UNIQUE BLOW TO U-BOATS

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 118, 12 February 1940, Page 9

UNIQUE BLOW TO U-BOATS

Destroyer Sinks Two

LESSON OF SAFETY OF CONVOYS

N avy’s Impressive Record By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received February 11, 7.5 p.m.) LONDON, February 10. It is officially announced that a destroyer yesterday sank two Üboats which were attacking a convoy. It was revealed today that the odds against merchantmen being sunk in convoy are 500 to one. Only 15 of the 7888 ships convoyed by the Allied navies to the end of January have been sunk. The total includes 117 neutrals, of which three were lost.

The British newspapers emphasize the significance of the achievement. The U-boats were lying partially submerged waiting for the convoy, but the leading ship detected a periscope and signalled an escorting destroyer, which discovered the two U-boats almost simultaneously and attacked them with deptli charges, sending both to the bottom.

Competent naval observers believe that the number of German submarines destroyed by the Allied forces since the war began exceeds 40.

Yesterday’s achievement when two were sunk by the single destroyer is understood to be unique in naval history. Commentators observe that the probable effect of this news in conjunction with the destruction last week of the enemy submarine which sank the tanker Vaclite while in convoy will be that U-boat captains will be even more reluctant to approach merchant vessels under escort. The German wireless today announced that a U-boat has returned home after sinking 38,000 tons of enemy shipping.

A postcard to his brother from a survivor of the British submarine Starfish who is a prisoner in Germany says, “We got bumped off in Heligoland Bight but the crew were saved.”