U-BOATS SUNK

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21036, 12 February 1940, Page 7

U-BOATS SUNK

ATTACK ON CONVOY

UNIQUE ACHIEVEMENT TOTAL GERMAN LOSSES (United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 10 The Admiralty announces that a British destroyer sank two U-boats which were attacking a convoy. It is not the normal practice to announce sinkings as they occur, but an exception is made on this occasion. The U-boats were lying partially submerged waiting for a convoy, but the leading ship of the convoy detected a periscope and signalled to an escorting destroyer, which discovered the two U-boats almost simultaneously and attacked them with depth charges, sending both to the bottom.

Competent naval observers, says a British official wireless message, believe the number of German submarines destroyed by the Allied forces since the war began exceeds 40. Yesterday’s achievement, when two were sunk by a destroyer, is understood to be unique in naval history. Commentators observe that the probable effect of this news, in conjunction with the destruction last week of an enemy submarine which sank the tanker Vaclite while in convoy, will be that U-boat captains will be even more reluctant to approach merchant vessels under escort.

The odd% against merchant ships being sunk while in convoy are still 500 to one. Only 15 of 7888 vessels conveyed by the Allied navies up to the end of January were sunk. The total includes 117 neutral ships, of which three were lost.

The German wireless says a U-boat has returned home after sinking 38,000 tons of enemy shipping.