| Built By: | Cammell Laird (Mersey) |
| Build Group: | S3 |
| 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. Ten crew managed to escape, of which eight were taken Prisoner of War. Only three of these (who were taken to Japan) survived captivity. The other five were executed in Singapore by the Japanese. |
| 1943: | Acting Lieutenant | Reginald Lewis Willoughby (RNR) | |
| 1944: | Lieutenant | Robert Henry Hugh Brunner | MID |
| 1944: | Lieutenant | Clifford Raymond Pelly | |
| 1944: | Lieutenant | Clifford Raymond Pelly | DSC |
| 1944: | Lieutenant | Anthony Robert Profit | DSC MID |
Roll of Honour |
50
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| Anstee, Reginald George |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Baker, Stanley William |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Benz, Brian |
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| Lieutenant | ||||||
| Bishop, James Wilford |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| Booth, Farquhar |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Brandon, Edmond |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| Brodie, Thomas Irvine |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Bryson, Frederick |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Cliff, Douglas |
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| Telegraphist | ||||||
| Dickerson, Sidney Joseph |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Dracup, Derek George Rendel |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Faulkner, Brian |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| RN DoB 26/04/1924 | ||||||
| Frankham, John Henry |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| Gibbons, Dennis Frederick |
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| Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | ||||||
| Graham, Ronald |
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| Telegraphist | ||||||
| Gregson, Thomas William |
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| Leading Seaman | ||||||
| Hall, Ronald |
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| Electrical Artificer 3rd Class | ||||||
| Handy, William |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Hayes, John |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Howard, George Henry |
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| Petty Officer | ||||||
| Lee, George |
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| Petty Officer | ||||||
| McAlinden, Francis John |
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| Leading Seaman | ||||||
| McCauley, Thomas |
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| Stoker Petty Officer | ||||||
| McKay, William |
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| Chief Engine Room Artificer | ||||||
| Mitchell, Brian Hugh |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Moorhouse, Thomas |
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| Leading Seaman | ||||||
| Patrick, David |
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| Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | ||||||
| Pearce, Leonard Walter |
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| Petty Officer Telegraphist | ||||||
| Pelly, Clifford Raymond DSC |
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| Lieutenant | ||||||
| Pickard, Harry |
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| Petty Officer | ||||||
| Prentice, Cyril Ernest (RNVR) |
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| Sub Lieutenant | ||||||
| Preston, Basil Henry |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| Rayner, Frederick Somerton |
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| Warrant Engineer | ||||||
| Richardson, John |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Snell, Norman Ernest |
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| Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class | ||||||
| Stanway, Frederick William |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Thomas, Harold Powys |
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| Leading Signalman | ||||||
| Thompson, Leslie William |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Thorpe, Alfred George |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Watson, James |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Weatherhead, Robert Gilbert MID |
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| Leading Cook | ||||||
| Welshman, Maurice Waites DSM |
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| Chief Petty Officer | ||||||
| Williams, Robert Gordon |
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| Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | ||||||
| Winterbottom, Francis William Leslie |
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| Lieutenant | ||||||
| Woolley, John Edward |
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| Leading Telegraphist | ||||||
| Howlett, Reginald Charles |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Executed as POW | ||||||
| Phillips, Francis John James |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Executed as POW | ||||||
| Ritchens, Stanley Herbert |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Executed as POW | ||||||
| Webb, Peter Jack |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Executed as POW | ||||||
| Westwood, Arthur Leonard |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Executed as POW | ||||||
| 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. |
| Length overall | 217 ft |
| Beam | 23 ft 6 inch |
| Depth | 11 ft |
| Diving Depth | 350 ft |
| Speed | Surface 15 knots (design) |
| Surface 14.75 knots (service) | |
| Submerged 10 knots (design) | |
| Submerged 9 knots (service) | |
| No. of shafts | 2 |
| Endurance | Surface: 6000 miles at 10 knots (design) |
| Armament (i) | 6 x 21 inch bow tubes |
| 1 21 inch stern tube | |
| (13 torpedoes carried) | |
| 1 x 3 inch gun | |
| 3 x 0.303 inch machine-guns | |
| 1 x 20mm Oerlikon cannon | |
| Complement | 5 Officers and 43 Ratings |
| Note | The armament of submarines of this class varied considerably. For example: 23 boats were fitted with the six bow tubes only; 18 vessels, intended to operate in the Far East, had their 3 inch guns replaced by 4 inch guns; whilst, in some boats, the Oerlikon cannon replaced, rather than supplemented, the three machine-guns. |
Sealion (S 07) |
|
| Class: | 1956 - 1988: Porpoise Class |
| Built By: | |
| Build Group: | P2 |
|
Fate: Sold to Oceanic UK Ltd of Blyth. she left Chatham under tow March 26th 1990 to be broken up. |
|
In the year that it is published, Russian submarines have once again been detected off the UK's shores. As Britain comes to decide whether to renew its submarine-carried nuclear deterrent, The Silent Deep provides an essential historical perspective.
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| Length overall | 217 ft |
| Beam | 23 ft 6 inch |
| Depth | 11 ft |
| Diving Depth | 350 ft |
| Speed | Surface 15 knots (design) |
| Surface 14.75 knots (service) | |
| Submerged 10 knots (design) | |
| Submerged 9 knots (service) | |
| No. of shafts | 2 |
| Endurance | Surface: 6000 miles at 10 knots (design) |
| Armament (i) | 6 x 21 inch bow tubes |
| 1 21 inch stern tube | |
| (13 torpedoes carried) | |
| 1 x 3 inch gun | |
| 3 x 0.303 inch machine-guns | |
| 1 x 20mm Oerlikon cannon | |
| Complement | 5 Officers and 43 Ratings |
| Note | The armament of submarines of this class varied considerably. For example: 23 boats were fitted with the six bow tubes only; 18 vessels, intended to operate in the Far East, had their 3 inch guns replaced by 4 inch guns; whilst, in some boats, the Oerlikon cannon replaced, rather than supplemented, the three machine-guns. |
Sealion (S 07) |
|
| Class: | 1956 - 1988: Porpoise Class |
| Built By: | |
| Build Group: | P2 |
|
Fate: Sold to Oceanic UK Ltd of Blyth. she left Chatham under tow March 26th 1990 to be broken up. |
|
In the year that it is published, Russian submarines have once again been detected off the UK's shores. As Britain comes to decide whether to renew its submarine-carried nuclear deterrent, The Silent Deep provides an essential historical perspective.
17 pages added or updated in the last 2 month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
Comments
Comment by: John Edward Howlett on June 10th, 2019
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
Comment by: Sophie on May 28th, 2018
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.
Comment by: Stephen Baren on December 3rd, 2017
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.
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