I-124, originally named Submarine Minelayer No. 52 and then named I-24 from before her launch until June 1938, was an of the Imperial Japanese Navy that served during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. During the latter conflict, she operated in support of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines and was sunk during anti-shipping operations off Australia in January 1942.
After she was renumbered I-124 in 1938, the number I-24 was assigned to a later submarine which also served during World War II.
Design
I-124 and her three sister ships — I-21 (later renumbered ), I-22 (later renumbered ) and I-23 (later renumbered ) — were the Imperial Japanese Navy's only submarine minelayers. They were known in Japan by the type name , commonly shortened to .
The Kiraisen-type design was based on that of the Imperial German Navy minelaying submarine , a Type UB III submarine which was the largest of seven German submarines transferred to Japan as a war reparation after World War I and served in the Imperial Japanese Navy as O-6 from 1920 to 1921. Like UB-125, the Kiraisen-type submarines had two diesel engines producing a combined , could carry 42 mines and had four torpedo tubes and a single deck gun — a gun on the Japanese submarines in contrast to a gun on UB-125. Compared to the German submarine, they were larger — longer and displacing 220 more tons on the surface and 300 more tons submerged — and had a longer range both on the surface — farther at — and submerged — farther at . They were slower than UB-125 both surfaced and submerged, carried two fewer torpedoes and could dive to only compared to for UB-125.
Construction and commissioning
Built by Kawasaki at Kobe, Japan, I-124 was laid down on 17 April 1926 with either the name Submarine No. 60 or Submarine Minelayer No. 52, according to different sources. She was launched on 12 December 1927 and renamed I-24 that day. She was completed and commissioned on 10 December 1928.
Service history
1928–1937
Upon commissioning, I-24 was attached to the Yokosuka Naval District and assigned to Submarine Division 9 in the Yokosuka Defense Division in the district. On 11 December 1933, Submarine Division 9 was reassigned to the Yokosuka Guard Unit or Yokosuka Guard Squadron in the Yokosuka Naval District.
While conducting deep diving trials with her sister ship I-23 on 25 May 1935, I-24 suffered damage to her main ballast tanks. She was placed in reserve that day to have her ballast tanks reinforced. On 15 November 1935, Submarine Division 9 was reassigned to the Yokosuka Defense Squadron in the Yokosuka Naval District, and, with her ballast tank work complete, I-24 returned to active service that day, but in 1936 all four submarines of her class had their designed diving depth limited to .
Second Sino-Japanese War
On 7 July 1937 the first day of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident took place, beginning the Second Sino-Japanese War. In September 1937, Submarine Division 9, consisting of I-23 and I-24, moved to a base at Qingdao, China and began operations in northern Chinese waters as part of a Japanese blockade of China. On 1 December 1937, Submarine Division 13 was assigned to Submarine Squadron 3 in the 4th Fleet, a component of the Combined Fleet, and in December 1937, the light cruiser arrived at Qingdao to serve as flagship of Submarine Squadron 3, which consisted of Submarine Division 13 (made up of I-21 and I-22) as well as Submarine Division 9 (I-23 and I-24).
I-24 was renumbered I-124 on 1 June 1938, freeing up her previous number for the new submarine , whose keel was laid that year. On 20 June 1938, Submarine Division 9 was assigned to the Gunnery School in the Yokosuka Naval District. In an effort to reduce international tensions over the conflict in China, Japan withdrew its submarines from Chinese waters in December 1938,
1939–1941
On 1 May 1939, Submarine Division 9 was placed in the Third Reserve in the Yokosuka Naval District, and it moved to the Second Reserve in the district on 15 November 1939. On 20 March 1940, I-124 herself was placed in reserve at Yokosuka. While in reserve, I-124 and all three of her sister ships — which, like her, had been renumbered on 1 June 1938, I-21 becoming I-121, I-22 becoming I-122 and I-23 becoming I-123 — underwent conversion into submarine tankers. Retaining their minelaying and torpedo capabilities, they were modified so that each of them could carry 15 tons of aviation gasoline with which to refuel flying boats, allowing the flying boats to extend their range during reconnaissance and bombing missions by meeting the submarines in harbors and lagoons for more fuel.