BAAG records of shipping in HK during 1944-45 – the Sainan (aka Tsinan) 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.
BAAG Report KWIZ #66 15th September 1944
The Sainan (aka Tsinan) Maru, a cargo ship, was seen on 7 Aug 1944
Arrived on 30 July 1944, berthed at No. 3 Kowloon Wharf
Inward cargo: 200 c/s military stores, 500 tons of fodder, towels, handkerchiefs, toothpaste
Inward passengers: 1,800 military officers and men who were sent to Canton in small launches
Departed on X
Outward cargo: X
Transit cargo: X
Repairs: X
An image of this ship would be helpful.
This article was first posted on 30th April 2017.
Further information:
- 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
済南丸 Sainan Maru was built at Hakodate Dock K.K. in Hakodate and completed June 1943 for Toa Kaiun K. K. (East-Asia Seacarriers) as a passenger/cargo ship . The ship was 3232 gross tons (sometimes shown as 3200). The convoy the ship arrived in was No. 92 and was escorted by torpedo boat Hatsukari and the old destroyer Kuri. The ship was mined and sunk in Woosung anchorage, near Shanghai, on 9 September 1944.
The ship had a sister ship, Chefoo Maru, that also visited Hong Kong regularly during the war.