WAR ON U-BOATS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 September 1942, Page 3

WAR ON U-BOATS

IN THE BAY OF BISCAY SUCCESSES OF ALLIED AIRCRAFT. CZECH PILOT'S GOOD FORTUNE. LONDON, September 21. In the Bay of Biscay R.A.F. and Allied squadrons are ceaselessly hunting down enemy submarines. The Air Ministry gives details of two successful attacks. The Canadian captain of a Wellington bomber sighted a submarine, which saw him first, but as it was submerging his bombs exploded just ahead of the periscope. Following the explosion the conning tower and part of the hull were awash and the rear-gunner raked the U-boat with gun-fire. When the U-boat was last seen flames and smoke were pouring from the conning tower. A Czech sergeant-pilot, by a hundred to one chance, sighted a U-boat on his first trip over the Bay. Some Coastal Command airmen have patrolled for hundreds of hours before sighting a submarine. The U-boat was on the surface. The air gunner opened fire and the U-boat replied with cannon fire, but a stick of bombs put an end to that. The bombs fell right across the boat and damaged it so badly that it was unable to dive. When the plane left the submarine was settling slowly in the water, apparently out of control.

ENTERPRISING & LUCKY NEW SOUTH WALES AIRMAN. MORE INSTANCES OF U-BOATS DESTROYED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) RUGBY, September 21. One Sunderland flying-boat captain, Lieutenant H. G. Pockley, of New South Wales, has been so lucky in his patrols in the Bay of Biscay that his colleagues call him “the U-boat magnet.” Some

weeks ago Lieutenant Pockley caught an Italian U-boat on the surface, and, despite the weight of the giant Sunderland, he attacked in a dive almost as steep as that of

a Stuka. The bombs must have damaged the submarine for the Italians remained on the surface and fought a gun battle with the Sunderland. They hit the fly-ing-boat with anti-aircraft fire, but did no serious damage. In return Lieutenant Pockley’s gunners sprayed the submarine with machine-gun bullets, many hits being scored on the conning tower and deck and the guns ceased firing. Another Sunderland came along and added to. the U-boats discomfort. The submarine was not sunk, but was forced to remain on the surface. Next day it was found by a Wellington, and as bombs fell some Italians diver overboard and swam rapidly away. Those who remained tried to submerge, but the U-boat slid under the water at an angle which clearly showed that it was out of control. A few days later Lieutenant Pockley surprised a German submarine on the surface and there were violent explosions which threw up great spouts of wale?? from the centre of the U-boat as the pilot dropped his bombs. Later there were masses of air bubbles. These are but two of Lieutenant Pockley’s successes.