NORTH ATLANTIC PATROL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 10 January 1944, Page 2

NORTH ATLANTIC PATROL

TWO U-BOATS IN EIGHT HOURS London, Jan. 8. “During a patrol in the North Atlantic some weeks ago, sloops of the Royal Navy under the command of Captain F. J. Walker, destroyed two U-boats within a space of eight hours,” states an Admiralty communique. The first U-boat was encountered at night in a position northwest of the Azores and was illuminated by a star shell. The enemy was a large patrol or supply U-boat and submerged 700 yards ahead of the sloop which fired the star shell. The sloop carried out three attacks with depth charges. “Meanwhile other ships proceeded at speed to the spot and one gained contact with the enemy who had been forced to go deep. It was then decided to postpone further attacks until daybreak and for four hours three sloops kept in contact with the enemy which tried to elude the surface craft by proceeding very slowly on a south-west course. But the attempt was unsuccessful. At the first light of dawn depth charges were again dropped and after the first pattern, noises of cracking, rending and breaking were heard coming from a point deep under the water. Two explosions followed, the second being near the surface and clearly audible to the ships’ companies. Afterwards a considerable quantity of oil and wreckage floated to the surface. “Early in the afternoon of ' the same day a second U-boat was detected by the sloops which attacked with depth charges. Again breaking noises and explosions were heard and oil, foodstuffs and clothing of German origin floated to the surface, the oil spreading for more than a mile in all directions.” (Rec. 11.0 a.m.) London, Jan. 9. The German U-boat arm is going through a difficult period owing to technical alterations, says the German news agency. Though fewer successes are recorded the Germans firmly believe Admiral Doenitz’s battle cry: “We will come again shortly,” has come true, adds the agency.