EIGHT-DAY SEA BATTLE

Grey River Argus, 15 May 1943, Page 2

EIGHT-DAY SEA BATTLE

ATTACK ON CONVOY.

TEN U-BOATS PROBABLY DESTROYED. LONDON. May 12. Details of a great convoy battle between U-iboats and aircraft and escort vessels in the Atlantic have been released by the British Admiralty. The battle lasted for eight days. Ten U-boats were probably destroyed, but most of the convoy reached its destination. On Monday, the second dav of its journey, the convoy was attacked by eight U-boats. Escort vessels were kept busy beating off repeated attacks. For three days the eight U-boats kept up their attacks and on Tuesday they were joined by more U-boats, until there were 25 in the attacking enemy force. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday U-boats attacked day and night and during that time the escort vessels beat off no fewer than 30 attacks. Two U-boats were probably accounted for by ramming. An escorting’ vessel rammed one U-boat and a second was rammed by one of the escorted vessels. Two others were probably destroyed by depthcharges. The Admiralty communique states that one of these was very probably destroyed and the other probably destroyed. Another U-boat was forced to the surface by depthcharges. It was shelled and there was an explosion. The craft disappeared and was not seen again. Aircraft scored hits on other submarines.

On Thursday night the U-boats had had enough, and made off. Some damage was suffered by the convoy, but the majority of ships reached port safely.