“LIKE PACKS OF SHARKS”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 234, 4 October 1943, Page 4

“LIKE PACKS OF SHARKS”

NAZI SUBMARINES ATTACK CANADA CONVOY • Recd. 8.10 p.m. Ottawa, Oct. 2. Latest advices on the attack on the big convoy indicate that six Allied ships, including three war vessels, were sunk with heavy loss of life. At least two U-boats were sunk and six U-boats possibly damaged in a threeday running battle. British, American and Norwegian survivors said the U-boat pack followed two Canada-bound convoys like packs of sharks for ten days until almost in sight of the coast. The opinion was expressed that they used new and more deadly torpedoes, sinking one ship within a minute and another in four minutes. Three warships lost were St. Croix, Itchen and Polyanthus.

The Associated Press says the action marked the re-opening of the Battle of the Atlantic after four months’ respite. Reports from Maceio, Brazil, state that the U-boat twice torpedoed the 5000-ton Brazilian passenger ship Ipapage, which sank within four minutes off Coruripe Point on September 26, according to its commander, Antonio Barrs, who said he tried to beach the ship after sighting the U•boat, which machine-gunned passengers and crew in the lifeboats. Eighty wounded were taken to 'hospital. Six of the passengers and 19 of the crew are missing.