SIX SHIPS SUNK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 February 1943, Page 3

SIX SHIPS SUNK

BRITISH SUBMARINES SCORE a TWO OTHER AXIS VESSELS DAMAGED. ITALIAN U-BOAT DESTROYED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.35 a.m.) RUGBY, February 17. The Admiralty announces that six more enemy supply ships were destroyed, a seventh damaged and another, in spite of being strongly escorted ,was torpedoed and probably sunk by submarines in the Central Mediterranean. A Dutch submarine in the Mediterranean has sunk an Italian U-boat. This is the second time in the Mediterranean that a Dutch submarine has accounted for one of its opposite members. DETAILS OF SINKINGS POWERFULLY ESCORTED CONVOY. SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) RUGBY, February 17. “One of his Majesty’s submarines encountered a convoy of two westbound enemy supply ships west of Sicily, states the Admiralty, describing the Mediterranean sinkings. These were powerfully escorted by destroyers, motor launches and aircraft, but the submarine pressed its attack and torpedoed one supply ship, which was probably sunk. “In the Gulf of Hammamet three small enemy ships, south-bound and fully-laden, were attacked by gunfire. Two were sunk and the third beached, and is thought to be a total loss. A fourth south-bound laden supply ship also was damaged by gunfire. “Near Brindisi a British submarine torpedoed and sank a medium-sized supply ship. Another small supply ship also was attacked, but took refuge inshore. The submarine followed and scored a hit with a torpedo, after which the ship was beached with its back broken. Another large east-bound supply ship, unescorted, was hit by two torpedoes and sunk. “Another submarine bombarded a train in the railway station of San Ambregio, on the northern coast of Sicily, and scored many hits.”