U-BOAT BEATEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 September 1943, Page 3

U-BOAT BEATEN

ACCORDING TO AMERICAN ADMIRAL GERMAN DEMORALISATION IN SIGHT. ESCORT CARRIER EFFECTIVE ALLIED WEAPON. - (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, September 29. The German Navy is nearing demoralisation similar to that of 1917, and it has already been forced to draft Üboat crews, which previously consisted only of volunteers, said Rear-Admiral Low, the Chief of Naval Operations against U-boats, in a broadcast. He asserted that the Germans had failed once and for all to break the Allied lifeline across the Atlantic. In the period May-August more than 4000 Allied ships crossed the Atlantic with the loss of less than J. per cent. Moreover, the U-boat fleet was unable to stand the present'rate of sinkings, which was hastening the same kind of demoralisation that broke the U-boat warfare in the last war. Admiral Low said that the most effective Allied weapon was the escort carrier, of which 36 were built during last month alone. Before the end of this year 260 would be completed. SIX ATTACKS ON SUBMARINE PACK. CANADIAN LIBERATORS BUSY. OTTAWA, September 28. Long-range Liberators operating from a base on the Canadian east coast carried out six separate attacks against a U-boat wolf-pack in a recent twoday running battle in mid-Atlantic. The Royal Canadian Air Force announced that the attacks were made while the Liberators were guarding a convoy. So fast did the encounters occur that when one bomber having used all its depth-charges radioed another, the latter replied: “Have own sub on our hands.” All of the six submarines attacked remained on the surface, sending up a fierce curtain of flak. One plane was severely damaged. The R.C.A.F. has made no specific claim of destruction or damage to the U-boats, but at least one submarine was caught surprised and was perfectly attacked.