Black May (70 page)

13
. PRO, ADM 223/16; Analysis of U-Boat Operations, f. 86. NARA, Roll 3398, KTB-U-7J2, 8.4.43–15.5.43, 5 May 1943; Roll 2887, KTB-U-270, 23–3–43-15.5.43, 5 May 1943; Roll 3387, KTB-U
-648,
3.4.43–19.5.43, 5 May 1943. Ibid., RG 457, SRGN 17053 (U
-732),
17079 (U-270), 17048 (U
-648).
In the report of the last-named boat, Stahl reported that his damaged Junkers compressor could only be repaired with spare parts from the provisioner boat, which he would meet during his passage to Brest (he had sortied from Kiel on 3 April).

14
. PRO, ADM 223/16, Analysis
of U-Boat Operations, f. 86.

15
. The signal in the original German, addressed to
Hasenschargeleit
(the “Hasenschar Convoy”), is given in NARA, Roll 2886–2887,
KTB-U-264,
5 May 1943, 1242 GST (1042 GMT). Cf. NARA, RG 457, SRGN 17067.

16
. PRO, ADM 223/16, Analysis of U-Boat Operations, f. 87.

17
. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Form S.1203, Report of Attack on U-Boat, H.M.S. ORIBI, 5th May 1943, 1147, 1243, 1254; PRO, ADM 237/113, Report of Proceedings, H.M.S. ORIBI, 29th April, 1943 to 8th May, 1943; ibid., Report of Attack on U-Boat, Form S.1203, H.M.S. VIDETTE, 5th May 1943,1341 (VID THREE); R. M. Coppock to author, 13 November 1996.

18
. NARA, Roll 3387, KTB-U-638, 4.4.43–5.5.43 (reconstruction); KTB-BdU, 5 May ff. 1943.

19
. PRO, ADM 199/2145, Interviews with Survivors, M.V.
Dolius,
Capt. G. R. Cheetham, 15th June, 1943.

20
. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Form S.1203, Report of Attack on U-Boat, H.M.S. SUNFLOWER, 5th May 1943, 1053; PRO, ADM 237/113, Continuation Report, TAY, No. 13; Report of Proceedings, H.M.S. OFFA, No. 41,5 May, 1301: the NHB/MOD reassessment finds that U
-226
(Kptlt. Rolf Borchers) reported being attacked at about this time; R. M. Coppock to writer, 13 November 1996.

21
. PRO, ADM 237/113, Convoy ONS.5, Report of Proceedings, H.M.S. SUNFLOWER, May 1943.
Dolius
was left taking on water and Plomer sent a signal to Sherwood communicating the Master’s opinion that his vessel was beyond salvage.

22
. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Narrative of Attack by H.M.S. PINK on U-Boat in Lat. 54–56N Long. 43–44W during the forenoon of May 5,1943 whilst escorting four stragglers from Convoy ONS.5 [hereafter Attack by PINK], p. 1.

23
. OHC/RNM, AC 1993/116, interview with Sir Robert Atkinson, conducted by Chris Howard Bailey, 11 March 1993.

24
. DHIST/NDHQ.83/761, Vol. II, Atlantic Convoy Instructions [A.C.I.], C.B. 04234 (2), Operations Section, Articles 101–149, pp. 55–62.

25
. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Attack by PINK, p. 4.

26
. NHB/MOD, Proceedings of U-Boat Assessment Committee, April-June 1943 [typescript], Précis of Attack by PINK, 5 May 1943, f. 251.

27
. PRO, ADM 234/370, Dispatch submitted to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty on the 20th July, 1943, by Admiral Max K. Horton, K.C.B.,
D.S.O., Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches, 20th July, 1943; “Battle Summary No. 51, Naval Staff History, Second World War, Convoy and Anti-Submarine Reports [hereafter Battle Summary No. 51],” p. 39n.

28
. NARA, Roll 3044–3045, KTB-U-358, 5 May 1943. Handwritten notation by R. M. Coppock on document cited in
n.
26, above. Manke’s F.T. to BdU on damages is in NARA, RG 457, SRGN 17085.

29
. PRO, ADM 237/113, Summary of Attacks Carried Out by the Escorts of ONS.5, 5 May 1943. The only attack during the period was a single tenpattern (six dropped, four fired) by
Sunflower
at 1253 in the center of the main body, NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Report of Attack on U-Boat, Form S.1203, H.M.S. SUNFLOWER, 5 May 1943, 1053 GMT. The identity and fate of U-358 has been confirmed by the NHB/MOD reassessment; R. M. Coppock to writer, 13 November 1996.

30
. NARA, Roll 4188, KTB-U-584, 23.3.43–24.5.43,5 May 1943.

31
. NARA, KTB-BdU, 5 May 1943. Dönitz,
Memoirs,
p. 338.

32
.
Blair, Jr., Silent Victory, pp. 877–878.

33
. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Attack by PINK, p. 5; PRO, ADM 237/113, Report of Proceedings for ONS.5 (Straggler Portion), 9th May, 1943, No. 4. Ibid., Statement of H. Schroeder, Master of the “Ex” S.S. WEST MADAKET Concerning Torpedoing of Vessel on 5 May 1943: Here Schroeder clearly states that all confidential papers and secret publications were personally thrown overboard by him before leaving the ship. At 1535
Pink
asked
Tay
for assistance in guarding his flock, but
Tay
replied: “Sorry cannot be done, am beset with U-boats here”; NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, R/T Log, H.M.S. TAY, Convoy ONS.5,5 May 1943, 1604. Interview with Sir Robert Atkinson, Winchester, England, 2 June 1997.

34
. NARA, Roll 2939, KTB-U-406, 25.4.43–11.5.43, 5 May; Roll 3372, KTB-600, 25.4.43–11.5.43; ibid., RG 457, SRGN 17172.

35
. NARA, Roll 2887, KTB-266, 14.4.43-Sunk 14.5.43 (reconstructed), 5–7 May, ibid., RG 457, SRGN 17195, at 2232 on the 6th.

36
. PRO, ADM 199/2145, Interviews with Survivors, S.S.
Selvistan,
Mr. C. D. Head, 27 July 1943, ff. 116–117; S.S.
Gharinda,
Captain R. Stone, 17 June 1943, ff. 122–124. Information about Indian crewmen, and British attitudes toward them, is given in Middlebrook,
Convoy,
pp. 21–23.

37
. Quoted in Seth,
Fiercest Battle,
p. 153.

38
. Quoted in ibid., p. 154.

39
. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Report of Attack on U-Boat, Form S.1203, H.M.S. OFFA, 5th May 1943, 2042,
2103, 2140, 2153, 2204.

40
. The damage to
U-266
is given in Jessens F.T. to BdU at 2232 on the 5th in NARA, RG 457, SRGN 17195. R. M. Coppock to writer, 13 November 1996.

41
. PRO, ADM 237/113, Report of Proceedings, H.M.S. OFFA, 29th April 1943 to 8th May 1943; 5 May 1943, No. 45. Examples of the “heavy W/T activity” detected by McCoy are given in NARA, RG 457 SRGN 17147 through 17183: boats
U-267, U-266,
U
-264,
U
-621,
U
-260, U-223,
U-575, U-531.

42
. PRO, ADM 237/113, Continuation Report, TAY, 5 May, No. 16. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, R/T Log, H.M.S. TAY, Convoy ONS.5, 5 May 1943, 2040.

43
. PRO, ADM 237/113, J. Kenneth Brook, Commodore R.N.R., Submarine Report No. 2.

44
. DHIST/NDHQ, Tenth Fleet Records, Box 44, Royal Canadian Air Force Eastern Air Command, Statistics of Anti-Submarine Operations, May 1943, pp. 3–4. Ibid., RCAF Attacks on U-Boats, RCAF Message, AFHQ(Air Force Headquarters) to AFCS (RCAF liaison in Washington, D.C.), 7 May 1943.

45
. Ibid.

46
. These were
U-223,
U
-264, U-266, U-267,
U-377, U-504, U
-514,
U-533,
U-575,
U
-584,
U
621,
U-650,
U-662,
U-707, and U
-438,
the last of which had been wounded by Canso A “E” on 4 May. PRO, ADM 223/16, U-Boat Operations, f. 87.

47
. Ibid., f. 87; NARA, Roll 2886–2887, KTB-U-264, 5 May 1943; NARA, RG 457, SRGN 17162.

48
. PRO, ADM 223/16, U-Boat Operations, f. 87; NARA, Roll 3377, KTB-U-707, 5 May 1943.

49
. NARA, ADM 237/113, Continuation Report, TAY, 5/6 May 1943, No. 17.

50
. NARA, Roll 3377, KTB-U-707, 6 May 1943.

C
HAPTER 7

1
. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Form S.1203, Report of Attack on U-Boat, H.M.S. VIDETTE, 5th May 1943, 2326 1/2 (VID FOUR), 2333 1/2 (VID FIVE). This series of attacks by
Vidette
was delivered on the night of 5 May, not on the night of 4 May as given elsewhere. See S.1203 forms and PRO, ADM 237/113, Summary of Attacks and Attempted Attacks on ONS.5, attack no. 27. U
-531
is identified as the victim of
Vidette’s
2326 1/2 attack in R. M. Coppock to the author, 13 November 1996;
the attack position is given as 52°48'N, 45°
i
8’
W.
For
U
-707 see
NARA,
Roll 3377,
KTB-U
-707, 6 May 1943, p. 10, where times are obscured on the lefthand margin.

2
. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Form S.1203, Report of Attack on U-Boat, H.M.S. VIDETTE, 6 May 1943, 0226 (VID SIX).

3
. Ibid., Form S.1203, Report of Atttack on U-Boat, H.M.S. VIDETTE, 6 May 1943, 0408 1/2; Report of Proceedings—ONS.5, H.M.S. VIDETTE, 6 May 1943, VID SEVEN; NHB/MOD, Proceedings of the U-Boat Assessment Committee, April-June 1943, Précis of Attack by VIDETTE, 6 May 1943, 0406, f. 258, and notation by R.M. Coppock. R.M. Coppock to author, 13 November 1996. The words “froth-corrupted lungs” are borrowed from World War I poet Wilfred Owen’s
“Dulce et Decorum Est. ”

4
. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Form S.1203, Report of Attack on U-Boat, H.M.S. LOOSESTRIFE, 5/6 May 1943, 2336, 0040; Report of Proceedings whilst escorting ONS.5, H.M.S. LOOSESTRIFE, Night of May 5th and 6th, pp. 1–2; PRO, ADM 199/2145, Interviews with Survivors, S.S.
Bristol City,
Captain A. L. Webb, 9th June, 1943. The NHB/MOD reassessment of this attack is “U
-192
sunk” in position 53°o6'N, 45°02 W; Coppock to author, 13 November 1996.

5
. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Report of Proceedings, H.M.S. ORIBI, 8th May 1943; 6 May 1943; R/T Log, H.M.S. TAY, Convoy ONS.5, 6 May 1943, 0252: ORIBI to TAY—“Have rammed submarine.” The Form S.1203 for this attack was not found in the archives.

6
. NHB/MOD, Proceedings of U-Boat Assessment Committee, April-June 1943, Précis of Attack by ORIBI, 6 May 1943, 0252, f. 255, and notation by R. M. Coppock.

7
. PRO, DEFE-3, No. 552, 6 May 1943; ibid., ADM 223/16, U-Boat Operations, f. 88; NARA, RG 457, SRGN 17231. The F.T. from U-125 was sent after the ramming by
Oribi
at 0252, not after
Snowflake’s
attack on the same boat at 0400 (see below), as given elsewhere.

8
. Folkers made no further F.T.s. The futile hunt for U-125 can be followed in the W/T transmissions from the searchers: NARA, RG 457, SRGN 17231,17244,17249,17292,17293,17302,17329,17331,17332,17333.

9
. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Form S.1203, Report of Attack on U-Boat, H.M.S. SNOWFLAKE, 6 May, 1943, 0330 to 0415; Narrative of Events During Passage of Convoy ONS.5, 8th May 1943, Incident SNOW 11, 6 May 1943; R/T log, H.M.S. SNOWFLAKE. NHB/
MOD, Proceedings of U-Boat Assessment Committee, April-June 1943, Précis of Attack by SNOWFLAKE, 6 May 1943, 0330, f. 257, and notation by R. M. Coppock.

10
. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, R/T log, H.M.S. SNOWFLAKE: following signals passed and received during events under description, Event n, 6th May 1943.

11
. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, H.M.S. OFFA, Report of Proceedings From 29th April, 1943 to 8th May, 1943, Nos. 47–53; Form S.1203, Report of Attack on U-Boat, H.M.S. OFFA, 6th May, 1943, 0316; Roll 2937, KTB-U
-223,
15.4.43–24.5.43, 6 May, p. 13; RG 457, SRGN 17255, where Wachter signals 3 HOURS DEPTH CHARGES; R. M. Coppock to author, 13 November 1996; PRO, ADM 237/113, Admiral Horton, C-in-CWA, to The Secretary of the Admiralty, 14th June 1943. Thirteen minutes before
Offa
s attack,
Loosestrife
, at 0303, attacked a radar/asdic contact with a ten-pattern; the target is believed to have been
U-621
(Oblt.z.S. Max Kruschka), which was not harmed. Three and a half hours later,
Loosestrife
dropped another ten-pattern on a radar/asdic contact, believed to have been U
-614
(Kptlt. Wolfgang Sträter), with similarly negative results.

12
. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Form S.1203, Report of Attack on U-Boat, H.M.S. SUNFLOWER, 6 May 1943, 0450 (with drawings); NHB/MOD, Proceedings of the U-Boat Assessment Committee, April-June 1943, Précis of Attack by SUNFLOWER, 6 May 1943, 0443, f. 259 (the NHB/MOD reassessment agrees on slight damage); R/T log, H.M.S. TAY, Convoy ONS.5; PRO, ADM 199/2145, Interviews with Survivors, M.V.
Dolius,
Capt. G. R. Cheetham, 15th June 1943.

13
. PRO, DEFE-3, No. 609, 6 May 1943; NARA, SRGN 17270.

14
. NARA, Roll 2979, KTB-U-533, 15.4.43–24.5.43, 6 May, 0655–2400 GST; NARA, KTB-BdU, 7 May 1943.

15
. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Form S.1203, Report of Attack on U-Boat, H.M.S. PELICAN, 6 May 1943, 0608 1/2, 0615; PRO, ADM 237/113, First Support Group, Report of Proceedings, 4th-12th May 1943, 6th May, Nos. 4–6; NHB/MOD, Proceedings of the U-Boat Assessment Committee, April-June 1943, Précis of Attack by PELICAN, 6 May 1943, 0551, f. 260, and notation by R. M. Coppock; NARA, KTB-BdU, 6 May 1943. Also Coppock to author, 13 November 1996. The “cavalryman” image used here is not simply an American affectation: Winston Churchill stated that the Support Groups were “to act like cavalry divisions, apart from all escort duties”; Churchill,
Second World War,
Vol. 5,
Closing the Ring,
p. 8.

16
. PRO, ADM 237/113, Report of Proceedings from 29th April, 1943 to 8th May, 1943, H.M.S. OFFA, 6 May, Nos. 56–59.
Offa
and
Oribi
made port in St. John’s at 1215 on the 8th. Samuel Eliot Morison,
The Atlantic Battle Won, May 1943-May 1945 (
Boston: Little, Brown, 1962), p. 75,
n.
6.

17
. Ibid., Naval Message, 6 May 1943, TAY to PELICAN, 0800:
MY CLOSE ESCORT IS REDUCED TO 1 DESTROYER WHO IF NOT FUELLED TODAY MUST LEAVE FOR ST. JOHN’S N.F. 1 CORVETTE IN ACTION 1 CORVETTE WITH NO DEPTH CHARGES 1 CORVETTE BADLY KNOCKED ABOUT AFTER COLLIDING WITH A U-BOAT AND MYSELF WITH NO ASDICS. REQUEST YOU FORM CLOSE SCREEN.
Lieut.-Cmdr. F. H. Thornton, Commanding Officer, H.M.S. SENNEN, to Commanding Officer, H.M.S. PELICAN, 9 May 1943. Naval Message, Immediate to SENNEN and PINK from CinCWA:
PROCEED TO SUPPORT PINK WITH STRAGGLERS OF ONS
.5.
ESTIMATED IN POSITION
53 10 N 46 20 w at 0800
STEERING FOR
50 n 46 w
SPEED
8
KNOTS
. At 0800 the main body of the convoy was in position 52°09'N, 44°24'W.