FIVE U-BOATS SUNK

Grey River Argus, 14 December 1943, Page 3

FIVE U-BOATS SUNK

IN NORTH ATLANTIC By British Warships and Bombers CONVOY GOES SAFELY [Aust. & N.Z. Press Assn.] LONDON, Dec. 11. Recently a strong concentration of U-boats gathered in the North Atlantic to launch a major attack on Allied shipping. The U-boats were decisively defeated by British warships and R.A.F. Coastal Command aircraft working in close co-opera-tion. There was a series of engagements fought over a wide area intermittently for two days and nights. During these five U-boats were destroyed and three damaged. British warships mentioned as taking part in the action are the destroyers Duncan, Vanquisher and Vidette, the corvettes Pink and Sunflower, the frigates Byard, Benetinck, Berry, Drury, and Bazely. Three of tnese, the Duncan, Sunflower arid Fink are veterans of the Atlantic convoy route and have fought several successful actions with U-boats.' The destroyers Vidette and Vanquisher are also veterans. Both are over 25 years old. The Admiralty and Air Ministry in their announcement of the operation stated: “This vigorous offensive action prevented the enemy: from launching any concerted attack on two valuable convoys and more than 99 per cent, of the escorted ships reached harbour safely. The British warships sustained neither casualty nor damage. Three aircraft were damaged in combat and two were forced to alight on the sea. The air crews suffered casualties, but the majority were, rescued by His Majesty’s ships.” In one action between the Byiard and a U-boat the submarine' was appanqntly b,lown to the surface by depth charges from the frigate, and she appeared about three cable lengths ahead of the British ship. The Byard immediately engaged with every gun which could be brought to bear and scored hits along the waterline and base of the conning tower. Fire from the frigate’s close range weapons meanwhile prevented the U-boat’s crew from manning the guns. While the engagement was in progress they abandoned ship and the U-boat sank a few minutes later.' Twenty-seven survivors were picked up by the Byard. The ifrigyates mentioned followed the general appearance of the River class frigates, but details of their construction and armament are still on the secret list. They are the new Captain class frigates built in the United States for the Royal Navy and are now coming into service. The Byard is the first of these ships to gain the honour of destroying a U-boat.

A message of congratulation describing the operation as a decisive defeat for the enemy was sent by Admiral Sir Max Horton, Command-er-in-Chief of the Western Approaches, to the ships and aircraft which took part.