Pacific Wrecks Forum

CPA 233/07 Friday, 3 August 2007

CEREMONY TO MARK LOSS OF M24 JAPANESE MIDGET SUBMARINE

What: A ceremony for the relatives of the submariners who died when the World War Two Japanese Midget submarine, the M24, was lost at sea.

When: Media must arrive at 10:00am for the memorial service at 10:30am on Monday 6 August 2007.

Where: HMAS KUTTABUL memorial site, Garden Island, Fleet Base East in Sydney. Enter through the main gate at the intersection of Cowper Wharf Road and Wylde Street, Woolloomooloo. Photographic identification will be required.

Who: The Minister for Veterans Affairs and Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence, Mr Bruce Billson MP, the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Russ Shalders, and the Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Nigel Coates, will attend the Ceremony along with the Japanese Ambassador to Australia, HE Mer Hideaki Ueda, and Japanese Defence Attaché, Captain Kazushige Nagai. The relatives of the Japanese submariners will also be attendance.

During the memorial service, there will be a parade by 150 members of the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) Training Squadron.

The memorial service will be followed by a private viewing of Japanese Midget submarine artifacts at the Naval Heritage Centre then an at-sea ceremony at the site of the M24 off the Northern Beaches.

Media note: Due to limited places available on HMAS Melbourne, which will be conducting the at-sea ceremony, special arrangements have been put in place for media coverage. Selected media to attend the second memorial service will be:

* The ABC's 7:30 Report to provide pool vision for television networks;
* A journalist and photographer from the Australian Associated Press (AAP);
* News Limited and Fairfax photographers.

Sydney memorial for Japanese submariners

Posted Mon Aug 6, 2007 12:44pm AEST
Updated Mon Aug 6, 2007 2:45pm AEST

A ceremony has been held to honour the memory of Japanese submariners who died in 1942 during an attack on Sydney Harbour.

Nineteen Royal Australian Navy sailors and two Royal Navy sailors died when a ferry was hit by two torpedoes fired from the three Japanese midget submarines involved in the attack.

The crews of two of the submarines committed suicide before capture while a third sub, the M24, escaped out to sea.

Divers found the wreckage of the M24 at a secret location off Sydney's northern beaches late last year. The remains of its two crewmen are believed to be still inside.

Today relatives of the Japanese submariners who died in the attack joined representatives from the Australian and Japanese navies to commemorate the dead.

Speaking through a translator, the brother of the commander of the M24, Kazutomo Ban, said the discovery of the wreckage brought him great happiness.

"I really appreciate the feeling Australian people and the Navy, has for the submariners," he said. "Even though they were the enemy soldiers they are here to commemorate their death.

Relatives and officials will travel by boat to the wreck this afternoon.

Japanese submariners remembered

August 06, 2007 12:08pm

THE brother of a Japanese sailor who died when his M24 midget submarine was lost off Sydney during World War II says he feels honoured that Australians remember the submariner.

The submarine disappeared after an attack on Sydney Harbour in 1942 and was found late last year by a group of amateur divers about 5km off Sydney's northern beaches.

Kazutomo Ban, 74, the younger brother of Sub-Lieutenant Katsuhisa Ban, the commander and navigator of the midget sub, said he was touched by the service.

"I am very honoured to know that the Australian people remember him even today," he said.

Mr Ban was one of 19 relatives of the two Japanese submariners who gathered alongside dignitaries from Australia and Japan at Sydney's Garden Island naval base for the memorial service today.

Chaplain Stuart Hall led the service, which consisted of prayers for the dead men and prayers for peace.

"In this time of peace, we remember those who continue to mourn their loss and especially the men and women who worthily served their country in pursuit of peace," Mr Hall said.

The ceremony included a parade by 150 members of the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force Training Squadron and the laying of wreaths.

Japan's Ambassador to Australia, Hideaki Ueda, said World War II had been a "dark period" for both countries but that the improvements in the nations' relationship had been inspirational.

"This memorial is a solemn reminder not to repeat the mistakes of the past," Mr Ueda said.

The relatives will have a private viewing of Japanese midget submarine artefacts.

An at-sea ceremony will be held this afternoon at the site of the largely intact wreck, off Bungan Head, which is believed to still contain the remains of Sub-Lt Ban and PO Ashibe.

During the attack, the M24 fired two torpedoes at USS Chicago in Sydney Harbour.

The torpedoes missed their intended target and detonated under the converted ferry Kuttabul, which was moored as sailor's quarters at Garden Island.

The ferry sank, killing 19 Australian and two British sailors.

Also at today's ceremony was Neil Roberts, 83, the only living Australian survivor of the attack who said he greatly admired the bravery of the fallen submariners.

"If you think about what they did, travelling in those midget submarines was an incredible feat."