Yunnan III

Sister of the ship Yochow II - Hunan II class, the Yochow II being the only other diesel powered vessel in this class.

History
'''March 9th. 1936. While aground in the Hai Ho River, the lighters Pu Yee and Cheng Yee collided with and damaged the Yunnan's''' quarter plating. The Master David Wilson not at fault.

'''August 9th. 1936.''' Capsized a sampan in Hong Kong, with the loss of one Chinese male.. The Master, David Wilson not at fault.

Winter 1935. Damage occurred to the shell plating due to severe ice conditions in the Gulf of Pohai. The Master David Wilson not at fault.

'''May 4th. 1936.. When passing the Tongkee Railway wharf, it was alleged to have caused damage by her wash to the S.S. Fowning''' which was berthed alongside. The Master David Wilson was not at fault.

'''April 7th. 1936.''' Sank a junk during a dense fog on a passage from Swatow to Hong Kong. The Master David Wilson was not at fault.

June 1942. Requisioned by the R.A.N. as '''"H.M.A.S. Yunnan". Pennant FL-151.''' Employed as a stores ship during the Leyte invasion in 1944. During this invasion Admiral Arima crashed his aircraft into the "USS Franklin" to start the Kamikaze method of attack.

January 1946. Returned to CNCo.

September 1959. Sold to the On Thai Navigation Co. renamed "Hock Ann".

May 1963. Sold to Guan Guan Shipping Enterprises Ltd., Hong Kong, and transferred to Guan Guan Shipping Ltd., Singapore. Renamed "Kim Hock".

May 1964. Renamed "Kario".

August 1964. Sold to Transportes Maritimous de San Blas S.A., Panama.

1965. Transferred to Cia de Nav Santos S.A. Panama. Renamed "Bakana". 1966 Renamed "Murcia".

1966. Transferred to King Line S.A. Panama. Renamed "King Eagle".

1968. Transferred to Guan Guan Shipping Pte., Singapore. Renamed "Kim Hock".  1971. Renamed "Kim Hai". June 9th., arrived at Hong Kong for breaking up by Leung Yau Shipbreakers.

Service
Yunnan III was built in 1934 by Scotts’ of Greenock, for the China coast trade. With her sister ship Yochow II and the 1930 Scotts’ building, Anshun I, she was one of only three vessels to be installed with the innovative Scott-Diesel engine. The 5 cylinder main engine of the Yunnan III and Yochow II having a slightly smaller cylinder bore than the Anshun I. These ships were C.N.Co.’s first experiment with diesel away from the Yangtze River and were something of speculation for the company, in view of its very successful use of the anthracite/Miike coal mixture over many years.

Yunnan III became The China Navigation Company’s first ship to trade with New Guinea, when in 1939, she took over the carriage of copra from New Guinea to Hong Kong, after the outbreak of war with Germany. This trade had previously been monopolised by Nord Deutscher Lloyd. In the early days of this trade special boats were carried on board to lift copra directly from the beaches.

Events / Stories
On 2nd June, 1942, Yunnan III was requisitioned at Sydney by the Royal Australian Navy. Until 20th September 1944, she served as a non-commissioned vessel - operating mainly in North Queensland and New Guinea waters. She was then commissioned as an ammunition stores-issuing ship at Sydney, equipped with a 40mm Bofors, two Oerlikons and a 4 inch gun.

Yunnan proceeded to the Gulf of Leyte in late 1944, mustering with the landing force which reached Lingayen Gulf in the Philippines in January 1945, but was not present at the landing, having sailed for Hollandia in May 1945. From then on she operated in New Guinea, the Admiralty Group and the Sulu Archipelago. After the cessation of hostilities, Yunnan III returned to Philippine waters until October 1945, when she paid off at Sydney.

Yunnan was returned to C.N.Co. on the 9th May 1946. Soon after this, with Yochow II, she commenced the first post-war Hong Kong-Australia service for Yuill’s Australian-Oriental Line - replacing A.-O.’s own steamers, Changte and Taiping, which awaited decommission from the R.A.N.

From 1947, this service was operated on a joint basis by C.N.Co. and A.-O.

In July 1950, Yunnan III was shelled when en route Swatow, which was then under blockade by Nationalist forces. Another ship, Anhui II, had struck a mine in the same area a month earlier, and had been beached before eventual salvage for scrap. Later in the same year, Yunnan II loaded arms and ammunition at Sydney, to supply the Allied forces in Korea.