BEFORE CAPITULATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 63, 11 September 1943, Page 7

BEFORE CAPITULATION

H.M. SUBMARINES' WORK

Rec. 11.20 a.m. % RUGBY, Sept. 10. During the concluding stages of the Mediterranean operations against Italy, states an Admiralty communique, his Majesty's submarines destroyed a number of vessels and damaged others. Most of these successful operations were carried out in the southern Adriatic.

In the Straits of Taranto a submarine torpedoed a large supply ship which subsequently sank. A medium sized supply ship was torpedoed and sunk en route to Valqna. North of Brindisi two torpedo hits were scored on a large tanker proceeding under escort by a destroyer and two corvettes. The tanker was later seen to have been beached.

In the same area a large transport was attacked, and damaged while forming up in convoy, four explosions being heard. In the vicinity of Bari a mediumsized supply ship was torpedoed and sunk, a number of survivors being rescued from a raft. In the course of the operation a large supply ship in the same area was attacked, a torpedo hit being observed abreast the mainmast.

Reconnaissance near Point Alice in the Gulf of Taranto revealed that work was proceeding on a stranded destroyer of the Partenope class. A torpedo hit caused the whole afterpart of the ship to break off and sink. Shipping off the west coast of Italy was also harassed by submarines. Near the island of Monte Cristo an armed supply vessel of medium size was intercepted and sunk. Near this area another supply vessel was hit by three torpedoes and destroyed. In the northern Aegean a mediumsized supply ship proceeding in a strongly escorted convoy was torpedoed and sunk. Further successes include the sinking of three small naval auxiliary craft and four other small vessels. Two other small vessels were run ashore when attacked, and abandoned. —8.0. W.