Précis of
attacks by HMS SPEEDY
Date:
14th June 1942
Time: 2022
Position: 37° 00’ N, 9°54’ E.
Depth of
water: 100 fathoms
Weather
conditions: Wind light airs, weather VG, sea nil, visibility
10-15 miles.
NARRATIVE:
At 2020
SPEEDY was screening convoy Harpoon in a position 2½ miles 20° abaft
Malaya’s starboard beam. High level and torpedo bombing attacks were
in progress at the time and a zig-zag at full speed was being
carried out. A destroyer, believed to be HMS Marne was seen dropping
depth charges and, on investigating the area, a contact was picked
up at a range of 1,600 yards which was classified as ‘submarine’.
SPEEDY altered towards and carried out a counter-attack. The target
was moving rapidly left and, at a range of 600 yards, a further
alteration of course was carried out. Thereafter the contact was
closed on a steady bearing. A five charge pattern, set to 150, 250
and 350 feet was fired by recorder at 2022. Two heavy explosions
were heard about five seconds after the explosions caused by the
depth charges. Shortly after large air bubbles were seen and the
u-boat then broke surface. It was seen to be lying on its side with
a list of at least 80°, probably more than 90°. The colour appeared
to be dark green. It remained on the surface for about five seconds
after which it sank and further large air bubbles were seen to come
to the surface just to the right of the position in which the U-boat
sank. Slight traces of oil were also seen. Contact was regained and
held until the range was 600 yards when it was lost in the wake. A
second attack was not carried out because (a) it was considered that
the U-boat had been sunk, and (b) ordered had been received that
escorts were to rejoin the screen as soon as possible after a
counter attack.
High level
and torpedo bombing attacks throughout and SPEEDY’s armament was in
action during this attack.
SURFACE
EVIDENCE
A U-boat was
seen on the surface shortly after the attack, and was variously
described as follows:
1) By the 1st
Lieutenant, (a Submarine Officer) was an object 35 to 40 feet long
and 4 to 5 feet high in the centre, which was definitely the
saddle tank of a submarine.
2) By a Sub
Lieutenant (A) RCNVR taking passage, as a grey elliptical shape
about 30 feet long which surfaced with considerable turbulence and
sank again within five seconds, leaving a stream of large air
bubbles.
3) By
another Sub Lieutenant (A) RNVR taking passage, as the oval shape
of a submarine’s saddle tank.
No survivors,
or wreckage of any description, was seen.
ASDIC
EVIDENCE
Asdic conditions were described as being very good. The echo was
moving rapidly left throughout the approach and some Doppler was
noticed. A recorder trace has been forwarded and shows a rather
broad trace in “Scale 10”. Some, at least, of the echoes appear to
have been on the wake.
C.O.’s
OPINION
In the
opinion of the Commanding Officer and other officers on board it is
considered that this U-boat was definitely sunk.
V.A.
MALTA’s OPINION
As no bridge
log was kept the attack cannot be analysed due to insufficient asdic
information. The asdic personnel concerned were interrogated when
SPEEDY arrived in harbour, and from the information received, it was
considered that the target was definitely a U-boat.
Contact was
regained astern where, from eye witness accounts, large air bubbles
appeared on the surface and what appeared to be the saddle tank of a
U-boat; neither the conning tower nor any part of the
super-structure was seen.
Without more
definite evidence I do not consider the claim can be assessed as
higher than probable.
SUBMARINE
TRACKING ROOM’S OPINION
We have no
relevant tracking information. The position is more consistent with
U-boat having been Italian, but it is understood that C I C Italian
Section have no information suggesting that the U-boat was sunk.
DECISION
OF U-BOAT ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE
The echo
trace could have been that of a U-boat. If the two heavy explosions
reported were, in fact, internal explosions, it is almost certain
that wreckage would have come to the surface. If the depth charges
caused one side of the U-boat to be open to the sea and the U-boat
to come to the surface on its beam ends, it is again considered that
either there would have been wreckage or that the U-boat would
remain in that position for more than five seconds.
If this was a
U-boat she was brought to the surface trimmed fore and aft and
therefore it must be expected that the damage was in the centre.
The Committee
are unable to accept the sighting evidence as positive evidence that
this was the saddle tank of a U-boat.
In the
absence of intelligence reports indicating that an Italian U-boat
was sunk on this occasion, the attack is assessed as ‘Insufficient
evidence of the presence of a U-boat’.
20th
August 1942
