Six U-Boats Destroyed in Atlantic

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 66, 21 March 1944, Page 5

Six U-Boats Destroyed in Atlantic

, “ Greatest Story of This War ” (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 19. “The greatest U-boat story of this or any war—that describes a recent trip of Captain F. J. Walker, D.S.O. and * two bars, and his flock of sloops known 1 as the second escort group,” writes a correspondent. ■ “They included hi 3 own ship, the Starling, ' and the Wildgoose, Woodpecker, Magpie and Kite. Bare details > of the various actions have been given • in an Admiralty communique. Recently I the sloops of this escort group steamed j into a northern harbour after an \ Atlantic hunt in which six U-boats; were sunk in 20 days and the entire crew of one of the submarines was! captured. “The First Lord of the Admiralty) (Mr. Alexander), who visited the har hour to congratulate the crews of the | sloops, compared the victory with that of Trafalgar. Never before in this war has there been such a welcome by the Navy for the Navy. The band of the Royal Marines played the sloops into harbour. Allied ships blew a welcome on their sirens. ‘ ‘ Tho story begins when first contact | with the enemy was made about 300 miles southwest of Ireland by the Wildgoose detecting a U-boat between her- i self and the Magpie. The two sloops j were joined by the Starling, and all throe attacked with depth charges. A series of deep underwater explosions brought to the surface oil and WTeckage, which included clothing of German manufacture, large pieces of wood and other evidence of destruction. The Wildgoose sighted a U-boat diving one mile on her port bow. As the Starling and the Woodpecker closed at speed, the convoy altered course to clear the area of the hunt. Shortly afterwards the periscope of the U-boat broke the surface only about 20 yards abreast and to port of the Wildgoose’s bridge. The sloop engaged with gunfire, scoring ; several hits until the enemy disappeared. The Woodpecker attacked with depth charges, and 20 minutes later ? deep underwater explosions were heard. A starshell fired by the Starling illuminated much oil and wreckage on the surface. “The following day the Kite sighted a U-boat emerging from a patch of mist several miles ahead of the convoy. The enemy submerged in a crash dive as the sloop altered course to attack, being joined by the Magpie, and both ships continued to harry the U-boa*. while tho convoy steamed safely past. “Meanwhile,, the Wildgoose in a ( position off the 1 convoy’s starboard bow 1 detected another U-boat and, together . with the Starling, carried out a series ! of attacks with depth charges Some , rime after the completion of these pat terns a deep underwater explosion was ' heard and a large air bubble and much ’ evidence of destruction were sighted. “The Starling and the Wildgoose I then set a course to join the Kite in 1 attacking a U-boat which had first been ' sighted ahead of the convoy. All four 1 ships continued this hunt without ceas- { ing till late in the afternoon watch. Nine hours after the first sighting ot 5 the U-boat the final pattern depth charge fired by the Starling brought ' much wreckage to the surface and es- ' j tablished the destruction of the third U-boat within the space of 16 hours. ] MUCH WRECKAGE. “At daylight a second escort group ] detached from the convoy and proceed* i ed on patrol. That night the Wildgoose detected another U-boat and attacked » with depth charges. The explosions were followed hy noises of hammering, rending, and exceptionally heavy rumbling. With daylight the sloops sighted a patch of oil at least six miles wide. Scattered over the area was wooden wreckage, including parts of the Üboat’s upper deck. Alter nearly a week of patrolling without further incident the second escort group joined an eastbound convoy with which at least one U-boat wa3 known to be in contact. While sweeping in convoy the Woodpecker made contact with the ' enemy. Tho Starling joined in the hunt ' and at intervals for more than five and ‘ a half hours the two sloops carried out ‘ a series of attacks. Shortly after the 1 Starling had fired the last depth charge j in the ship, tho U-boat surfaced nearly ' a mile on tho sloop’s quarter. The ] Starling at once engaged with gunfire ‘ scoring hits with both her 4in and ' smaller armaments. The U-boat’s crew abandoned ship and eight minutes after \ surfacing the enemy sank stern first. ‘ The entire crew of 51 were picked up j by His Majesty’B ships and made! - prisoners of war.”