PLANE SINKS U-BOAT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 213, 8 September 1943, Page 3

PLANE SINKS U-BOAT

N.Z. Bomber Captain Describes Destruction Of Enemy BAY OF BISCAY EXPLOIT Rec. 12.30 p.m. LONDON, Sep. 7. The destruction of one of seven U-boats in the Bay of Biscay reported yesterday was shared by two Wellington bombers, one of which was manned by three Australians, a New Zealander, a Canadian and a Scot. The New Zealander, who was captain, was Flying-Officer J. Whvte, of Auckland.

The other Wellington made the first attack and was hit by flak and forced down to sea, only one of the crew surviving. Flying-Officer Whyte said, "The first Wellington's depth charges hit and severely damaged the U-boat, which I found circling slowly, down by the stern and trailing oil. The U-boat put up heavy flak when I dived to attack.

'"Our front gunner opened up from 3000 ft and scored many hits. Our rear turret gunner opened fire as we passed over the submarine. They shot a lot of Nazis from the deck. We dropped a stick of depth charges, the first-of which must have exploded underneath the U-boat, as its stern was forced out of the water. It rolled slightly and then sagged down. We circled and saw the rest of the U-boat's crew diving from the conning tower. A number were hurled into the air by the explosion. The survivors clustered together in one-man dinghies, which British naval units picked up, together with a survivor from the other Wellington."