Not a Ship, Not a Man

A joint communique of the British Admiralty and Air Ministry last week: A force of U-boats estimated to number between 25 and 30 . . . was subjected to such a relentless assault by surface escorts of the Royal Navy and by aircraft of the Coastal Command that the enemy was denied the opportunity to launch even one attack against a large and valuable eastbound convoy.

Almost on the first clear day out of port, a Liberator had found three U-boats stalking the convoy preparing for attack. The big plane dropped its depth bombs: one submarine was considered sunk. Surface craft attacked two more, depth-charged them. From one a huge oil slick bubbled to the surface: the U-boat was seen no more.

For two days and two nights, by air and sea, the U-boats were hunted and harried by the convoy escorts. The first attack was followed by another, 15 miles from the convoy. Depth charges brought oil slicks and splintered wreckage to the surface. Five more attacks were made on U-boats circling beyond torpedo range of the fat freighters. Lookouts reported no less than 20 submarines circling for the kill they could never make while planes and escort vessels crisscrossed the convoy's path.

All the next night the long-range Liberators, the frigates and corvettes provided "cover in strength." The next day five attacks were made. The third day no U-boats tried to close in on the convoy; it was evident that they had given up. From then on, the convoy sailed to its destination with no further incident. Not a ship, not a man was touched.

The communique placed the attack "some weeks ago." It might well be that this successful action was one of those which marked the turning of the tide in the Atlantic battle.

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