NAZI U-BOAT SUNK

Southland Times, Issue 24004, 20 December 1939, Page 7

NAZI U-BOAT SUNK

Feat Of British Submarine GERMAN CRUISER TORPEDOED (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, December 18. The British submarine Salmon 'which recently sank o a Üboat, sighted the Bremen and torpedoed at least one German cruiser had an enthusiastic reception on her return to port. As she entered the harbour sirens sounded on every ship present—among them two destroyers of the Polish Navy which are at present cooperating with the Royal Navy. The patrol from which the submarine returned is spoken of in naval circles as the most venturesome undertaken by any submarine either in this war or the last. Events moved rapidly from the beginning. The submarine had not long been in her patrol area before she sighted a German U-boat of the big ocean-going type moving fast on the surface, outward bound. The British submarine manoeuvred quickly to the attack. Torpedoes were fired and, in a few minutes, there came a shattering explosion. The wreckage was thrown at least 200 feet into the air. The British submarine made an unsuccessful search for survivors. ' The next incident to befall this small unit of the British Navy was of a different character, proving to the world the scrupulous regard of the British Navy for international law. The true story of the sighting of the Bremen and of how she was able to proceed on her way unharmed would itself make a chapter in the naval history of this war, but the submarine’s adventures on this patrol were far from ended. Rather less than 24 hours after the Bremen had been passed she was again cruising submerged, keeping a look-out through her periscope when ships were sighted. On closer investigation these proved to be two German battlecruisers, the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau, and one of the pocketbattleships with three cruisers in company. Two of these cruisers were the new eight-inch gun ships, the Hipper and the Blucher. The other was recognized as the Leipzig. The enemy cruisers altered their course so that it was seen that they would pass within torpedo range of the submarine, which fired six torpedoes on slightly different courses. The first torpedo hit the Leipzig. There was a pause of only a minute. Then two more terrific explosions told that two other torpedoes had found their mark—almost certainly upon the second heavy cruiser of the Blucher class. The other three torpedoes had obviously passed between the enemy ships. The submarine, however, could not wait to determine the exact result of the attack. She had to dive deep to elude her pursuers by steering a zigzag course at a high speed and at a considerable depth. She was hunted and pursued with depth charges for two hours. It was not until after dark that the British submarine returned to the scene. Then she found an area of nearly four miles and a-quarter of sea thickly coated in oil fuel. There was so much oil on the sea that the fumes contaminated the air to such an extent that the submarine had to leave the neighbourhood and ventilate with clean air before being able to dive again. It is suggested that at least one heavy cruisef - in addition to the Leipzig was badly damaged and that, as it was, one of the ships might well have failed to

reach port. DETAILS VERIFIED Verification of the details has been secured from Commander E. O. B. Bickford of the circumstances in which, because of the regulations of warfare at sea, the Bremen was allowed to proceed unscathed. It was just getting light in the morning and the British submarine was on the surface when an enemy aircraft appeared. The submarine dived deep immediately. About an hour later the engine of a large ship was heard on the hydrophones. The submarine came to periscope depth to investigate and saw the Bremen sailing past fairly fast, but it was at once obvious that she would pass well within torpedo range. In fact, it would have been impossible for the submarine’s captain to have missed such a great target—had he decided to fire on it, but he knew that under international law merchant ships must not be sunk except in the case of persistent refusal to stop when summoned and he had instructions from the Admiralty that the war at sea was to be conducted in strict accordance with international law. The British submarine, therefore, set about carrying out the procedure required of it under international law, although enemy aircraft were known to be nearby. It came to the surface and made a signal by a daylight signalling

lamp: “Stop instantly.” The Bremen took no notice. The submarine commander at once gave the order for the gun to be uncovered so a shot could be fired across the Bremen’s bows. Even then liability for making provision for the safety of the Bremen’s very large crew would have devolved upon the submarine. This was impossible in the circumstances and the warning shot was never fired. A German aircraft appeared overhead and the submarine dived. In being forced to dive by the aircraft the submarine could easily have fired six torpedoes into the Bremen as she dived, for she was already in an attacking course, but the dictates of international law could not be complied with so the Bremen was allowed to proceed on its way unharmed. It will be noted that these facts contrast strongly with the highly divergent German statements.