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Notable events involving Selene include:

The history of HMS Selene as compiled on this page is extracted from the patrol reports and logbooks of this submarine.

This page was last updated in September 2013.

12 Jul 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed her builders yard for Holy Loch. (1)

13 Jul 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) arrived at Holy Loch to begin a period of trials and training. (1)

2 Aug 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) was docked at Holy Loch. (2)

4 Aug 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) was undocked. (2)

11 Aug 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed Holy Loch for Scapa Flow. She made the passage together with HMS Tactician (Lt.Cdr. A.F. Collett, DSC, RN) and HMS Trusty (Lt. L.E. Herrick, DSO, RN). They were escorted by HMS Shikari (Lt. E.H.U. Cautley, RNVR). (2)

13 Aug 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) arrived at Scapa Flow where she was to participate in A/S exercises. (2)

22 Aug 1944
In the morning HMS Euryalus (Capt. R. Oliver-Bellasis, RN) conducted A/S exercises at Scapa Flow with HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN).

She then departed Scapa Flow for exercises in the Pentland Firth the HMS King George V (Capt. T.E. Halsey, DSO, RN).

On return to Scapa Flow HMS Euryalus conducted torpedo firing exercises in the flow. (3)

29 Aug 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed Scapa Flow for Holy Loch. She made the passage together with HMS Torbay (Lt. C.P. Norman, DSO, RN). HMS Shikari (Lt. E.H.U. Cautley, RNVR). (2)

30 Aug 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) arrived at Holy Loch. (2)

26 Sep 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) was docked at Holy Loch. (4)

27 Sep 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) was undocked. (4)

12 Oct 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed Holy Loch for her 1st war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea on an anti-uboat patrol.

The passage North along the West coast of Scotland was made together with HMS Vitality (Lt. K.S. Renshaw, DSC, RNR) and HMS Sceptre (Lt. I.S. McIntosh, MBE, DSO, DSC, RN). They were escorted by HMS Sardonyx (A/Lt.Cdr. T.A. Easton, RNVR).

For the daily positions of HMS Selene during this patrol see the map below.

HMS Selene 1st war patrol click here for bigger map (5)

29 Oct 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) ended her 1st war patrol at Lerwick. (5)

31 Oct 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed Lerwick for Holy Loch. She made the passage South together with HMS Vitality (Lt. K.S. Renshaw, DSC, RNR), HMS Sceptre (Lt. I.S. McIntosh, MBE, DSO, DSC, RN) and HMS Volatile (Lt. F.R. Lawrence, RN). They were escorted by HMS Sardonyx (A/Lt.Cdr. T.A. Easton, RNVR). (6)

2 Nov 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) arrived at Holy Loch. (7)

6 Nov 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) was docked at Holy Loch. (7)

8 Nov 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) was undocked. (7)

23 Nov 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed Holy Loch for Gibraltar. She made the passage in convoy OS 96 / KMS 70. This was the first leg of the trip to the Far East.

For the daily positions of HMS Selene during this passage see the map below.

HMS Selene passage Holy Loch - Trincomalee click here for bigger map (7)

30 Nov 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) arrived at Gibraltar. (7)

3 Dec 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed Gibraltar for Malta. (8)

7 Dec 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) arrived at Malta. (8)

12 Dec 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed Malta for Port Said. (8)

16 Dec 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) arrived at Port Said. (8)

19 Dec 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed Port Said for Aden. (8)

24 Dec 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) arrived at Aden. (8)

26 Dec 1944
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed Aden for Trincomalee. (8)

6 Jan 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) arrived at Trincomalee. At Trincomalee she was docked before proceeding on the 1st Far East war patrol. The dates of docking are however unknown to us. (9)

25 Jan 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed Trincomalee for her 2nd war patrol (1st in the Far East). She was ordered to patrol off Port Blair, Andaman Islands.

No logs are available for this period. Also the patrol report does not mention daily positions so no map can be displayed. (5)

19 Feb 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) ended her 2nd war patrol (1st in the Far East) at Trincomalee. (5)

13 Mar 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed Trincomalee for her 3rd war patrol (2nd in the Far East). She was ordered to patrol in the Malacca Strait.

No logs are available for this period. Also the patrol report does not mention daily positions so no map can be displayed. (5)

19 Mar 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) destroyed a sailing vessel with gunfire off the North coast of Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies.

(All times are zone -6.5)
1537 hours - Surfaced North of Tamiang Point to engage a 40 tons junk. A warning shot was fired from 4000 yards. The crew abandoned ship and now the target was taken under fire. She was left in a waterlogged condition after 47 rounds. (5)

22 Mar 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) sank three sailing vessels with gunfire off the North coast of Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies.

(All times are zone -6.5)
0506 hours - Dived to close in on Tamiang Point. Observed 3 10-tons sampans and 1 40-tons junk. This last one was very heavily laden and was anchored close inshore.

0752 hours - Surfaced and this caused the crew of all 4 vessels to abandon ship. Then the junk and 2 of the sampans were sunk with gunfire. 46 Rounds had been used. (5)

7 Apr 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) ended her 3rd war patrol (2nd in the Far East) at Trincomalee. (5)

12 Apr 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed Trincomalee for passage to Fremantle, Australia.

No logs are available for this period so no map can be displayed. (9)

26 Apr 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) arrived at Fremantle, Australia.

At Fremantle she was either docked or put on the slipway before proceeding towards Subic Bay. The dates are however unknown to us. (10)

16 May 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed Fremantle for Subic Bay, Philippines. (11)

2 Jun 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) arrived at Subic Bay. (11)

7 Jun 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed Subic Bay for her 4th war patrol (3rd in the Far East and 1st in the South-West Pacific area). She was ordered to patrol in the Gulf of Siam.

No logs are available for this period. Also the patrol report does not mention daily positions so no map can be displayed. (5)

24 Jun 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) sank two coasters and a sailing vessel with gunfire in the Gulf of Siam.

(All times are zone -9)
1856 hours - Sighted 2 heavily camouflaged junks at anchor in position 10°15'N, 99°13'E.

1901 hours - Sighted a motor junk coming North.

1913 hours - Surfaced and engaged the motor junk with gunfire. It sank after only 2 minutes.

1926 hours - Opened fire on the anchored coasters but at first the gunfire appeared to have little effect so 2 torpedoes were fired but these missed.

1935 hours - Both coasters were sunk by now. In all 140 rounds had been fired. (5)

25 Jun 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) sank the Siamese schooner Kwangwan with gunfire in the Gulf of Siam.

(All times are zone -9)
1036 hours - Sank the 200 tons Siamese schooner Kwangwan, registered in Bankok in position 10°42'N, 99°31'E. (5)

3 Jul 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) destroyed (or heavily damaged) a coaster with gunfire in the Gulf of Siam.

(All times are zone -9)
1648 hours - Surfaced in position 10°00'N, 99°10'E and engaged a coaster that was anchored very close inshore. All remaining ammunition was expanded but the coaster refused to disappear or catch fire.

1719 hours - Broke off the action. The coaster was lower in the water and had most likely settled on the bottom. Her upperworks were a shambles. Set course to return to Subic Bay. (5)

9 Jul 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) ended her 4th war patrol (3rd in the Far East and 1st in the South-West Pacific area) at Subic Bay. (5)

21 Jul 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) was docked at Subic Bay. (11)

23 Jul 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) was undocked. (11)

27 Jul 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) departed Subic Bay for her 5th war patrol (4th in the Far East and 2nd in the South-West Pacific area). She was ordered to perform a special operation (Operation FOIL).

She was ordered to tow midget submarine XE 5 to Hong Kong to find and cut the telephone cables between Hong Kong and Singapore. We have been unable to find a report of this mission so far so no further details can be given for the moment. The mission was a succes although this was not realised at that time.

No logs are available for this period. Also the patrol report does not mention daily positions so no map can be displayed. (5)

6 Aug 1945
HMS Selene (Lt.Cdr. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) ended her 5th war patrol (4th in the Far East and 2nd in the South-West Pacific area) at Subic Bay.

After the war had ended Selene visited Hong Kong before proceeding back to the U.K. She arrived at Portsmouth on 9 November 1945 and was reduced to reserve there on 4 December 1945. (5)