BAAG records of shipping in HK during 1944-45 – the Kaishu Maru
Elizabeth Ride has British Army Aid Group (BAAG) records of shipping movements for 1944-45 in Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation in World War Two.
These provide information not only about the ships themselves but what cargo was being brought into and out of Hong Kong during the latter stages of WW2, passengers carried, and of godowns, docks etc that were being utilised.
Arrived: 9 July 1944 from Canton
The Kaishu Maru, a HK-Canton river steamer was seen on 15 Aug 1944
Admitted to Kowloon Docks for repairs to stern and engine. Completed on 15 Aug 1944 and discharged.
Departed: 21 Aug 1944 for Canton
An image of this ship would be helpful
This article was first posted on 17th December 2016
Stephen Davies adds: The only Kaishu Maru and Kaisho Maru that I know were both Imperial Japanese Army transports and ex-general cargo ships.
HF: A USAAF B24 (5th Air Force) sank the Kaishu Maru at Manus in the Admiralty Islands in ?/1944 (1)
- For general information about the Elizabeth Ride collection, her father Sir Lindsay Ride, and the British Army Aid group during WW2 a very useful introduction is through http://gwulo.com/node/13968
- The BAAG papers are kept at the Hong Kong Heritage Project – Elizabeth M Ride Collection
This ship was Kaishu Maru built 1922, 1078 grt, Taiwan register No.408. The ship was ex River steamer Hang Cheong transferred in 1941. The ship had been lightly damaged by a mine 8 July 1944 in Pearl River delta mouth, hence the ship repair references. The other Kaishu/Kaisho Marus Stephen Davies references had different kanji to the above ship (the characters meaning Sea Pearl are shown correctly)