U-Boat Fleets Coming In to Surrender

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 111, 12 May 1945, Page 5

U-Boat Fleets Coming In to Surrender

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 10. The first U-boat to surrender in British waters reached Weymouth, flying the Red Ensign. She was the U 249, with five officers and 43 ratings. The U 249 was met about four miles off the Dorset coast this morning hy a motor-launch carrying Commander N. J. Weir, who was authorised by the Admiralty to accept the surrender, and a Polish naval armed guard. The launch, carrying a military armed guard with Sten-guns at the ready, came alongside and boarded the submarine. They were followed by Commander Weir, who climbed at once to the conning-tower, where the white-capped, red-faced U-boat commander, Ober-Lieutenant Block, awaited him. Commander Weir handed to him the document of surrender, saying: “I have come aboard to accept the unconditional surrender of your U-ooat.” Tne crew were then lined up, the officers on the decK and the ratings forward. In the meantime, the captain had signed six copies of the document and returned them to Coiiunander Weir.

A party of Royal Navy experts descended into the submarine to make a careful examination to see that everytning was in order. Before the exam mation was completed most of the crew, including the captain and officers, were taken asnore in motor-launches and escorted to a cage for prisoners of war. Several members of the crew remained to assist in the technical examination of the vessel.

Later, when the examination was completed the submarine was towed into port.

The U 249 surfaced yesterday morning about 40 miles south-southwest of the Lizard, and signalled her intention to surrender. The Ametnyst and the Magpie were at once sent from Plymouth to escort her. She had been at sea about 40 days, operating in the southwest Channel area, and still had 10 torpedoes umired when she came in. Commander Weir remained on the conning tower with the U-hoat captain for a considerable time, and the captain apparently asiced the commander what was going to happen to his submarine, and he was told that she would later be towed in by tugs. In Portland dockyard the surrender was formally made to the Admiralty. The surrender was accepted by RearAdmiral R. J. R. Scott, chief Flag Officer of Portland, accompanied by his chief of staff, Captain G. B. Villiers, Captain Hunt, representing Admiral Stark, of the United States Navy, and the senior officer of the Polish flotilla operating from Portland.

Fourteen U-boats signalled their acceptance to-day of the British Admiralty’s instructions to make for the nearest Allied port. Another U-boat was reported on the surface near Lands End to-day, and 11 others are on their way from the North Atlantic this afternoon. Another which has been on patrol off the north coast of Scotland has reached a British naval station near Durness, Sutherland. The last U-boat attack was made against the British ship Avondale Park, which was torpedoed in a convoy oft the northeast coast on Tuesday. Two lives were lost.