5 U-Boats Destroyed, 99 P.C. Of Convoy Safe

Northern Advocate, 13 December 1943, Page 6

5 U-Boats Destroyed, 99 P.C. Of Convoy Safe

(8.0. W.) RUGBY, Dec. 12. A strong concentration of U-boats which gathered, in the North Atlantic to launch a major attack on Allied shipping, was recently decisively defeated by British warships and R.A.F. Coastal Command aircraft, working in close co-operalion. During a series of engagements fought over a wide area intermittently for two days and nights, five U-boats were destroyed and three damaged. An Admiralty and Air Ministry announcements of the operation states that 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. Eritish warships sustained neither casualty nor damage. Three aircraft were damaged in combat and two were forced to alight on the sea. Air crews suffered casualties, but the majority were rescued by His Majesty’s ships. British warships mentioned as taking part in the action are the destroyers Duncan, Vanquisher and Vidette and the corvettes Pink and Sunflower and the frigates Byard, Eenetinck, Berry, Drury and Bazely. In one action between the frigate Byard and a U-boat, the submarine was apparently blown to the surface by depth charges from the frigate and appeared about three cable lengths ahead of the British ship.

Hits Along Waterline 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 closerange weapons meanwhile prevented the U-boat’s crew from manning the guns. While the engagement was still in progress they abandoned ship and the U-boat sank a few minutes later. Twenty-seven survivors were picked up by the Byard. Three of the warships which took part in the sinking of the U-boats, namely, the destroyer Duncan and the corvettes Sunflower and Pink, 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 over 25 years old. The frigates mentioned in action follow the general appearance of the river class of frigates, but details of 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 congratulations describing the operation as a decisive defeat for the enemy was sent by Admiral Sir Max Horton, Commander-in-Chief, .Western Approaches, to ships and aircraft which took part.