left and right sides of the vessel, when aboard and facing the bow (front).
Vessels with bilateral symmetry have left and right halves which are ...
and the torpedo passed astern of her, broach
The BROACH warhead is a Tandem-charge, multi-stage warhead developed by Team BROACH; BAE Systems Global Combat Systems Munitions, Thales Missile Electronics and QinetiQ. BROACH stands for ''Bomb Royal Ordnance Augmented CHarge''.
Development of ...
ing as it passed through her wake.[ ''Deloraine'' established asdic contact on ''I-124'' at 13:38 and dropped six depth charges at 13:43.][ She sighted oil and air bubbles on the surface after the attack.][ After ''Deloraine'' dropped another pattern of depth charges, ''I-124'' briefly broached at , exposing her bow and ]periscope
A periscope is an instrument for observation over, around or through an object, obstacle or condition that prevents direct line-of-sight observation from an observer's current position.
In its simplest form, it consists of an outer case with ...
, down 5 degrees by the stern and listing 20 degrees to port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
.[ Before ''I-124'' fully submerged again, a depth charge from ''Deloraine''′s port ]depth charge thrower
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapon. It is intended to destroy a submarine by being dropped into the water nearby and detonating, subjecting the target to a powerful and destructive hydraulic shock. Most depth charges use ...
landed from her periscope and a U.S. Navy OS2U Kingfisher floatplane
A floatplane is a type of seaplane with one or more slender floats mounted under the fuselage to provide buoyancy. By contrast, a flying boat uses its fuselage for buoyancy. Either type of seaplane may also have landing gear suitable for land, ...
from the seaplane tender
A seaplane tender is a boat or ship that supports the operation of seaplanes. Some of these vessels, known as seaplane carriers, could not only carry seaplanes but also provided all the facilities needed for their operation; these ships are rega ...
arrived on the scene and dropped a bomb at the same spot.[ When ''I-124'' submerged, she settled on the ]seabed
The seabed (also known as the seafloor, sea floor, ocean floor, and ocean bottom) is the bottom of the ocean. All floors of the ocean are known as 'seabeds'.
The structure of the seabed of the global ocean is governed by plate tectonics. Most of ...
in of water.[ ''Deloraine'' again depth-charged the stationary submarine at 13:56, then noted more oil, bubbles and particles of TNT on the surface.][ At 14:30 she made another underwater contact to the southeast and conducted two more attacks there, expending the last of her depth charges and noting more oil and bubbles rising to the surface.][
''Lithgow'' relieved ''Deloraine'' on the scene by 17:10.][ By 18:39 ''Lithgow'' had made seven attacks, expending all 40 of her depth charges, and she observed ]diesel oil
Diesel fuel , also called diesel oil, is any liquid fuel specifically designed for use in a diesel engine, a type of internal combustion engine in which fuel ignition takes place without a spark as a result of compression of the inlet air and t ...
and bubbles on the surface.[ ''Katoomba'' arrived at 17:48 and deployed a grapnel to drag the bottom for ''I-124''.][ The grapnel made contact, but broke off when ''Katoomba'' attempted to recover it.][ ''Alden'' and ''Edsall'' joined the Australian ships at 18:59.][ ''Edsall'' detected a contact at the edge of the oil slick and dropped five depth charges at 19:40, noting three explosions.][ ''Alden'' attacked a contact of her own after 19:55.][
''Deloraine'', which had departed the area, returned at 03:05 on 21 January 1942 and made another submarine detection, which she attacked three times.][ The ]boom defence vessel
A net laying ship, also known as a net layer, net tender, gate ship or boom defence vessel was a type of naval auxiliary ship.
A net layer's primary function was to lay and maintain steel anti-torpedo or anti-submarine nets. Nets could be laid ...
joined her and began a series of attempts to locate ''I-124'' on the ocean floor.[ ''Katoomba'', which also had left the scene, returned around 11:55, but at midday, the weather in the area deteriorated and no further attacks took place.][ ''Delorainee'' claimed two submarines sunk and ''Katoomba'' claimed one.][ In reality, ''I-124'', sunk with the loss of all 80 men on board,][ was the only submarine present and she was the first Japanese warship sunk by the ]Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...
[ and fourth Japanese submarine lost in World War II.
On 26 January 1942, ''Kookaburra'' returned to the scene with a team of 16 U.S. Navy ]divers
Diver or divers may refer to:
*Diving (sport), the sport of performing acrobatics while jumping or falling into water
*Practitioner of underwater diving, including:
**scuba diving,
**freediving,
**surface-supplied diving,
**saturation diving, a ...
from the submarine tender .[ The fourth and fifth divers identified a large submarine on the sea bottom with one hatch apparently blown open.][ It was the first confirmation of the demise of ''I-124''.][ The divers recorded the location of her wreck as .][
The Japanese struck ''I-124'' from the Navy List on 30 April 1942.][
]
Attempted salvage and protection as war grave
''I-124'' has been surrounded by controversy since her loss. During World War II there were claims that two submarines had been lost in the operations off Darwin; that her crew remained alive for some time; and that divers heard crew movement inside her hull
Hull may refer to:
Structures
* Chassis, of an armored fighting vehicle
* Fuselage, of an aircraft
* Hull (botany), the outer covering of seeds
* Hull (watercraft), the body or frame of a ship
* Submarine hull
Mathematics
* Affine hull, in affi ...
. Later both Japanese and American sources reported that "the ''I 124'' with her Division Commander Keiyu Endo, embarked, sank with all those on board in water only forty feet 2.2 metersdeep. US Navy divers were sent down and entered the submarine and removed naval codebooks, a godsend for the Navy codebreakers at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Re ...
". However, this was later disproved by maritime archaeologist Dr M. McCarthy in his unpublished departmental report.[McCarthy, M., 1990]
HIJMS Submarine I 124
Report Department of Maritime Archaeology. Western Australian Maritime Museum, No 43. Available in PDF format. This was published with additional information, including details about the Japanese crew by naval historian Dr. Tom Lewis in his book ''Sensuikan I-124'', later re-published as ''Darwin's Submarine I-124''.
McCarthy and Lewis set out how the submarine was indeed the subject of diving attempts soon after the action, with the Royal Australian Navy and United States Navy both trying to access it to recover codebooks. However, the initial dives did not enter the wreck and diving later was curtailed because the Japanese air raid on Darwin on 19 February 1942 made it seem too dangerous to anchor ships over the site to support divers.
Though relatives of the crew attempted to organise the recovery of the crew's remains for cremation
Cremation is a method of Disposal of human corpses, final disposition of a Cadaver, dead body through Combustion, burning.
Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India ...
in accordance with Japanese custom, ''I-124'' was then left undisturbed until 1972, when its location was rediscovered following a six-week search. Trade Winds Ltd. and Lincoln Ltd. Salvage Company (T&L Salvage) of the New Hebrides
New Hebrides, officially the New Hebrides Condominium (french: link=no, Condominium des Nouvelles-Hébrides, "Condominium of the New Hebrides") and named after the Hebrides Scottish archipelago, was the colonial name for the island group ...
purchased the salvage rights for the submarine from the Australian government
The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government i ...
. The wreck was found to be mostly intact in of water with several holes near the conning tower
A conning tower is a raised platform on a ship or submarine, often armored, from which an officer in charge can conn the vessel, controlling movements of the ship by giving orders to those responsible for the ship's engine, rudder, lines, and gro ...
and at least one "blown" hatch. The salvage company believed the submarine was carrying large quantities of mercury
Mercury commonly refers to:
* Mercury (planet), the nearest planet to the Sun
* Mercury (element), a metallic chemical element with the symbol Hg
* Mercury (mythology), a Roman god
Mercury or The Mercury may also refer to:
Companies
* Merc ...
when she sank and offered to sell the wreck and any remains of its personnel to the Japanese government
The Government of Japan consists of legislative, executive and judiciary branches and is based on popular sovereignty. The Government runs under the framework established by the Constitution of Japan, adopted in 1947. It is a unitary state, c ...
for A$2.5 million.[An excerpt from a report 'History'. A copy of which is in the Flamingo Bay Research Pty Ltd archives and on AFP I 124 file. See precis in McCarthy, M., 1990. HIJMS Submarine I 124. Report_ Department of Maritime Archaeology. Western Australian Maritime Museum, No 43] The Japanese consul-general in Australia advised T&L Salvage that any salvage required the approval of the Japanese government
The Government of Japan consists of legislative, executive and judiciary branches and is based on popular sovereignty. The Government runs under the framework established by the Constitution of Japan, adopted in 1947. It is a unitary state, c ...
, which it was not willing to give as it considered the site to be war grave. The Australian government found that it legally held no control over the wrecked submarine. The matter was further complicated by infighting within the salvage company, which led to a split in April 1973 when one of the salvors threatened to drop explosives on the submarine if a Japanese decision was slow in forthcoming. The controversy gained much media attention. Both salvage groups attempted to claim the right to salvage ''I-124'', but withdrew their claims by the end of 1974, one willingly, the other after pressure from the Australian government, which had come to join the Japanese in considering the shipwreck a war grave.
In December 1976, the matter of ''I-124'' was raised in the Parliament of Australia
The Parliament of Australia (officially the Federal Parliament, also called the Commonwealth Parliament) is the legislature, legislative branch of the government of Australia. It consists of three elements: the monarch (represented by the ...
during discussion of a bill
Bill(s) may refer to:
Common meanings
* Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States)
* Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature
* Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer
* Bill, a bird or animal's beak
Plac ...
that would protect all shipwrecks in Australian waters.[ The bill was enacted as the '' Historic Shipwrecks Act'' at the end of 1976. The salvor, Harry Baxter, carried through on a threat to use explosives on the wreck, damaging the conning tower and causing its aft section to come loose. In response, ''I-124'' was placed under the enhanced level of protection offered by the legislation, with an exclusion zone placed around the wreck in July 1977.][ The salvage team reports indicated that the submarine still carried mines, which led to the Royal Australian Navy sending the ]minehunter
A minehunter is a naval vessel that seeks, detects, and destroys individual naval mines. Minesweepers, on the other hand, clear mined areas as a whole, without prior detection of mines. A vessel that combines both of these roles is known as a ...
to locate and defuse them. Divers from the minehunter found no mines or explosives at the wreck site.
A team from the Western Australian Museum led by Dr. M. "Mack" McCarthy aboard the research vessel ''Flamingo Bay'' carried out a subsequent investigation of the wreck in March 1989. The expedition found that the location of the submarine was incorrectly recorded on charts and corrected it to , a point due south of Penguin Hill on Bathurst Island. The researchers also disproved rumours that a second submarine had been sunk off Darwin at the same time, that the U.S. Navy had salvaged Japanese codebooks from the wreck, and that mercury was aboard ''I-124'' when she sank, which was the reason given in the 1970s for removing the wreck. Subsequent research by Tom Lewis further disproved these rumours, as well as claims that ''I-124'' was involved in the sinking of the Australian light cruiser in November 1941.
In November 2022, the ABC reported that a team of divers had completed a three-year mission to create a 3D map of I-124.
Memorial
In 2017, the Australian Japanese Association of the Northern Territory (AJANT) erected a memorial plaque for ''I-124'' and her crew at the Dripstone Cliffs in Darwin, Australia.[Australian Japanese Association of the Northern Territory: ''I-124'' Japanese Submarine Memorial Plaque Accessed 7 May 2022]
/ref> A dedication ceremony for the plaque took place at Parliament House
Parliament House may refer to:
Australia
* Parliament House, Canberra, Parliament of Australia
* Parliament House, Adelaide, Parliament of South Australia
* Parliament House, Brisbane, Parliament of Queensland
* Parliament House, Darwin, Parliame ...
in Darwin on 17 February 2017 in connection with the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Darwin in 1942.[ Japanese ]Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
Shinzo Abe visited the memorial on 17 November 2018 and laid a wreath in memory of the crew of ''I-124''.[Clure, Elias, and Bridget Judd, "Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pays tribute to 'forgotten' crew killed off Darwin in World War II," ABC News, 17 November 2018 Accessed 7 May 2022]
/ref> On 18 February 2019, AJANT planted a memorial pongamia tree ('' Millettia pinnata'') at the site in connection with the commemoration of the 77th anniversary of the bombing of Darwin in a ceremony attended by Administrator of the Northern Territory Vicki O'Halloran
Vicki Susan O'Halloran (born 20 June 1964) is an Australian businesswoman and community worker, who was CEO of Somerville Community Services in the Northern Territory from 1998 to 2017. On 31 October 2017, she was sworn in as the 22nd administrat ...
, the Japanese ambassador
An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sov ...
to Australia, and the U.S. Consul General to Australia.[
]
Virtual dive experience
In October 2021, the Government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
of Australia's Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...
and the Australian Institute of Marine Science collaborated to map the wreck of using remote sonar
Sonar (sound navigation and ranging or sonic navigation and ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in submarine navigation) to navigation, navigate, measure distances (ranging), communicate with or detect o ...
sensing equipment.[Anonymous, "Take a Virtual Dive to Sunken Sub," ''World War II'', June 2022, p. 11.] Dr John McCarthy, a maritime archaeologist at Flinders University
Flinders University is a public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia, with a footprint extending across 11 locations in South Australia and the Northern Territory. Founded in 1966, it was named in honour of British navigator ...
in Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
, South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
, then collaborated with the Northern Territory Heritage Branch to use the sonar data to create a "virtual dive experience" on the wreck, with narration in both English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
and Japanese.[ Both the English- and Japanese-narrated versions of the video were posted on YouTube and the Oculus platform ahead of the 80th anniversary of the sinking of ''I-124'' on 20 January 2022.][
]
References
Bibliography
*Boyd, Carl, and Akihiko Yoshida. ''The Japanese Submarine Force and World War II''. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1995. .
* Lewis, Tom. ''Sensuikan I-124''. Darwin: Tall Stories, 1997.
* Lewis, Tom. ''Darwin's Submarine I-124.'' South Australia: Avonmore Books, 2011.
*
*
External links
''Sensuikan'' I-124
The I-124: A Japanese submarine wreck in the Clarence Strait
by Peter Dermoudy
Australasian Underwater Cultural Heritage Database: Shipwreck ''I-124''
* ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_jXSdVU8No Video "I-124" on YouTube
Video "I124 Japanese Submarine Commemorative Plaque [English
/nowiki>" on YouTube">nglish">Video "I124 Japanese Submarine Commemorative Plaque [English
/nowiki>" on YouTube
Video "The memorial service of submarine I 124 【伊124号潜水艦慰霊式】 20 January 2020" on YouTube
Video "Virtual dive on the wreck of I-124, a WWII Japanese submarine, off Darwin Harbour, Australia" in English on YouTube
Video (旧日本海軍伊124潜水艦へのバーチャルダイビング(日本語版)" ("Virtual diving to the former Japanese Navy I-124 submarine (Japanese version)") in Japanese on YouTube
Team of divers complete three-year mission to create 3D map of sunken World War II Japanese submarine
ABC News
{{DEFAULTSORT:I-124
I-121-class submarines
Ships built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries
1927 ships
Mine warfare vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy
World War II minelayers of Japan
Second Sino-Japanese War naval ships of Japan
World War II submarines of Japan
Japanese submarines lost during World War II
Submarines sunk by Australian warships
World War II shipwrecks in the Indian Ocean
Shipwrecks of the Northern Territory
Maritime incidents in 1935
Maritime incidents in January 1942
Australian Shipwrecks with protected zone
Ships lost with all hands