Centaur search leads to Japan

**Antipodean Andy** · 07-06-2009, 08:56 PM

I think it's just a matter of time. I reckon we could keep him employed for a while yet. Montevideo Maru next? :-)

Centaur trail leads to Japan: researcher - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

The man heading the search for the World War II hospital ship the Centaur says he will head to Japan to hunt for clues to its final location.

268 people were killed when the Centaur was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine off south-east Queensland in 1943.

David Mearns met with families of victims and survivors in Brisbane yesterday and told them a search later this year will focus on two areas around 25 miles off Moreton Island.

He says if the ship is found it'll be filmed and photographed, but not moved.

"This will be strictly look but don't touch," he said.

He says one of his next stops will be Japan but so far authorities there have released no useful information.

"All those inquiries so far have turned up negative," he said.

"I have to say that I'm not very optimistic that we're going to find a piece of information in Japan but we're going to look.

"We're going to continue on and I will myself be visiting there ultimately to make sure we've looked everywhere."

The captain of the Japanese submarine that sank the Centaur was later convicted for war crimes.

**spidge** · 07-07-2009, 06:10 AM

Originally Posted by Antipodean Andy

I think it's just a matter of time. I reckon we could keep him employed for a while yet. Montevideo Maru next? :-)

Centaur trail leads to Japan: researcher - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

From the news report above:

The captain of the Japanese submarine that sank the Centaur was later convicted for war crimes.

The report of the Japanese Submarine Captain being convicted of war crimes is correct however this was not for the sinking of the Centaur.

War Crimes Justice for Submarine Captain
It was many years later before the Japanese Government admitted that Lieutenant Commander Hajime Nakagawa as the C.O. of I-177 had been responsible. He was found guilty as a War Criminal for having opened fire on survivors of the British Chivalry, a ship his boat had sunk in the Indian Ocean. He was sentenced to four years in Sugumo prison.

**spidge** · 07-11-2009, 06:31 AM

From the news report above:

Quote:
The captain of the Japanese submarine that sank the Centaur was later convicted for war crimes.
The report of the Japanese Submarine Captain being convicted of war crimes is correct however this was not for the sinking of the Centaur.

War Crimes Justice for Submarine Captain
It was many years later before the Japanese Government admitted that Lieutenant Commander Hajime Nakagawa as the C.O. of I-177 had been responsible. He was found guilty as a War Criminal for having opened fire on survivors of the British Chivalry, a ship his boat had sunk in the Indian Ocean. He was sentenced to four years in Sugumo prison.

Hugh,

Do you have any information on the "British Chivalry" incident for which this low life was convicted?

**Hugh** · 08-12-2009, 07:23 AM

Sorry Geoff, I missed this one - apologies.

Tanker BRITISH CHIVALRY official number 161198 built in 1929 for the British Tanker Co.
22.2.1944: Torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-37 (Nakagawa), in the Indian Ocean SW of Addu Atoll, Maldive Islands, in position 00.50S 68.00E while sailing independently on a voyage from Melbourne to Abadan, in ballast. The Master, Capt W. Hill, was taken prisoner. The crew in two ship's boats and four rafts were machine gunned in the water by the submarine. 29 crew and 9 gunners were rescued after being adrift for 37 days by British ship DELANE in position 04.55S 65.00E on 29.3.1944 and landed at Durban. 15 crew and 5 gunners were lost.

Regards
Hugh

**spidge** · 08-12-2009, 08:35 AM

Thanks Hugh.

(4) years for 20 murders.

**Hugh** · 08-12-2009, 11:03 AM

In the middle of January 1947, the International Military Tribunal heard evidence of survivors being machine-gunned, after the ships BRITISH CHIVALRY, SUTLEJ and ASCOT had been torpedoed and sunk on 22, 26 and 29th February 1944, respectively. These sworn statements had come from survivors from all three ships. In the case of the tanker BRITISH CHIVALRY, it was alleged that the captain was taken prisoner and forced to watch the Japanese machine-gun his crew; serveral men were killed.

Commission president Colonel Henry Lyon addressed Nakagawa:

'Nakagawa, do you understand specification two as changed today by the prosecution with certain deletions, and read to you this afternoon?'
(via an interpreter} 'yes.'
'And do you understand by changing your plea from not guilty to guilty you admit the elements of the offence?'
'Yes.'
'How do you plead to specification two of the charge?'
'I plead guilty.'
'You may be seated.'

This admission did not carry the death penalty. The Court sentenced him to eight years hard labour (he was to serve nearly six before being released from Sugamo Prison in Japan on 2 October 1954. He died on 27 May, 1986 aged 84 years.

Source: "Beyond The Call of Duty"

Regards
Hugh

**spidge** · 08-13-2009, 05:55 AM

Originally Posted by Hugh

In the middle of January 1947, the International Military Tribunal heard evidence of survivors being machine-gunned, after the ships BRITISH CHIVALRY, SUTLEJ and ASCOT had been torpedoed and sunk on 22, 26 and 29th February 1944, respectively. These sworn statements had come from survivors from all three ships. In the case of the tanker BRITISH CHIVALRY, it was alleged that the captain was taken prisoner and forced to watch the Japanese machine-gun his crew; serveral men were killed.

Commission president Colonel Henry Lyon addressed Nakagawa:

'Nakagawa, do you understand specification two as changed today by the prosecution with certain deletions, and read to you this afternoon?'
(via an interpreter} 'yes.'
'And do you understand by changing your plea from not guilty to guilty you admit the elements of the offence?'
'Yes.'
'How do you plead to specification two of the charge?'
'I plead guilty.'
'You may be seated.'

This admission did not carry the death penalty. The Court sentenced him to eight years hard labour (he was to serve nearly six before being released from Sugamo Prison in Japan on 2 October 1954. He died on 27 May, 1986 aged 84 years.

Source: "Beyond The Call of Duty"

Regards
Hugh

Thanks Hugh,

I suppose we should be thankful that he did (6) years. Many were just not brought to justice.

**Cobber** · 08-13-2009, 11:25 PM

Far too many Imperial Japanese Officers/Soldiers etc, who committed very serious crimes were allowed to survive with out trail, and it was not just scientists that sneaked through or got away from the tribunals unscathed.