Trafford

Born on the 26th April 1925 at Hale Barns, Cheshire; the birth being
registered during the June quarter 1925 in the Manchester South R.D. - ref:
8d.25, the only son of John and Hilda Barbara Faulkner (nee Pierpoint).

In 1921, his father was residing with his parents at Hale Road, Hale and
employed as a House Furnishing Salesman.  His mother resided with her
parents at Wicker Cottage, Hawley Lane, Hale and was employed as a
Shorthand Typist.

1939 National Registration - St. Helen's Road, Royal Leamington Spa,
Warwickshire.   John Faulkner - Born on the 19th October 1903 - Married -
occ: Furniture Salesman.   Hilda B. Faulkner - Born on the 5th December
1903 - Married - occ: Unpaid Domestic Duties.   Brian Faulkner - Born on
the 26th April 1925 - Single - occ: At School.

Death reported in the Royal Leamington Spa Courier - dated 15th December
1944.   Attended Central School, Leamington.  Employed in the Commercial
Office of the Royal Leamington Spa Courier, he joined the Royal Navy
Volunteer Reserve nearly two years previous.   His father - Signalman John
Faulkner Royal Corps of Signals., had been serving with the C.M.S., for
over two years.  The report carries a portrait photo of him.

Commemorated on his grand-parent's grave in Hale Unitarian Chapel.

H.M. Submarine Stratagem was laid down in the Cammell Laird shipyard in
Birkenhead on 15 April 1942 and launched on 21 June 1943. On 24 September
1943, Stratagem sailed to Holy Loch, where she was commissioned into the
Royal Navy on 9 October.

After patrols along the Norwegian theatre, she was sent to Malta, then onto
the Far East.

Stratagem departed Trincomalee for the last time on 10 November 1944, with
orders to patrol in the Strait of Malacca. Nine days later, she torpedoed
and sank the Japanese tanker Nichinan Maru in the Strait, the only victory
in her career. On the 22nd November 1944, the submarine was detected by
aircraft and attacked with depth charges by the Japanese submarine chaser
CH 35. The first depth charge caused Stratagem's bow to hit the sea bottom
and caused flooding. The forward watertight bulkhead could not be closed,
and she was forced to surface. The submarine was scuttled, and ten of her
crew were taken prisoner, of whom only three survived the war.

An excellent, but harrowing story of the sinking and their treatment in a
Japanese POW Camp from a survivor is available to read on
https://www.cofepow.org.uk/armed-forces-stories-list/hm-submarine-stratagem.