U-BOAT SUNK

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 12, 5 October 1943, Page 3

U-BOAT SUNK

STRANGE STORY TOLD

BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE

A British naval officer tokl in a recent 8.8.C. Radio Newsrce.l of a strange tiling that had happened dnring his ship's last voyage across the Atlantic. They sighted a derelict lifeboat Car out in the ocean. They found it was empty but for —a full bottle of champagne! They heard afterwards that those who had been in the boat had been picked up. So they decided to keep the champagne for celebrating their first success against a U-boat. ' l,t must have, been an omen, the officer said, because early next morning a Sunderland aircraft of the Coastal Command reported that, she was engaging a U-boat. As their ship raced for the spot,, an unusual order was given by the captain : "Stand by for action in ten minutes' time!" So instead of the customary scramble thev had time to dress properly and were able to have a cup of cocoa. It turned out to be what the broadcaster described as a model attack. The Canadian corvette, H.iYLC.S. Drum Keller,, had had a crack at the U-boat before the British escort ship got. there. They made contact exactly when and where the captain had anticipated. In 514 minutes it was all over; they made only one attack, and scored two direct hits. Almost immediately they saw patches of oil and wreckage coming to the surface. When they left the oil patch had extended to GOOft in diameter. The following day an aircraft reported an oil .streak in that area 1/00 yards long. Typical of the "silent service" was the entry in the ship's log: "0()29: made contact with U-boat; 0634 *2: sank same." Exactly 5% minutes of their time accounted for. They waited till thev reached port before drinking the champagne that Neptune had. awarded them in ' adran ce.