TWO MOM U-BOATS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 December 1943, Page 3

TWO MOM U-BOATS

ACCOUNTED FOR IN NORTH ATLANTIC Both Destroyed by Naval Forces AFTER BEING SIGHTED BY AIRCRAFT VALUABLE CONVOYS PROCEED UNHARMED (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Dav. It) a.m.) RUGBY, December 17. U-boats operating in the vicinity of Allied shipping in the North Atlantic recently were subjected to such relentless assaults by an escort group of the Royal Navy and by aircraft of the coastal Command that the enemy was prevented from launching even one attack against two valuable west-bound convoys. During these attacks, British ships under the command of Commander P. W. Gretton, in the destroyer Duncan, destroyed two U-boats. A communique says: “The actions began when a Coastal Command Liberator, from squadrons commanded by a 'New Zealander, Wing Commander A. E. Clouston, was on an antisubmarine sweep about 15 miles from a convoy. This aircraft sighted and attacked a U-boat, meanwhile signalling the Duncan and her accompanying corvettes. As the ships approached, the Liberator reported that the U-boat was diving. The Duncan took up the hunt and about two hours later carried out two attacks with depth charges. These were followed by a series of deep underwater explosions. The Duncan and the corvettes made further attacks. Shortly afterwards a large quantity of wreckage floated to the surface. Pieces of wood, apparently from a writing desk, linings of bulkheads and locker lids were recovered by the Duncan. Oil and wreckage were still rising when the ships left. Later a second U-.boat was detected and after four hours of attacks by surface vessels there was a sound resembling that of a submarine blowing its tanks and later a number of muffled explosions, and then large pieces of wood and other wreckage were picked up. The convoys proceeded to their destinations without further incident.