HMS Stonehenge (P232) was a Royal Navy Third Group S-class submarine built during the Second World War. She was constructed by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead, ordered on 3 August 1941, laid down on 4 April 1942, launched on 23 March 1943, and commissioned on 15 June 1943 under the command of Lieutenant David Stuart McNeile Verschoyle-Campbell, DSO, DSC and Bar.
Early Service
Following commissioning, Stonehenge underwent trials and training in Scottish waters, based around Holy Loch and the Clyde. She then conducted her first operational patrol off the Norwegian coast, part of the Royal Navy's effort to disrupt German naval activity in northern Europe.
Transfer to the Far East
Later in 1943, Stonehenge was transferred to the Eastern Fleet and operated from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). From there she conducted patrols against Japanese shipping in the Indian Ocean and the waters around Malaya and Sumatra.
During her Far East operations she successfully sank:
- The Japanese merchant vessel Koryo Maru No. 2.
- The Japanese auxiliary minelayer Choko Maru.
These successes made her one of the Royal Navy submarines contributing to the Allied campaign against Japanese sea communications in Southeast Asia.
Loss of HMS Stonehenge
On 25 February 1944, Stonehenge sailed from Trincomalee, Ceylon, for a patrol between northern Sumatra and the Nicobar Islands and later in the northern Malacca Strait. She was expected to return on 20 March 1944 but failed to arrive and was declared overdue.
The exact cause of her loss has never been established. The most commonly accepted theory is that she struck a Japanese mine, although no conclusive evidence has ever been found and her wreck remains undiscovered. All 48 officers and ratings aboard were lost.
Legacy
The submarine was named after the famous prehistoric monument in Wiltshire. HMS Stonehenge is remembered among the Royal Navy submarines lost during the Second World War, and commemorative services continue to honour her crew.
Key Facts
- Class: S-class submarine (Third Group)
- Builder: Cammell Laird, Birkenhead
- Launched: 23 March 1943
- Commissioned: 15 June 1943
- Commanding Officer: Lt. David S. M. Verschoyle-Campbell, DSO, DSC and Bar
- Operational Areas: Norway, Indian Ocean, Malacca Strait, waters off Sumatra
- Japanese ships sunk: Koryo Maru No. 2 and Choko Maru
- Last Patrol: February to March 1944 [
- Fate: Lost with all 48 hands, probably due to a mine, March 1944
