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)
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 |
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