On 2nd January 1945 HMS Porpoise left Trincomalee to lay mines in theStraits of Malacca in the vicinity of Penang. On 19 January, Porpoise signalled confirming their mission had been successfully carried out. The submarine was never heard from again.
Japanese records show that a submarine was spotted and bombed by aircraft in the vicinity of Penang. The aircraft scored a hit with one of its bombs. Although not destroyed in the attack the submarine was wounded and leaking oil that left a trail for the Japanese anti-submarine forces to follow. CH-8 found the submarine still sitting on the bottom with its sonar.
My 20 year old uncle was among the many lives lost that day.