Précis
of Attack by LEDA
Date: 3.5.42
Time: 0142
Position: 73° 00’N, 19° 10’E
Depth of water: 250 fathoms
Weather: Wind NE Force 3, overcast, visibility 5 miles.
NARRATIVE
LEDA was stationed on the starboard beam of Convoy PQ15. An attack
had just been made on the convoy by a torpedo carrying aircraft
and LEDA was closing the convoy at 14 knots when, at 0139, the
Officer of the Watch sighted momentarily an object which was
thought to be the top of a conning tower moving from starboard to
port and leaving a wake. The object was 1,000 yards on the
starboards beam. The starboard lookout simultaneously reported a
wake on the same bearing. It is stated that this wake might have
been left by the destroyer SOMALI, who was proceeding at high
speed towards the position, was at first thought to be carrying
out an attack on the object. Meanwhile the Asdic operator
investigated the bearing and obtained a contact which was
classified as ‘submarine’. Due to the noise of the gunfire and
torpedoes exploding, the Asdic operator could barely hear
reverberations and had plugged his headphones into the loud
speaker terminal thus cutting out the recorder. A counter attack
was at once commenced and as there was no recorded trace, time to
fire was obtained by Chronoscope. The contact was held to a close
range and followed down the starboard side, and the first depth
charge was fired when the bearing of the contact was 20° abaft the
beam. Four depth charges were dropped set to 150 and 250 feet.
There was little time to bring the depth charges to the ready,
they having been set to ‘safe’ and the primers withdrawn whilst
the air attack was in progress.
Contact was lost when the depth charges
exploded and a sweep astern followed by an all round sweep failed
to regain contact. The search was abandoned at 0215 when LEDA set
course to rejoin the convoy.
SURFACE EVIDENCE
An object was sighted which was thought by the Officer of the
Watch to be the conning tower of a U-boat and the starboard
lookout reported a wake.
ASDIC EVIDENCE
Inclination was slightly closing and loud hydrophone effect was
heard but this may have been from passing destroyers.
CO’S OPINION
It is considered (1) that it is just possible that both the
sighting and the contact were caused by destroyer's wakes; (2)
that if a U-boat was the target charges were close enough to
prevent an attack on the convoy but that there is not enough
evidence to show whether the U-boat was damaged.
RAD HF’s OPINION
Concurs with LEDA’s remarks.
SUBMARINE TRACKING ROOM’S
OPINION
Tracking evidence is inconclusive. U-boats were undoubtedly in the
immediate vicinity of the convoy but there is no proof from
tracking evidence that LEDA’s attack was on a U-boat.
DECISION OF U-BOAT ASSESSMENT
COMMITTEE
Insufficient evidence of the presence of a U-boat.
29th June 1942
