ACTIONS IN CHANNEL

Kaikoura Star, Volume LXII, Issue 23, 23 March 1942, Page 4

ACTIONS IN CHANNEL

FIVE E-BOATS SUNK, DESTROYER TORPEDOED. RUGBY, March 17. A full account of the actions which took place against E-boats in the North Sea on the night of Saturday, March .14, and the morning of Sunday, March 15, when three E-boats were sunk and a further two damaged by our naval forces, is given in an Admiralty communique. “These actions were entirely separate from that in the English Channel on the morning of Saturday, March 14, when, as already announced, two Eboats were destroyed,” states the communique. “Thus, during the week-end the,enemy lost five E-boats, with two others damaged, apart from the losses inflicted by the Royal Air Force. “The night of Saturday was very dark, with no moon, and the sea was calm. Shortly before 9 o’clock E-boats attacked one of our convoys in the North Sea. No ship of the convoy was damaged, but the destroyer Vortigern was hit by two torpedoes and sank. The E-boats were engaged by the destroyers Holderness and Wallace. One E-boat was sunk by the Holderness, ami the Wallace damaged another. H.M.S. Guillmot heard the explosion of torpedoes and gunfire and at once closed.

“The scene of action then swept to the eastward in search of E-boats. A few minutes -later the Guillmot sighted an E-boat lying in wait, stalked it, and got within 50 yards without beingseen. The Guillemot then opened fire with every gun that could be brought to bear. The E-boat was hit amidships on the waterline by a 4-inch shell and by a large number of rounds from heavy machine-guns. Gunboats Intercept E-boats. “At that moment another E-boat was sighted in a favourable position to attack the Guillemot. The Guillemot at once gave chase, but was unable to come up with the enemy owing to his superior speed. After chasing away this E-boat the Guillemot returned, but could find no trace of the E-boat which she had previously been in action with, and it is considered that this boat was sunk.

“Early on Sunday morning three of our' motor gunboats intercepted enemy E-boats some nine miles from a German base on the Dutch coast. One Eboat was at once heavily engaged, and when last seen was sinking by the bow. Later four E-boats approached from the eastward. One of our motor gunboats fought a running fight with three of these E-boats until all her ammunition was exhausted. She then withdrew. During the engagement one E-boat was severely damaged. All our motor gunboats returned safely. “Spitfires later found four E-boats, one of which was badly damaged. They attacked them, and set one on fire and badly damaged the other three.”