Japanese submarine I-1


The Japanese submarine I-1 was a J1 type submarine built by Kawasaki, Kobe, for the Imperial Japanese Navy. She was a large cruiser submarine displacing 2,135 tons and was the lead of four boats built in the class.
She was commissioned on 10 March 1926 and served in the Second World War. On 29 January 1943 during Operation Ke, the New Zealand naval trawlers Kiwi and Moa intercepted and wrecked her after a surface battle at Kamimbo Bay, Guadalcanal.

Her war activity

On 29 January 1943 she encountered the New Zealand minesweepers, Kiwi and Moa. Unable to penetrate I-1s hull with their deck guns, the minesweepers rammed and chased her to shallow water, eventually driving her aground on the reef at Kamimbo Bay, Guadalcanal. The wreck partially protrudes from the water.
Critical materials remained on board and the Japanese command tried unsuccessfully to destroy the boat with air and submarine attacks. The U.S. Navy reportedly salvaged code books, charts, manuals, the ship's log, and other secret documents, as well as equipment.
I-1's pennant is on display at the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas.

Japanese effort to destroy the wreck

;Extract from the Record of Movement for her sister submarine I-2
In 1968, I-1’s main deck gun was recovered and brought to Auckland, New Zealand aboard for display at the Torpedo Bay Navy Museum.
Around 1970, an Australian treasure hunter in search of valuable metals blew up the bow section of the I-1. This caused much damage since live torpedoes were still inside. The bow section of the sub still remains, split open. The front one-third of the submarine is destroyed but the remaining section is still intact. The I-1 lies with her bow in and her stern in of water.