BAAG Naval Section Intelligence Summary, early February 1943, ship repair, maintenance and movements

Elizabeth Ride has sent the Naval section of a British Army Aid Group (BAAG) Waichow Intelligence Summary (WIS 19) dated 17th February 1943. This covers shipping movements in and out of Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation in World War Two during early February 1943 (? Only two items have a date attached.)

These reports also describes time spent by vessels undergoing repairs and maintenance in a number of Hong Kong shipyards.

They also offer a wide range of other information including that concerning the Japanese Army and Air Force and other aspects of life in Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation in which you may be interested. This is not usually included here. To see the full reports please refer to Further Information below.

HF: To aid research I have attempted to summarize and list the most salient points covered in the report under three sections:-

Firstly, Locations mentioned – both shipyards in HK and ports vessels have come from or are going to in South and East Asia.

Secondly, the names of Ships mentioned. This has not always been easy. My inability to read Chinese or Japanese is a clear hindrance. Plus even when in English whether typed or handwritten they are sometimes semi-legible. Any corrections or clarification would be helpful.

Thirdly, under Miscellaneous I have noted any items that I think might be of interest.

Further information regarding subjects mentioned in this report including images of the ships would be very welcome.

Locations: Kap Sui Mun – is this Kap Shui Mun, the channel between Lantau Island and Ma Wan?, Indo China

Ships mentioned: Shan Tung Maru, Japanese submarine,

Hospital ships – the American Maru see: http://www.combinedfleet.com/America_t.htm

IJA Hospital Ship / IJN Transport America Maru Courtesy: www.combinedfleet.com

Red Cross ships – Buenos Aires Maru See: http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?138697 and Commons Wikimedia – Buenos Aires Maru

Buenos Aires Maru Wikimedia Commons

Buenos Aires Maru Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

B&S ship Wing Sang

Miscellaneous: Mrs Kennedy-Shipton, “hospital ships now being used for their proper purpose.”, Japanese getting as much material out of HK as possible and sending it to Japan and Formosa, merchantmen, Taiwan Construction Company, B&S ship Wing Sang loading wolfram – destination Japan

 

BAAG Report WIS #19 A1BAAG Report WIS #19 A2

 

Further information:

  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
  2. The BAAG papers are kept at the  Hong Kong Heritage Project https://www.hongkongheritage.org/Pages/FindingAids/LibraryCollection/Elizabeth_M_Ride_Collection.aspx

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