| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Submarine |
| Class | S |
| Pennant | P 246 |
| Built by | Cammell Laird Shipyard (Birkenhead, U.K.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 2 Nov 1942 |
| Launched | 14 Sep 1943 |
| Commissioned | 13 Dec 1943 |
| End service | |
| Loss position | |
| History | Lent to France in 1952 and renamed Sultane. Returned on 5 November 1959. Sold to be broken up for scrap on 3 Janaury 1961. Commanding Officer: |
Commands listed for HMS Statesman (P 246)
Please note that we're still working on this section.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | Lt. Robert George Pierson Bulkeley, RN | 12 Oct 1943 | Oct 1945 ? |
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Noteable events involving Statesman include:
22 Aug 1944
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese army cargo ship Sugi Maru No.5 (1983 GRT, former Panamanian flagged, Norwegian owned Gran) off Port Blair, Andaman Islands in position 11º40'N, 92º45'E. (see map)
6 Oct 1944
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks two Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire of the Mergui Archipelago, Burma.
29 Dec 1944
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire north-east of Sumatra.
1 Jan 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks four small Japanese vessels with gunfire north-east of Sumatra.
6 Feb 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks two Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire in the Malakka Strait.
17 Feb 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks the Japanese trawler Matsujima Maru No.3 and the Japanese coasters Nippon Maru No.19, Nanyo Maru No. 17 and Nippon Maru No.14 with gunfire in the Malakka Strait in position 04º26'N, 98º16'E. (see map)
20 Feb 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks a small Japanese tanker with gunfire in the Malacca Strait.
5 Apr 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks seven small Japanese landing craft with gunfire and / of demolition charges in the Strait of Malacca.
6 Apr 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks three small Japanese landing craft and six sailing vessels with gunfire in the Strait of Malacca.
7 Apr 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire in the Strait of Malacca.
8 Apr 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire in the Strait of Malacca.
10 Apr 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks two Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire in the Strait of Malacca.
11 Apr 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks three Japanese barges with gunfire in the Strait of Malacca.
15 Apr 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire in the Strait of Malacca.
1 May 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks a small Japanese vessel in the Strait of Malacca.
5 May 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks two Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire in the Strait of Malacca.
9 May 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with demolition charges in the Strait of Malacca.
15 May 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks a Japanese coaster with gunfire in the Strait of Malacca.
16 May 1945
On 9 May 1945 the Japanese heavy cruiser Haguro and the Japanese destroyer Kamikaze (both offsite links) left Singapore for a transport run to the Andaman Islands. They were sighted the next day in Malakka Strait by the British submarines HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) and HMS Subtle (Lt. B.J.B. Andrew, DSC, RN). To intercept the Japanese ships a task force made up of 2 battleships, 1 heavy cruiser, 2 light cruisers, 4 escort carriers and 8 destroyers left Trincomalee. Aircraft from the escort carriers attacked the Nicobar Islands on the 11th, forcing Haguro and Kamikaze to head back to Singapore.
On the 14th the Japanese ships again depart Singapore for the Andaman Islands. They were spotted the next day north-east of Sabang by aircraft the British escort carrier HMS Shah (Capt. W.J. Yendell, RN). A few hours later they were attacked by aircraft from the British escort carrier HMS Emperor (Capt. Sir C. Madden, RN) causing light damaged to Haguro. In the meantime Japanese aircraft have sighted Allied destroyers closing in on Haguro and once again the Japanese ships reverse course.
In anticipation on the Japanese reversal of course the commander of the British 26th DF, Capt. M.L. Power, CBE, DSO with Bar, RN on board HMS Saumarez and the other British destroyers HMS Venus (Cdr. H.G.D. De Chair, DSC with Bar, RN), HMS Verulam (Lt.Cdr. D.H.R. Bromley, DSC, RN), HMS Vigilant (Lt.Cdr. L.W.L. Argles, DSC, RN) and HMS Virago (Lt.Cdr. A.J.R. White, DSC, RN) plotted a course to intercept the Japanese ships which they did shortly before midnight on the 15th. After careful manouvering the destroyers began attacking the Japanese ships from all sides shortly after one o'clock on the 16th. The Haguro was hit by torpedoes and gunfire and sinks around 0230hours in position 04º49'N, 99º42'E but not before she hit the Saumarez with gunfire. The escorting Japanese destroyer Kamikaze escapes with only minor damage.
26 Jun 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.M. Seaburne-May, RN) sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire north of Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies.
14 Aug 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) sinks 5 Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire and demolition charges in the Strait of Malacca.
18 Aug 1945
HMS Statesman (Lt. R.G.P. Bulkeley, RN) torpedoes and sinks a derelict wreck drifting in the Straits of Malacca, described as probably a coaster.