AIRCRAFT’S PRIZE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 282, 10 September 1941, Page 8

AIRCRAFT’S PRIZE

SURRENDER OF A U-BOAT.

SUCCESS AFTER LONG VIGIL.

(United Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, September 8. A German submarine has surrendered to a British bomber.

.Following an attack by a Hudson aircraft, the submarine, was forced to the surface in a damaged condition. A Catalina flying-boat then took over arid, patrolled overhead until the arrival of British warships. The submarine . was then taken to a British harbour. ■ >

A description of the long vigil by aircraft which followed the capture of the XJrbpat.—the first time a. land aircraft lias performed such a feat—and an account of that capture, make one of the most interesting stories of aerial warfare. ' The Hudson, completely unaided, held the U-boat in sight for nearly;four hours. The Catalina flying bpat then arrived and acted as gaoler, assisted by Other Hudsons and Catalirias," for nearly 10 hours more. - ’/The, Hudson had been on patrol over the Atlantic since early morning. Visibility was poor and there were frequent rainstorms. Suddenly there was a'shoiit from the navigator’s cabin in the nose: “There’s one just in front of you!’’ There, about 1200 yards away on the port how was a U-boat. The pilot thrust the nose of the aircraft down and dived. At exactly the right moment the bombs were dropped and the pilot turned steeply and climbed. Below him, he could see a wide area of churned waves. As he watched, there- was another shout from everybody'in. the plane. The U-boat had come to the. surface. Tho Hudson dived again. This time all its gung l blazed tracer bullets. As tliej Hudson dived, the U-boat’s con-ning-tower hatch was thrown open and ajbout a dozen of the crew scrambled : out and dropped to the deck. The Hudson "crew thought they were maiming the guns, so they kept their own guns fifing'hard. Q r: Shirt Used as White Flag. This was too much for the Germans. , Those who -were already on deck turned." and ran hack into the conningtower, and those who were coming up from ; below still tried to push outwards. The U-boat crew were all mixed up together, some struggling to get in-vand-others to get out. All the figures seemed to be without caps, and they Were distinctly visible from above for they were all wearing bright yellow life-saving jackets. Tour times the Hudson roared over, with • its guns screaming, , banking steeply each time to swing round into the attack again. When the Hudson was coming round for its fifth attack, however, the U-boat surrendered. One of uts crew held a white shirt up from the conning tower, waving it violently. The airmen ceased fire, but continued to circle with their guns trained'. The Germans followed them anxiously round with the shirt and then, to make their intentions quite clear, held up;what appeared to be some sort Of: -white board, : ..‘.‘They have shoved a white flag up,” called the wireless operator triumphantly. - The Hudson flew right over the Üboat at about 50 feet, and by then the entire U-boat crew bad crowded on to the conning-tower. There were 30 or 40 of them, and they were packed so tightly that they coukl scarcely ;movei'" - : • V The Pilot’s Problem. The problem now was bow to bold Ahem, prisoner and,get them taken into custody*;.; The navigator prepared a message for the base and tho wireless operator’s • hand rattled up. and down on the key. All this time tho pilot was circling the U-boat and keeping his eyes glued to it. He did that lor 3-J hours. Had he lost sight- of it for a ..second he might easily have lost it altogether. When at last be stepped on to bis home aerodrome bis neck was so ■ stiff i that he could not- turn his head. • The message reached the base and ve was decided to bring that IT-hoat ancl its crew to shore if it was humanly possible. Never before in history bad "mi- underwater craft surrendered to a -land aircraft. A Catalina flying-boar was sent at once to relieve tlio Hud- ; son and all other aircraft in tly vicinity were diverted over the U-boat lrom time to' time to demonstrate to the crew that there was a big striking force ready if they tried to escape. The Catalina arrived early in the afternoon. , . When the Hudson crow saw the Catalina approaching, they were afraid that it might bomb and sink the I -boat, : o they signalled anxiously to it: “Look .after, our submarine, which has shown ,a white flag.” . The Hudson crow dived twice more over “their U-boat” to have a last look at it and then it was the 'Catalina s turn to circle endlessly. r l lie Catalina kept it up for eight hours without lm\j n rt- to fire a. single shot. A surface craft was steaming toward the spot as ouickly as possible but it was a long wav off yet and the question was: Would it got there before nighttall. The weather was growing worse and daylight was fading. There was every chance of, losing the U-boat during the night, and the Catalina’s crew were growing desperate. Warship Arrives, But at the last moment they sighted one of His Majesty’s slaps which steamed up and started to signal orders to the-U-boat-crow. Then came darkness and the Catalina lost touch with the U-boat. Long before daylight next day, however, another Coastal Command Catalina* in the area was continuing the vigil. By now a gale was blowing, the night was jet black and rain storms were lashing everywhere. Then in the •..darkness the Catalina picked up the glow of a light from the submarine, hut so fierce was the gale that it was blown off its course and lost the submarine again. Very soon, however, the crew saw* the submarine reflected in a

dim light through the storm.with the white foam ojl waves breaking across its hows. Throughout the,.remaining hours of darkness, the Catalina continued tflLcircle, sometimes losing sight of the U-boat for as much as 15 minutes hut always finding it again. At last, light began to- break and the crow could just see tho thin outline of tho submarine. As the light strengthened, they could make cy.it a ship lying nearby and soon they saw other ships approaching The Catalina crew watched the beginning of the long- task of getting the U-boat and its crew to harbour.