Top
Home - Boats - Submarines - S Class - Stratagem

    3 Comments

Stratagem (P234)

Built By: Cammell Laird (Mersey)
Build Group: S Group 3
Fate: HMS Stratagem sailed from Trincomalee on 10th November 1944 with orders to patrol in the vicinity of Malacca where it was believed the Japanese were loading ships with bauxite ore. On the afternoon of the 18th Stratagem attacked and sank the tanker Nichinan Maru. On 22nd November a Japanese aircraft spotted the submarine and directed a destroyer to where it had dived. Just after midday the destroyer attacked, the first depth charge causing the submarine's bow to strike the bottom. The submarine was plunged into darkness and the forward part began to flood. Attempts to shut the watertight door to the forward compartment failed and the crew were forced to make their escape.
Stratagem (P234)
Stratagem (P234)

Upload An Image Of This Boat

Roll of Honour

Name Rank Number Hons Age
Anstee, Reginald George  Able Seaman  C/JX 145021    24
Baker, Stanley William  Able Seaman  P/JX 418354    20
Baker, Stanley William P/JX 418354 DoB 02/11/1924 Age 20. CWGC has Age 24
Benz, Brian  Lieutenant      21
Bishop, James Wilford  Leading Stoker  C/KX 93231    24
Booth, Farquhar  Stoker 1st Class  C/KX 171814    21
Brandon, Edmond  Leading Stoker  C/KX 92546    25
Brodie, Thomas Irvine  Stoker 1st Class  P/KX 140777    21
Bryson, Frederick  Able Seaman  D/JX 422347    19
Cliff, Douglas  Telegraphist  D/JX 361448    20
Dickerson, Sidney Joseph  Stoker 1st Class  C/KX 166027    20
Dracup, Derek George Rendel  Stoker 1st Class  P/KX 156066    21
Faulkner, Brian  Able Seaman  P/JX 501087    20
Faulkner, Brian P/JX 501087 RN DoB 26/04/1924.. Actual DoB 26/04/1925
Frankham, John Henry  Leading Stoker  P/KX 91545    26
Gibbons, Dennis Frederick  Engine Room Artificer 4th Class  P/MX 117062    24
Graham, Ronald  Telegraphist  P/JX 271174    23
Gregson, Thomas William  Leading Seaman  D/JX 303291    22
Hall, Ronald  Electrical Artificer 3rd Class  P/MX 56030    26
Handy, William  Able Seaman  P/SSX 16409    30
Hayes, John  Able Seaman  C/JX 221692    22
Howard, George Henry  Petty Officer  D/JX 134553    29
Howlett, Reginald Charles  Stoker 1st Class  D/KX 164938    20
Executed as POW Dec 1944 Reported 31st December 1944
Lee, George  Petty Officer  P/JX 145964    24
McAlinden, Francis John  Leading Seaman  D/JX 154467    22
McAlinden, Francis John D/JX 154467 DoB 01/12/1921 Age 22. CWGC has Age 29
McCauley, Thomas  Stoker Petty Officer  P/K 65360    38
McKay, William  Chief Engine Room Artificer  P/MX 58555    28
Mitchell, Brian Hugh  Able Seaman  P/JX 338818    20
Moorhouse, Thomas  Leading Seaman  C/JX 159150    22
Patrick, David  Engine Room Artificer 4th Class  C/MX 119629    21
Pearce, Leonard Walter  Petty Officer Telegraphist  P/JX 144239    24
Pelly, Clifford Raymond  Lieutenant    DSC  25
No BMD Info
Phillips, Francis John James  Able Seaman  D/JX 420937    19
Executed as POW Dec 1944 Reported 31st December 1944
Pickard, Harry  Petty Officer  P/JX 137672    28
Prentice, Cyril Ernest  Sub Lieutenant (RNVR)      24
Preston, Basil Henry  Leading Stoker  P/KX 154564    21
Rayner, Frederick Somerton  Warrant Engineer  (Ex.M34531)    41
Richardson, John  Able Seaman  P/JX 146168    25
Ritchens, Stanley Herbert  Able Seaman  D/JX 148278    24
Executed as POW Dec 1944 Reported 31st December 1944
Snell, Norman Ernest  Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class  P/MX 55037    23
Stanway, Frederick William  Able Seaman  D/JX 368447    21
Thomas, Harold Powys  Leading Signalman  D/JX 176017    25
Thompson, Leslie William  Able Seaman  C/JX 392378    21
Thorpe, Alfred George  Stoker 1st Class  C/KX 143697    20
Watson, James  Stoker 1st Class  P/KX 110375    23
Weatherhead, Robert Gilbert  Leading Cook  D/MX 65040  MID  26
Webb, Peter Jack  Able Seaman  P/JX 382419    21
Executed as POW Dec 1944 Reported 31st December 1944
Welshman, Maurice Waites  Chief Petty Officer  C/JX 149286  DSM  30
Westwood, Arthur Leonard  Able Seaman  P/JX 220335    24
Executed as POW Dec 1944 Reported 31st December 1944
Williams, Robert Gordon  Engine Room Artificer 4th Class  P/MX 503451    23
Winterbottom, Francis William Leslie  Lieutenant      23
Woolley, John Edward  Leading Telegraphist  P/JX 258173    24

Events

15-04-1942 : Laid Down
21-06-1943 : Launched
09-10-1943 : Completed
07-08-1944 : HMS Stratagem fires torpedoes against the German submarine U-181 in the Strait of Malacca near Penang. However all torpedoes missed their target.
19-11-1944 : HMS Stratagem torpedoes and sinks the the Japanese tanker Nichinan Maru in the Malacca Strait.
22-11-1944 : Sunk in Malacca Straits

HMS Stratagem sailed from Trincomalee on 10th November 1944 with orders to patrol in the vicinity of Malacca where it was believed the Japanese were loading ships with bauxite ore. On the afternoon of the 18th Stratagem attacked and sank the tanker Nichinan Maru. On 22nd November a Japanese aircraft spotted the submarine and directed a destroyer to where it had dived. Just after midday the destroyer attacked, the first depth charge causing the submarine's bow to strike the bottom. The submarine was plunged into darkness and the forward part began to flood. Attempts to shut the watertight door to the forward compartment failed and the crew were forced to make their escape.
Comments

3 comments

I think my father will be the last survivor of HMS Stratagem. Aged 91 still living in Harrogate North Yorkshire. He joined the war aged seventeen and recalls surviving the sinking aged eighteen. He wont talk about his captivity and still hates the Japanese. I cant find his name in any of the reports, but know from a few pictures and papers he was on the sub when it went down.
   Stephen Baren Sun, 3 Dec 2017
I too knew one of the 3 who survived captivity and he didnt like to talk about it either. The horror that they endured is unthinkable! Its a shame you havent been able to find much information.
   Sophie Mon, 28 May 2018
My Uncle Reg was on board, it seems he survived the sinking but was executed the execution was registered on 31/12/44. If anyone has any information on this submarine or my Uncle Reginald Charles Howlett D/KX 16493 anything would be very much appreciated
   John Edward Howlett Mon, 10 Jun 2019

This form is for you to comment on, or add additional information to this page. Any questions will be deleted. If you wish to ask a question or otherwise contact the Branch or the Webmaster. Please use the Contact Us page or ask your question on our Facebook Page

Please insert the result of the arithmetical operation from the following image:

Please insert the result of the arithmetical operation from this image. =

   

Note: All submissions are subject to webmaster approval prior to appearing on the page. As a SPAM prevention measure, any comments containing links to other sites will be automatically discarded

Storm (P233)Strongbow (P235)