Submarine I - 124

By Katherine Stuart
9 February 2016

Nearly three weeks ago, the 20 January, marked the 74th year since the sinking of the Japanese submarine  I-124,  out of Darwin (Northern Territory, Australia) in WWII.

I-124

This occurred a month before what is commonly known as "The Bombing of Darwin", the first two Japanese air raids, on the shipping in the harbour and the town, and the RAAF base, on 19 February 1942.

"In early January 1942, Darwin was transformed from a small RAN [Royal Australian Navy] refueling station to a temporary refuge for the aging warships of United States Asiatic Fleet retreating from America's impending defeat in the Philippines..."

            -  "Darwin's Submarine  I-124"
                   Featured Book    November 2011
                   www.combinedfleet.com    accessed 4 Feb 2016

Submarine  I-124 was cruising the area, laying mines.

"At 0530 on the morning of January 20, at a position approximately

                           12  degrees  05.5  mins  S,    130  degrees  05.6  mins  E

in the Beagle Gulf, about 40 Nautical miles out of Darwin, an attempt was made to torpedo the oil tanker USS Trinity whilst it was being escorted by the destroyer USS Edsall. Three torpedoes were seen. The submarine was then located by USS Edsall and was attacked with depth charges by USS Alden. Contact was then lost and the convoy proceeded into Darwin Harbour arriving at 1130 hours.

At 1125 hours, the corvette HMAS Deloraine which was conducting sweeping operations outside Darwin Harbour was ordered immediately to the vicinity of the attack. Two other corvettes HMA ships Lithgow and Katoomba were ordered to sea as soon as they could be made ready."

            -  "Report  -  Japanese Submarine  I - 124"    
                   The Shipwreck Databases - Western Australian Museum 
                    museum.wa.gov.au    p.12    accessed 5 Feb 2016

""Deloraine" arrived in the area on 20 January 1942 and at 1.35pm her starboard lookout reported "Torpedo approaching green 100". Commander Desmond Menlove immediately ordered the helm to starboard and full speed on the engines. The tactic worked and the torpedo missed its mark. 
3 minutes later, using asdic, "Deloraine" located I-124 about 2,500 yards ahead. Another 5 minutes later she laid down a diamond pattern of 6 depth charges. Bubbles of air and some oil bubbled to the surface. At 1.48pm following 2 more depth charge attacks, Japanese submarine I-124 blew to the surface but almost immediately dived below the surface, never to be seen again on the surface.

    HMAS  Deloraine

"Lithgow" and "Katoomba" arrived later in the afternoon while "Deloraine" headed for Darwin for more depth charges. It rejoined the others again by 3.05am the next morning. Another asdic contact was made and after more depth charge attacks, "Deloraine" claimed it had destroyed 2 Japanese submarines, while "Katoomba" had also claimed another Japanese submarine.

Later that day a diver from the Fleet Repair Ship "USS Black Hawk" located the wreck of Japanese submarine I-124. He could hear survivors tapping on the hull. No evidence was ever found of the two other reported submarine "kills".........

Japanese submarine I-124 had laid 27 mines in the waters near Darwin earlier in January 1942."

            -  "Mr Robert Leslie Russell"    The Descendants of  Mr Robert Leslie Russell 
                   home.iprimus.com.au,    accessed  4 Feb 2016

  

As a consequence of this, Submarine  I-124 had sunk to the bottom with all hands (74), and lies there today, a war grave, not to be disturbed.

It is protected by a protection zone, radius of 797 metres,
and lies in a depth of 40.0 metres of water.
         
            -  "View Shipwreck - I - 124"    National Australia Shipwreck Data Base                 
                   https://dmzapp17p.ris.environment.gov.au,    accessed 7 Feb 2016

This book,

"Darwin's Submarine  I-124"


by Dr Tom Lewis,
"a naval officer, dive master and Director of the Darwin  
  Military Museum",

      -  "Darwin's Submarine  I-124"
             Featured Book    November 2011
             www.combinedfleet.com    accessed 4 Feb 2016



is a useful resource
for anyone interested in this subject.