New U-Boat Tactics

Northern Advocate, 8 April 1943, Page 3

New U-Boat Tactics

(8.0. W.) RUGBY, April 6 The Secretary for the Navy (Colonel Knox) at Washington, referring to increased shipping losses, said more German submarines than ever were now abroad, concentrated in midAtlantic, and there had been another change in submarine tactics. Although it was difficult to determine what effect Allied aerial blows against submarine pens in Continental ports would have on the Battle of the Atlantic Colonel Knox thought it could lie assumed that attacks were embarrassing the Germans, if, for no other reason, than disruption of activities round the bases. The “London Times” warns that if Germany has deliberately chosen to use against Britain the . submarine weapon, which must limit her use of the air arm to some extent, this has been because she considers it the most deadly weapon she could employ against Britain, the British Empire and the United States. “The Times” adds:—

“It might be argued that the U-boat -is the one weapon which affords Germany the remotest chance of avoiding defeat. The anti-submarine war conditioned every phase of British and American activity and coloured every future prospect before their brothersin arms.

If new tonnage from the shipyards were not overtaking the depreciation caused by submarines the outlook would be bleak indeed but comfort drawn from the figures of new building must be qualified by recollection that the losses inevitably impose dislocation of supplies and plans. “New exertions, therefore, are demanded of the British, especially in production, since it has been deficiency of material on water and in the air, rather than erroneous methods of defence, which has brought about the present state of affairs.