MV Krait

MV Krait was built as a wooden fishing boat in Japan around 1934 for use out of Singapore and named Kofuku Maru (Happiness or Good Fortune). It was seized in late 1941 as the Japanese forces advanced on Singapore, and used to help evacuate people from the region before escaping to Sri Lanka and India. In 1943 it was renamed Krait (after a deadly species of snake) and was used in the successful commando raid Operation Jaywick in 1943. This raid was led by Major Lyons, and Krait able to commemorate members of that raid and those, including Lyons, who were later lost when a second raid Operation Rimau was abandoned.

MV Krait is a compelling representative of the dramatic and horror filled evacuation of refugees from the fall of Singapore, and specifically the brave actions of its crew lead by Bill Reynolds who saved a number of the civilians and military personnel. The two commando raids and the desperate evacuation are major Australian events in World War II and Krait is probably the only extant vessel able to represent these stories and the people associated with them.

During Operation Jaywick, Krait used its disguise as a Japanese fishing boat and successfully made it to within 20 miles of Singapore where three pairs of operatives in folboats (folding canoes) were disembarked. They paddled to Singapore Harbour and attached limpet mines to seven Japanese tankers and freighters, which were either sunk or damaged. Krait then returned to Australia with the commandos.

Krait operated out of Darwin for the remainder of the war and was present at the Japanese surrender at Ambon in September 1945.

After the war it was handed to the British Borneo Civil Affairs Unit and bought by a British saw miller for the Borneo timber trade. In the late 1950s two Australians recognised Krait whilst and a public appeal followed which helped return it to Australia in 1964.

The vessel was then operated by the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol for patrol, search and rescue, boating courses and school visits. It was transferred to the Australian War Memorial in 1985 and has been managed by the Australian National Maritime Museum since 1987.