M24 Japanese Midget Submarine wreck site facts for kids

The M24 Japanese Midget Submarine wreck site is where a small Japanese submarine, called a midget submarine, now rests. It's found deep underwater off the Northern Beaches of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. This submarine was designed by the Imperial Japanese Navy and built around 1941-1942. Today, it's a special historical site, protected since 2007. The wreck is about 55 meters (180 feet) deep and about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Bungan Head.

History of the M24 Submarine

The M24 was one of three small submarines that took part in an attack on Sydney Harbour during World War II. This happened on May 31 and June 1, 1942. The attack was part of a bigger plan by five Japanese submarines. Their goal was to damage Allied ships and military bases in the harbor.

The M24 submarine managed to get past the harbor's defenses. It fired two torpedoes, which are underwater missiles. One of these torpedoes hit and sank an Australian naval ship called HMAS "Kuttabul". Sadly, 21 sailors lost their lives in this attack. After the attack, the M24 submarine was never found. Its location remained a mystery for over 60 years.

Discovery of the Wreck Site

In November 2006, a group of scuba divers from Sydney made an amazing discovery. They found the remains of the missing M24 midget submarine. This happened off Sydney's Northern Beaches.

The wreck was found about 5 kilometers (3 miles) offshore from Bungan Head, near Newport. It was lying in over 50 meters (164 feet) of water. News of this discovery was shared on a TV show called 60 Minutes on November 26, 2006. The government officially confirmed the find a few days later.

Protecting the Submarine Wreck

Because the M24 wreck is so important, a special "No-entry Protected Zone" was created around it. This happened on December 1, 2006. This zone helps protect the fragile wreck site.

The protected area has a radius of 500 meters (1,640 feet) around the submarine. Only researchers and people managing the site are allowed to enter this zone. They need special permits to do their archaeological work.

On December 7, 2007, the M24 wreck and its 500-meter zone became a protected State Heritage item. This means it's against the law to disturb the wreck or the area around it. There are very large fines, up to AUS$1.1 million, for anyone who breaks these rules.

About the Midget Submarines

The Japanese Imperial Navy's Type A midget submarines, like the M24, were about 24 meters (79 feet) long. They weighed around 46-47 tons (about 100,000 pounds). Each submarine carried two 18-inch (46 cm) torpedoes.

These submarines had a crew of two people. They could stay underwater for about 12 hours. The submarines were built with strong steel plates. They could dive to a normal depth of up to 100 meters (328 feet).

An electric motor powered the submarines. They could not recharge their batteries once they were used. This meant the crew had to be very careful with their power. These submarines were quite fast for their size. They could go up to 24 knots (44 km/h) on the surface and 19 knots (35 km/h) underwater.

The Sydney submarines had some small changes compared to earlier models. They were a bit wider, about 1.8 meters (6 feet) across. They had three main parts joined together. These parts held the torpedo tubes, batteries, and the motor.

Other improvements included a better compass and a way for the crew to get in and out underwater. They also had special guards for the nose and propeller, and net cutters. These cutters helped them get through harbor defenses.

These Type A submarines were designed in Japan in the 1930s. Many were built between 1940 and 1942. The Sydney submarines were an improved version.

Crew of M24

The two crew members of the M24 midget submarine during the operation were:

• Sub Lt. Katsuhisa Ban
• Petty Officer Mamoru Ashibe

See also

• Attack on Sydney Harbour
• Military history of Australia during World War II