SEA BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 June 1943, Page 3

SEA BATTLE

U=BOATS HEAVILY DEFEATED IN ATTACK ON ATLANTIC CONVOYS. GOOD WORK BY ESCORTCARRIERS. LONDON, June 20. The Ko/al Nbivy and R.A.F. have defeated one of the most determined I’-boat offensives of the war against convoys carrying valuable war cargoes across tin 1 Atlantic. Ninetyseven per cent of the ships reached harbour unscathed. The Admiralty and Air Ministry, in a joint statement, say the battle went on for five days and live nights. The battle raged over hundreds of miles of sea. The Navy’s newest weapon, the escort carrier, was used and most of the engagements were fought many miles from the convoys. Two U-boats were destroyed, three probably destroyed and others damaged. The battle began when aircraft from H.M.S. Viper, an escort carrier, sighted four U-boats, part of a pack, and attacked them with depth charges. Later, shore-based aircraft of Coastal Command joined in the operations. Many warships were led to U-boats by aircraft.

GREAT REDUCTION

IN SHIPPING LOSSES DURING MAY & JUNE. VALUE OF AIR COVER. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. June 19. The U-boat offensive was a major offensive on the grand scale with great, forces, the Under-Se-cretary of Air, Captain Balfour, said at the opening of the Wings For Victory week in Margate, yet our shipping losses during May were lower than at any time since the United States entered the war. The Coastal Command in its cooperation with the navy could take a large measure of the credit for the success of the month. More U-boats were attacked from the air than in any month before, and fighting of U-boats reached a peak which had never previously been attained, Captain Balfour said. The air cover for the convoys was going far afield, and where there was air cover the U-boats were unsuccessful or had ceased to operate altogether. They were forced below the surface for safety and could not keep up with their prey. Often U-boat packs were broken up miles away from their objective. Even after a U-boat's offensive capabilities had been cancelled it was not safe, because it was likely to fall a victim to another aircraft when it surfaced for air.

The sinkings by Üboats in the first two weeks of June had been even lower than in the first two weeks of May, but that did not necessarily mean that such results would continue. The enemy might be regrouping his shattered forces in an attempt at another decisive blow. The Battle of ho Atlantic would not be won till the war was won, and the war would not bo won unless our air and naval forces enjoyed constant victory.