Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

AMAZING EXPLOIT

SUBMARINE’S FEAT THRILLING PATROL SINKING OF U-BOAT Clt (J.LSIKUI TORPEDOED SECOND BADLY DAMAGED ' (British Oilieial. Wireless.) -CRUGBY, Dec. 18. ' l V.’ . / The British . sfibmnrino ’ which recently sank 'ji U-boat, sighted the Bremen, and torpedoed at least one German cruiser, had an enthusiastic reception oil it s return to port. As she mitered harbour, sirens sounded on every ship present—among them two destroyers of the JJolish Nnv.y which are at present' co-operat-ing with thejtoyul Navy. The patrol ■‘from which the-submarine returned is spoken of in naval circles as the,-most venturesome undertaken by any submarine .either in this war or the last. Event's rapidly from the beginning. The submarine had not long I icon in her patrol area bp I ore she sighted a German. U-boat of the big ocean-going typo moving last' oil the surface, outward hound. The British submarine manoeuvred quickly to attack. Torpedoes were fired and in a few minutes there came a shattering explosion. Wreckage was thrown at least 200 ft. in the air. The British .submarine made an unsuecosslul search for survivors.

The next incident to iVefall this small unit of the. British navy was of a different character, proving to the World the scrupulous regard of the British navy lor international law. 'I he true story of the sighting of the Bremen and how she was able to proceed; on her way unharmed would itsell make a chapter in the naval history, ol this war, but the submarine's adventures oil this patrol were far from ended. (Bather less than 24 hours "alter the .Bremen, had passed, she was again, cruising submerged, keeping a lookout through her periscope, when ships wore sighted. On closer investigation these proved to he two German battle cruisers, the Selia ruhorst and •Gneisonau, and one of the pocketbattleships with three cruisers in company. Two of these cruisers were the new Sin. gun ships, the Dipper and Bluchor. The other recognised as the Leipzig because of her funnel and conspicuous aircraft crane. The enemy cruisers, altered! course so that it was seen that they would pass within toipodo range ol the submarine, which fired six torpedoes on slightly different courses. The first torpedo hit the Leipzig. There was a pause of only a- minute. Then two more terrific explosions told that two other torpedoes had found their mark —almost certainly upon the second heavy cruiser of the Bluelu’r class. The other three torpedoes had obviously passed between the enemy ships. The .submarine, however, could not wait to determine the exact result of Die attack. She liadl to dive deep to elude her pursuers by steering, a zigzag course at high speed at a considerable depth. She was hunted and depth charges were dropped lor two hours. It was not until alter dark that fhe British submarine returned to the scene. Then she found an area of near)vi I.' miles oh the sea thickly coated in oil fuel. There was much oil on the sea, that the 1 nines contaminated! the" air to sue]) an extent that the .submarine had to leave the vicinity and ventilate with dean air before being able to dive again. It is suggested that at least one heavy cruiser in addition to tin* Leipzig was badly damaged, and that. as. it was, one of the ship’s might well have failed to reach port.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OPNEWS19391220.2.22

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 273, 20 December 1939, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
556

AMAZING EXPLOIT Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 273, 20 December 1939, Page 4

AMAZING EXPLOIT Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 273, 20 December 1939, Page 4

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert