Black & White Photograph of Hirup Kumakura Naval Officer HIJMS Yahgi

Hirup Kumakura, was a naval officer who served upon the HIJMS Yahagi. The Yahagi was a Chikuma class cruiser that fought in the First World War under the Anglo-Japanese Alliance deployed against the German East Asia. The Yahagi first joined the hunt for the 'Emden' in the Indian Ocean. Then Hirado and Yahagi with the battleship 'Satsuma' sailed as the Second South Sea Squadron to search the Philippines, Palau Islands and East Indies area, in the hunt for Admiral von Spee’s East Asiatic Squadron, and after the Coronel moved towards the South Central Pacific. From December 1914 to January 1915, the Yahagi patrolled off the coast of northern Queensland, Australia, always in search of possible raiders that can threatens merchant traffic.
On 7 February 1917, the IJN squadron was formed the First Special Squadron with the cruisers Yahagi, Tsushima, Suma and Niitaka. The composite squadron was based at Singapore under Rear Admiral Kozaburo Oguri. By 26 March 1917, the British Admiralty asked to deploy them to Australia and New Zealand, in order to continue the protection of shipping against German raiders. Yahagi and Suma were also deployed in the Indian Ocean in close cooperation with the British China Squadron. Yahagi patrolled the eastern coasts of Australia and New Zealand until October 1917 and was the last ship deployed to defend Australia and New Zealand.

She only went back to Japan, on 21 October 1918. Its crew however was struck with influenza in December 1918 leading to a quarantine at Manila harbo. During her 46 days of immobilization, 300 of her crew were ill while 48 died. It is understood that Hirup Kumakura was one of these. Their remains were buried in Polo, Bulacan in 1918 and the burial ground was marked by a tablet but this was destroyed by the USAFFE before they retreated to Bataan. Immediately after the Japanese occupation a new tombstone, was erected in 1942 and the remains were taken back to Japan before the end of World War 2.

The photograph of Hirup Kumakura was taken in Sydney at the Swiss Studios 387 George Street, during October 1918.