MUCH HAVOC

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 March 1943, Page 4

MUCH HAVOC

WROUGHT BY BRITISH SUBMARINES SEA & LAND TARGETS IN MEDITERRANEAN. MANY ENEMY SHIPS SUNK OR DAMAGED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) RUGBY, March 4. The Admiralty announces: “One of his Majesty’s submarines reports that when she surfaced in the Gulf of Genoa, near the Italian coast, she opened fire on a shipbuilding yard and scored several hits on two vessels on the stocks. Another submarine, operating close inshore, shelled a train on a bridge. In addition to these two successful actions, submarines operating against Axis supply lines in the Mediterranean destroyed seven more enemy vessels. These included a large supply ship and a ship of medium size, two more supply ships and a mine-sweeper and two tugs. The submarines also damaged nine other enemy vessels, among which were a large tanker and a large supply ship. “Off the Italian Riviera a submarine scored two torpedo hits on a large supply ship, which later ran ashore and became a total loss. In the same area a large tanker, escorted by an armed yacht, was torpedoed. Countermeasures by the enemy made it impossible to observe the full result of this attack. The same submarine also sank two tugs by gunfire. “Off Southern Italy a submarine torpedoed and sank a small supply ship which was being towed by a tug. During a gun action, another submarine Was engaged by Italian shore batteries, without effect. The submarine scored many hits on the target. Later the submarine engaged a mine-sweeper, shelling her until she sank. A submarine also scored hits on a small naval auxiliary vessel. In the same area a submarine scored a torpedo hit on a large supply ship, which formed part of a convoy, escorted by two destroyers. In the Gulf of Hammamet (Tunisia) a supply ship of medium size and small supply ship were sunk. ’