EAGER HUNT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 June 1943, Page 4

EAGER HUNT

AFTER AXIS SUBMARINES BY SEA AND AIR FORCES. DURING ATLANTIC BATTLE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) RUGBY, June 20. The Atlantic battle reported in an earlier message began when two of a large number of U-boats operating in the vicinity of a convoy were sighted by aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm, from ail escort carrier, his Majesty’s ship Biter. Aircraft attacked the U-boats with depth charges and machine-gun fire, forcing them to dive. Later shorebased aircraft joined the escort forces. Meanwhile naval aircraft were attacking another U-boat. They led the destroyer Broadway and the frigate Lagan towards the enemy. Both ships attacked in turn, and the Broadway’s second attack was followed by muffled underwater exolosions, and wreckage of definitely German origin floated to the surface. The U-boat was considered sunk.

Additional aircraft from the. same group of the Coastal Command, including Sunderlands, Catalinas and Flying Fortresses, joined in the protection of the convoys, and more attacks on Üboat packs were made in quick succession. During one of these actions the destroyer Pathfinder attacked a Üboat with depth charges. The U-boat broke the surface for a moment and then disappeared. The result of this attack is not known.

Later Sunderland aircraft led the Lagan and a Canadian, corvette, the Drumheller, to a U-boat which was attacked and may have been sunk. Quantities of oil floated to the surface in a spreading patch, which covered an area of four square miles by next day. While these engagements were in progress, a strong force of U-boats which had worked around ahead of another convoy was attacked by the destroyer Hesperus. One submarine was attacked with depth charges, forced to the surface, and engaged with gunfire Repeated hits were scored, and the Üboat’s, crew were blown into the sea. The Hesperus closed, and the U-boat either dived or sank as the destroyer passed over her, dropping a pattern of depth charges. The fate of the U-boat is uncertain.

The Hesperus sighted a second Üboat on the surface and attacked it by gunfire, a number of hits being made at the base of the conning tower. Members of the U-boat crew were seen to clamber on deck and jump overboard. The destroyer completed its attack by ramming the U-boat, which is believed to have been destroyed. Next day the Hesperus attacked and sank a third U-boat. , Meanwhile aircraft maintained a continuous patrol over and in the vicinity of the convoys, forcing the other U-boats to remain submerged and to lose contact.

The Biter is one of the Navy’s new Weapons —an escort aircraft-carrier. Many of these vessels have been and are being built, or converted out of fast merchantmen or tankers. They are considerably smaller than fleet air-craft-carriers.

A spirited engagement took place between a Sunderland and a U-boat during the convoy battle. The Sunderland caught the U-boat on the surface, moving towards a convoy, and they exchanged fire for some ten minutes. The U-boat then submerged and the Sunderland dropped depth charges. Then the corvette Drumhellar took over the attack and the U-boat was destroyed within five minutes.