Japanese submarine I-27

On May 31, 1942, I-27 launched midget submarine M-14 as the leading submarine for the attack on Sydney Harbour in Australia.

On June 4, 1942, Iron Crown while en route Whyalla-Newcastle was torpedoed and sunk 44 miles SSW of Gabo Island by I-27. Thirty eight of her forty two crew were lost, with the survivors being picked up by SS Mulbera.^[1]

On March 20, 1943, Fort Mumford was torpedoed and sunk in the Indian Ocean (10°00′N 71°00′E / 10.000°N 71.000°E / 10.000; 71.000) by I-27.^[2][3] The sole survivor of this sinking made no comment as to the fate of the crew,^{[citation needed]} although some publications suggest that they may have been killed by the crew of I-27.^[4][5] There is no conclusive evidence either way, but there is also no evidence of I-27 taking such action on other occasions.

On June 3, 1943, I-27 torpedoed and sank SS Montanan in the Indian Ocean.^[6][7] Five of Montanan's crew were killed and 58 were rescued.^[8]

On July 5, 1943 I-27 torpedoed and damaged the Alcoa Prospector^[7], sailing as part of convoy PA44 in the Gulf of Oman. The turbine engines of this ship were later salvaged and used to propel the Great Lakes freighter Kinsman Independent.^{[citation needed]}

On November 8, 1943, I-27 sank the Liberty ship SS Sambridge. The survivors made it safely to lifeboats and the second officer Henry Scurr was taken prisoner.^[9] A burst of machine-gun fire was heard by the survivors, but its reason is unknown as Scurr was eventually freed from Changi prison camp at the end of the war.^[10]

The submarine torpedoed and sank the Allied steamship SS Khedive Ismail near the Maldives on February 12, 1944, killing 1,297 passengers and crew. After the attack, I-27 attempted to hide under Khedive Ismail's survivors who were floating in the water. Nevertheless, the British destroyers HMS Paladin and HMS Petard located the submarine and destroyed it with depth charges, ramming, and torpedoes at 01°25′N 72°22′E / 1.417°N 72.367°E / 1.417; 72.367. Ninety-nine of I-27's crew were killed. One survivor was captured by the British.^[11]

• Crabb, Brian James (2015). Passage to Destiny: The Sinking of the SS Khedive Ismail in the sea war against Japan. Shaun Tyas. ISBN 978-1-907730-41-2.
• Hashimoto, Mochitsura (1954). Sunk: The Story of the Japanese Submarine Fleet 1942 – 1945. Colegrave, E.H.M. (translator). London: Cassell and Company. ASIN B000QSM3L0.
• Hackett, Bob; Sander Kingsepp (2003). "HIJMS Submarine I-27: Tabular Record of Movement". Sensuikan!. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
• Hackett, Bob; Sander Kingsepp (2003). "Type B1". Sensuikan!. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
• Milanovich, Kathrin (2021). "The IJN Submarines of the I 15 Class". In Jordan, John (ed.). Warship 2021. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. pp. 29–43. ISBN 978-1-4728-4779-9.

01°25′N 72°22′E / 1.417°N 72.367°E / 1.417; 72.367