Japanese destroyer Akatsuki (1901)

Akatsuki (暁, "Daybreak") was the lead ship of two Akatsuki-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the early 1900s. Akatsuki took part in the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), during which she participated in the Battle of Port Arthur in February 1904, then struck a mine and sank in May 1904.

For other ships with the same name, see Japanese destroyer Akatsuki.
History
Empire of Japan
NameAkatsuki
Namesake暁 ("Daybreak")
Ordered1900
BuilderYarrow & Company, Cubitt Town, London, England
Yard numberTorpedo Boat Destroyer No. 13
Laid down10 December 1900
Launched13 February 1901 or 13 November 1901 (see text)
Completed14 December 1901
Commissioned14 December 1901
FateSunk 17 May 1904
Stricken19 October 1905
General characteristics
TypeAkatsuki-class destroyer
Displacement
  • 363 long tons (369 t) normal,
  • 415 long tons (422 t) full load
Length
  • 67.29 m (220.8 ft) pp,
  • 68.45 m (224.6 ft) overall
Beam6.28 m (20.6 ft)
Draught1.73 m (5.7 ft)
Propulsion2-shaft reciprocating, 4 Yarrow boilers, 6,000 ihp (4,500 kW)
Speed30 knots (56 km/h)
Complement62
Armament
Service record
Operations:

Construction and commissioning

Authorized under the 1900 naval program,[1] Akatsuki was laid down as Destroyer No. 13 on 10 December 1900 by Yarrow & Company at Cubitt Town in London, England.[1] Launched on either 13 February 1901[1] or 13 November 1901[2] (sources disagree) and named Akatsuki, she was completed on 14 December 1901[1] and commissioned the same day.[1]

Service history

Akatsuki departed England on 25 January 1902[3] to make her delivery voyage to Japan, which she completed with her arrival at Yokosuka on 25 May 1902.[1]

When the Russo-Japanese War broke out in February 1904, Akatsuki was part of either the 1st[4] or 3rd Destroyer Division of the 1st Fleet,[5] according to different sources. The war began that evening with the Battle of Port Arthur, a Japanese surprise attack on Imperial Russian Navy warships anchored in the outer roadstead of the Russian naval base at Port Arthur, China. Ten Japanese destroyers of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Destroyer Divisions made a torpedo attack in three waves, with the four destroyers of the 1st Destroyer Division (Akatsuki, Asashio, Kasumi, and Shirakumo) and Ikazuchi of the 2nd Destroyer Division constituting the first wave.[4] They closed to about 650 yards (590 m) from the Russian ships and fired nine torpedoes.[4] One of Kasumi′s torpedoes hit the Russian protected cruiser Pallada.[4]

While taking part in the ensuing blockade of Port Arthur, Akatsuki struck a mine and sank off Dalniy southeast of Tieshan at 38°38′N 121°05′E on 17 May 1904.[6] Her commanding officer was killed in her sinking.[7]

Believing that the Russians had not observed the sinking of Akatsuki, the Japanese concealed her loss by making no announcement of it.[8] Instead, they announced a new commanding officer had reported aboard her on 20 May 1904[9] — three days after her loss — and gave the name Akatsuki to the captured Imperial Russian Navy destroyer Reshitel‘nyi. The captured ship operated under the name Akatsuki until after the end of the war in early September 1905.[10]

Meanwhile, the Japanese finally announced the loss of the original Akatsuki on 1 June 1905.[11] They struck her from the naval register on 19 October 1905.[1] That same day, they again renamed the captured Russian destroyer, changing her name from Akatsuki to Yamabiko, also transliterated as Yamahiko.

Commanding officers

SOURCE:[7]

  • Lieutenant Commander Sojiro Nakayama 4 June 1901 – 2 September 1901 (pre-commissioning)
  • Lieutenant Commander Sojiro Nakayama 2 September 1901 – 24 May 1902
  • Lieutenant Commander Shigetaka Seki 24 May 1902 – 5 November 1903
  • Lieutenant Naojiro Suetsugu 5 November 1903 – 17 May 1904 (killed in action)
  • Lieutenant Commander Kota Hazama 20 May 1904[9] – unknown (announced post-sinking) (see text)

References

Citations
  1. 日本海軍史』第7巻 ("History of the Japanese Navy, Vol. 7") (in Japanese), p. 287.
  2. 『官報』第5513号、明治34年11月16日 ("Official Gazette" No. 5513, 16 November 1901) (in Japanese).
  3. 『官報』第5559号、明治35年1月17日 ("Official Gazette" No. 5559, 17 January 1902) (in Japanese).
  4. Stille, pp. 8–9.
  5. 『聯合艦隊軍艦銘銘伝』普及版、393-394頁 ("'Allied Fleet Gunkan Meiden' popular version, pages 393–394.") (in Japanese).
  6. Corbett, Vol. I, p. 243, identifies Akatsuki only as "a destroyer which fouled a mine" on 17 May 1904. Corbett, Vol. II, p. 112, identifies Akatsuki as one of the ships lost during the blockade. Corbett, Vol. II, p. 446, identifies her as the destroyer lost off Dalniy in 17 May 1904.
  7. 日本海軍史』第9巻・第10巻の「将官履歴」及び『官報』に基づく ("Based on History of General Officers and Official Gazette in Volumes 9 and 10 of History of the Japanese Navy) (in Japanese)
  8. Corbett, Vol. II, p. 112.
  9. 「明治三十七年辞令通報 5月」 アジア歴史資料センター Ref.C13071937800 ("'1904 Notice of Appointment May' Center for Asian Historical Records Ref.C13071937800") (in Japanese)
  10. Corbett, Vol. II, pp. 154, 218, 300, 355.
  11. 『官報』第6574号、明治38年6月1日 ("Official Gazette" No. 6574, 1 June 1905) (in Japanese).

Bibliography
  • 写真日本海軍全艦艇史 Fukui Shizuo Collection』資料編、KKベストセラーズ、1994年 ("Photographic history of all ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy Fukui Shizuo Collection" material edition, KK Bestsellers, 1994) (in Japanese).
  • 海軍歴史保存会『日本海軍史』第7巻、第9巻、第10巻、第一法規出版、1995年 (Naval History Preservation Society "Japanese Naval History" Vol. 7, Vol. 9, Vol. 10, Daiichi Hoki Publishing, 1995) (in Japanese).
  • 片桐大自『聯合艦隊軍艦銘銘伝』普及版、光人社、2003年 (Daiji Katagiri "Rengo Kantai Gunkan Meiden" popular version, Kojinsha, 2003) (in Japanese).
  • Cocker, Maurice (1983). Destroyers of the Royal Navy, 1893-1981. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1075-7.
  • Corbett, Julian S. (1994). Maritime Operations in the Russo-Japanese War 1904–1905, Volume I. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-129-7.
  • Corbett, Julian S. (1994). Maritime Operations in the Russo-Japanese War 1904–1905, Volume II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-129-7.
  • Evans, David (1979). Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887-1941. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-192-7.
  • Howarth, Stephen (1983). The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The Drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895-1945. Atheneum. ISBN 0-689-11402-8.
  • Jane, Fred T (1904). The Imperial Japanese Navy. Thacker, Spink & Co. ASIN: B00085LCZ4.
  • Jentsura, Hansgeorg (1976). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945. US Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-893-X.
  • Lyon, David (1996). The First Destroyers. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland. ISBN 1-55750-271-4.
  • Stille, Mark (2016). The Imperial Japanese Navy of the Russo-Japanese War. Osprey Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-4728-1121-9.
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