U-BOAT LOSSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 December 1943, Page 3

U-BOAT LOSSES

IN TWO=DAY ATLANTIC BATTLE FIVE SUNK & THREE DAMAGED ATTACK ON CONVOYS DEFEATED DECISIVELY. ONLY BRITISH CASUALAIES AMONG AIR CREWS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 11. A strong concentration of U-boats which gathered in the North Atlantic to launch a major attack on Allied shipping was recently decisively defeated by British warships and Iv.A.F. coastal command aircraft working in close cooperation. During a series of engagements fought over a wide area intermittently for two days and nights, five D'boats were destroyed and three damaged.

The Admiralty and Air Ministry announcement of the operations states: “This vigorious offensive action prevented the enemy launching any concerted attack on two valuable convoys, and more than 99 per cent, of the escorted ships reached harbour safely. British warships sustained neither casualty nor damage. Three aircraft were damaged in combat and two were forced to alight on the sea. The aircrews suffered casualties, but the majority were rescued by His Mayesty’s ships.’’ The British warships mentioned as taking part in the action are the destroyers Duncan, Vanquisher and Vidette, the corvettes Pink and Sunflower, nd the frigates Byard, Benetinck, Berry, Drury and Bazely. In one ’ action between the frigate Byard and a U-boat, the submarine was apparently blown to the surface by depth charges from the frigate and appeared about three cable lengths ahead of the British ship. The Byard immediately engaged with every gun which could be brought to bear, and scored hits along the waterline and base of the conning-tower. Fire from the frigate’s close-range weapons meanwhile prevented the U-boat’s crew manning the guns. While the engagement was still in progress they abandoned ship and the U-boat sank a few minutes later. Twenty-seven survivors were picked up by the Byard. Three of the warships which took part in the sinking of the U-boat, namely the destroyer Duncan and the corvettes Sunflower and Pink, are veterans of the Atlantic 'convoy route, and have fought several successful actions with U-boats. The destroyers Vidette and Vanquisher are also veterans, both being over 25 years’ old. The frigates mentioned in the action follow the general appearance of riverclass frigates, but the details of construction and armament are still on the secret list. Captain class frigates built in the United States for the Royal Navy, are now coming into service. The Byard is the first of these ships to gain the honour of destroying a U-boat.

A message of congratulation describing the operation as a decisive defeat for the enemy was sent by Admiral Sir Max Horton, Commander-in-Chief. Western Approaches, to the ships and aircraft which took part.