U-BOATS SUNK

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21066, 10 April 1943, Page 3

U-BOATS SUNK

BATTLE IN ATLANTIC FRENCH CORVETTE’S BAG BRITISH DESTROYER LOST (Noon.) RUGBY, April 9. The destroyer Harvester, which twice escorted Mr. Winston Churchill across the Atlantic and also fought tier way to Malta, has been torpedoed and sunk while defending an Atlantic convoy. The Harvester located a U-boat at about midnight and attacked with depth charges and then rammed the IJ-Doat. Soon afterwards, the Fighting French corvette Aconit sighted this U-boat on the surface and engaged her with gunfire and then rammed her, sinking her immediately. Survivors picked up were macte prisoners. Although the Harvester had been damaged aft and her progress was very slow, her commander instructed the Aconit to return to the convoy, which was still in danger of attack. Later, the Harvester was forced to a standstill and while lying stopped she was torpedoed and sank. While picking up survivors from the destroyer, the Aconit sighted another U-boat on the surface. The U-boat dived and' the Aconit attacked with depth charges. The U-boat was forced to the surface, attacked with gunfire, and disabled. Finally, the Aconit rammed and sank the enemy. The Harvester was a vessel of 1340 lons and was completed in 1940, just in time to take a prominent part in the evacuation from Dunkirk.,