Ship sank in Christmas Island waters   Torpedoing the Eidsvold by IJN submarine I-159 IJN submarine I-159 was part of task force assigned to support the Japanese invasion to the Celebes, January 1942.After this action was completed, the I-159 was ordered to detach for Penang, Malaya via Christmas Island.   On  January 21, 1942 the I-159 torpedoes the 4,184-ton Norwegian phosphate freighter Eidsvold standing off Flying Fish Cove at Christmas Island. LtCdr Yoshimatsu hits and sinks her with his sixth torpedo.   Torpedoing the Nissa Maru Early in February 1942, the inhabitants of Christmas Island made preparations for impending invasion by Japanese forces. Deep sea mooring buoys were towed out to sea and sunk, thus making almost impossible the task of mooring a vessel within any of the few anchorages inside the coral reef which encircles the island.  March 31, 1942 the Japanese invasion fleet appeared on the horizon. he fleet consisted of two aircraft carriers, two or three heavy warships, and five or six merchant ships, sailed into the Cove in perfect weather and the landing was effected without any opposition whatever. About 100 Japanese civilians who had landed with the soldiers were technical staff brought to get the phosphate plant operating and ship the phosphate to Japan. After the first two or three weeks of occupation, the Japanese had managed to ship about 1,000 tons of phosphate. As the loading plant had not been repaired and as no ship of any size could be moored at the jetties, the rock phosphate had been ‘bagged’ and man handled by the Chinese laborers into the hold of the Nissa Maru, a 700 ton ship which sailed between Christmas Island and Surabaya with supplies.   The Nissa Maru was moored alongside of the jetties and loaded by crane, she was torpedoed whilst unloading supplies.Two torpedoes made direct hits and the ship sand almost immediately. One Malay and four Japanese were killed.   After the loss of the Nissa Maru no more attempts were made to ship phosphate to Japan. Back to History Index   Image Country Year Description Christmas Is. 1992 Nissa Maru,sunk 17.11.1942 Christmas Is. 1992 Torpedoing of Nissa Maru.On 17 Nov' 1942 Christmas Is. 1992 Eidsvold,sunk 21.01.1942 by Japanise submarine I-159 Christmas Is. 1992 Torpedoing of Eidsvold.On 21 Jan' 1942