Japanese Battleship Settsu

Japanese Battleship Settsu

Japanese Battleship Settsu

Settsu was a Kawachi-class battleship built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Launched on 30 March 1911, she was completed on 1 July 1912. During the First World War, Settsu and her sister Kawachi bombarded German positions at Qingdao during the siege of Qingdao in 1914, but saw no other combat.

After World War One, Saeetsu was placed in reserve in 1919 and disarmed in 1922 in compliance with the Washington Naval Treaty. In 1924 she was converted to a target ship, a role she undertook until 1945.

At the start of the Second World War, Settsu was deployed to the Philippines, where she simulated the radio traffic of the six main fleet carriers, as well as two light carriers in order to deceive Allied intelligence as to their whereabouts.

Settsu was badly damaged by S Navy aircraft in July 1945. Subsequently refloated she was scrapped in 1946-47.