BAAG records of shipping in HK during 1944-45 – the Tosan Maru, pre-war China Navigation’s SS Soochow 2
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 Tosan Maru, pre-war China Navigation’s SS Soochow (the CN’s second in a series of ships with that name) , a cargo ship, was seen on 8 Aug 1944
“SS Soochow (2) was built in 1920. In 1941 it was scuttled in Hong Kong to avoid capture, salvaged in 1942 by the Japanese and renamed Tosan Maru In 1945 it was mined and sunk off the city of Shiminoseki, Japan.” (1)
Arrived on 30 July 1944
Inward cargo: coal, guns, rice, beans, wheat, toothpaste. Cargo to be transferred to Canton.
Inward passengers: About 1,000 military officers and men to be transferred to Canton and Ho Hau in launches,
Departed on X
Outward cargo: X
Transit cargo: X
Repairs: X
Soochow 2 Courtesy : Wikiswire
This article was first posted on 7th May 2017.
Sources:
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
The identity and the kanji are correct.
Refer Sainan Maru also. This ship arrived in convoy No.92 with Sainan Maru and either two or 4 unidentified ships escorted by old destroyer Kuri and torpedo boat Hatsukari