Germany:
U-462, a Type XIV Milch Cow supplies U-Boats
U-135, U-373, U-569, U-755, on December 6th, 1942, with food, fuel, mail and other essentials
U-462 was sunk by a British
Halifax bomber of
502 Squadron RAF and gunfire from the British
Black Swan-class sloops HMS Wren,
Kite,
Woodpecker,
Wild Goose and
Woodcock, in the Bay of Biscay. One of these ships,
Kite, registered a hit at 13,050 yd (11,930 m). One crewman was killed; the other 64 survived
U-135 was attacked by the sloop
HMS Rochester, the corvettes
HMS Mignonette and
Balsam and a US
PBY Catalina flying boat of
VP-92.
U-135 was sunk east of the
Canary Islands on 15 July, 1943. Five men died, there were 41 survivors.
U-373 was sunk by a RAF
Liberator bomber of
224 Squadron in the Bay of Biscay. The Liberator than strafed several dinghies with floating survivors, killing Bootsmannsmaat Nielsen. Author Norman Franks writes “it was not unheard of for survivors to be shot-up in the water, although thankfully it was rare, or at least very few reported doing so - officially. In most cases it was no more than excited enthusiasm, the adrenalin pumping hard.” Four men died in
U-373; there were 47 survivors.
U-569 was badly damaged by
depth charges dropped by a
TBM Avenger, piloted by William F. Chamberlain, from the escort carrier
USS Bogue on 22 May 1943. A relief Avenger also from USS
Bogue, piloted by Howard S. Roberts, was waiting overhead when the U-boat resurfaced. Roberts dropped more depth charges and machine-gunned the bridge to prevent the German crew from manning the
antiaircraft guns. U-boat Commander Johannsen had no intention of fighting back and, according to American records ordered his crew to raise a
white flag on the periscope. Upon seeing this, Roberts ceased his attack and guided the Canadian destroyer
St. Laurent to the area. As the destroyer approached, Johannsen ordered his crew to scuttle the boat and jump overboard.
St. Laurent rescued Johannsen and 24 of his crew of 46 and the survivors were sent to Washington for interrogation
U-755 was sunk on 28 May 1943, north-west of
Mallorca by rockets from a RAF Hudson aircraft of
608 Squadron. Of her complement of forty, only nine crewmen survived to be rescued by the Spanish destroyer
Velasco
