kraitplate

"The Clandestine Fishing Boat"

It was not at all surprising that Krait was taken for a Japanese fishing boat for, in fact, that was exactly what she was. This robust little vessel with its 24 metre long, teak plank, copper-sheathed hull had begun its life as the Kofuku Maru. Before WWII she operated from Singapore in the abundant fishing grounds off the Malay and Dutch East Indies Coast.
When the war in the Pacific broke out in late 1941 the Kofuku Maru was seized by the British Government in Singapore and interned. A few weeks before the colony was occupied by the rapidly advancing Japanese Army early in 1942 command of the vessel was bestowed upon Bill Reynolds, an Australian who had lived in Malaya and new the local waters extremely well.

Reynolds sailed the Kofuku Maru to the Rhio Archipelago, where she was put to work as a ferry to evacuate the hordes of refugees fleeing before the Japanese down the Malay Peninsular. As well as a human ferry she also acted as a guide ship for all the smaller boats trying to cross the Straits of Malacca.

The Kofuku Maru was more than likely the only Japanese vessel to be commanded by an Australian during WWII. She carried out her duties well and under the very noses of the advancing Japanese. Finally it was time for Bill and his new vessel to flee also.

Strafed by Japanese fighters she ran the gauntlet of the Malacca Straits and disappeared into the vast Indian Ocean. At last the Australian owned Japanese fishing boat made it to Ceylon, a little battered but still sea worthy. From there she was sent on to Bombay, India. A name change was now in order so whilst at Bombay she was given a new name which would forever become part of Australian Naval history - Krait.

Krait is the name of a tiny but extremely deadly venomous snake found on the Indian subcontinent. It would become very appropriate, for like the reptile she was named after; Krait was able to strike swiftly and surely before her victim realized she was there.

At this point of time in India a plan to hit back at the all conquering Japanese was being hatched. This plan included striking at Japanese shipping at the now occupied island of Singapore. Being Japanese built and of a type very common in the waters around the former British Colony, krait seemed the perfect choice to infiltrate enemy lines. the best starting point for such an operation was Australia for the approaches to Singapore via Ceylon or India were heavily patrolled by the Japanese. So it was that bill Reynolds was ordered to sail Krait on the long and dangerous journey across the indian Ocean to Fremantle in Western Australia.

After the Singapore raid Krait was sent to Darwin to join the Lugger Maintenance Patrol of the famous Z Special Unit. At the end of WWII she was taken over by the occupation authorities at Labuan Island off British North Borneo and sold to a local trading company which for the next twenty years used her to haul timber down the jungle rivers of Borneo.

In 1963 The Krait Committee was formed in Sydney with the aim of bringing her back to Australia for permanent preservation. The money was raised with the aid of newspaper appeals and the like and also as I was a sailor during that time we received letters onboard from the committee asking the Ship's Company's of RAN warships to donate to the fund. So it was that in march 1964 a rather battered Krait arrived in Brisbane aboard the P&O ship Nellore. On ANZAC Day 1964 Krait sailed proudly into Sydney Harbour, to be escorted down Port Jackson by an armada of small craft. Received by the State Governor at historic Farm Cove she was dedicated as a floating war memorial, then presented to the Volunteer Coastal Patrol to use in training and rescue work. She now resides peacefully at the National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour, Sydney. The brave little fishing boat is now home to stay.

The Restored Krait at the Maritime Musuem, Darling Harbour, Sydney.

Previous Page Operation Jaywick

Z Special Unit

Other sections in Gun Plot about Z Special Unit, Krait,
Services Reconnaisance Department (SRD) & Costwatchers

The Coastwatchers In The Pacific - HERE

KRAIT - HERE

SRD - HERE

 



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