TWO U-BOATS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 July 1943, Page 3

TWO U-BOATS

DESTROYED IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC WITHIN PERIOD OF NINE HOURS. GALLANT WORK BY BRITISH SLOOPS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) RUGBY, July 29. An Admiralty communique states: “Within a period of nine hours, two U-boats were destroyed recently in the North Atlantic by an escort group of sloops of the Royal Navy. One of several U-boats was detected by H.M.S. Starling, which carried out skilful and determined attacks with depth charges. The U-boat, evidently blown to the surface, appeared a thousand yards astern. As the enemy craft started to go slow ahead, apparently under full control, ships of the escort group opened fire. Meanwhile the Starling shaped a course to ram. She struck the U-boat abreast its conning tower. The submarine was clearly visible. as it passed under the sloop and a further • pattern of depth charges was dropped. H.M.S. Woodpecker fired more depth charges over the position and soon afterwards locker doors and other floating wreckage of German origin were picked up. “Later on the same day, H.M.S. Wren detected a second U-boat. In company with H.M.S. Wild Goose and Kite, the Wren carried out a series of attacks. The final attack apparently caused the U-boat to disintegrate. Later great quantities of oil and much wreckage floated to the surface.”