BOMBED FROM THE AIR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20046, 19 September 1939, Page 5

BOMBED FROM THE AIR

SINKING OF SUBMARINE ATTACK BY R.A.F. PILOT EYE-WITNESS’ ACCOUNT (British Official Wireless.) Reed. noon. RUGBY, Sept. 18. The first graphic eye-witness account of the bombing and sinking of a German, submarine comes from a young South African officer serving with the R.A.F. The destruction of the submarine was closely observed by the pilot from the attack to the last air bubble which rose to the surface. It was the first submarine with which the pilot had been in action.

“I was sent out on submarine patrol,” he said. “On my return trip I sighted the submarine on the surface two miles away. It was travelling about 12 knots in an easterly direction. I took cover in a cloud in order to approach the submarine from astern.

“As I came out of the cloud flying at 1500 ft., I tried with my binoculars to identify the submarine. Identity Certain “Flying closer, I saw those characteristics which made me sure that she was German. To make absolutely certain, I fired some rounds of ammunition near her to give her a chance to identify herself. She did not do so, so I proceeded to dive, at the same time firing my front gun at someone wearing a white hat who was standing on the conning tower. He disappeared, and the submarine started to dive.

“By the time I dropped my first salvo of bombs, the nearest of which hit the water 15 to 20yds directly ahead of the submarine, she was half under water. The explosion of the bombs blew her back to the surface. That gave me time to turn round, and I then carried out an attack from the port beam.

The nearest bomb of my second salvo landed Gft. to the side of the conning tower. It was a direct hit on the submarine’s port side.

“There was a colossal explosion, and her Whole stern lifted out of the water. She dived into the sea at an angle of 30 degrees.

“For 20 minutes afterwards I remained over the spot watching the large whirlpools caused by escaping air coming to the surface of the water. By that time I assumed that the submarine would be out of action cn- the bottom of the sea, and returned to my base."