Semi-Submersible Canoes

After Japan’s invasion of Southeast Asia the Allied Forces were left with very little with which to counterattack. Long-range aircraft were scarce and the submarine forces were battered, suffering from equipment shortages. Following the example of Britain in the early post-Dunkirk period, Australia organized a commando force to attack the enemy behind their front line.

The first raid to be carried out was Codenamed Operation Jaywick. A Japanese built fishing tender named Krait was disguised as a Japanese fishing boat and successfully made its way to the vicinity of Singapore. Six commandoes were deployed in three, two-man canoes of the same pattern as that on display here, to island hop over three nights to reach Singapore, where they attached limpet mines to the hulls of several Japanese merchant vessels in the harbour. Six of the mines exploded damaging some 37,000 tonnes of shipping.

Krait returned to Australia safely and the raid was considered a success. However, the Japanese carried out swift and terrible retribution on the Chinese population of Singapore, whom they suspected of being the instigators of the raid.

  A restored M.V. HMAS Krait in 1973. The vessel is on display at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney on a long term loan from the Australian War Memorial.
Credit: Australian War Memorial, P01483.002

  MV Krait on display at the Australian National Maritime Museum.
Credit: Australian National Maritime Museum