Ciao Francesco

At 11.08 hours on 10 Nov, 1942, U-561 fired a spread of four G7e torpedoes at an aircraft carrier identified as ARGUS, escorted by two cruisers and several destroyers, but had some troubles to stay submerged after firing the torpedoes and subsequently dived deep, believing that they had been spotted. Schomburg heard one detonation after 176 seconds (3000 m) and claimed that they had hit the carrier.

The carrier attacked really was ARGUS which was screening the landings of the Eastern Task Force of Operation Torch at Algiers and was at that time accompanied by the cruisers SCYLLA and CHARYBDIS and five destroyers, forming “Force O”. However, nothing indicates that the attack of U-561 was noticed by the Allies or any counter attacks with depth charges were made as reported by the Germans.

If I understand you correctly you came to the conclusion that IBIS could have been hit by U-561 in this attack because the Admiralty reported that she was hit at 10.02 hours on 10 November. I did some research in the Admiralty War Diary and found some discrepancies about the time of the loss of IBIS:

SCYLLA to NCENTF at 2359/10: "IBIS was hit by A/C torpedoes at ?1910 in 10 miles north of Algiers and capsized almost immediately. After dark I picked up 6 officers and 96 ratings including Captain who has since died.”

SOIS to NCXF at 1652/11: “Force O attacked 10 miles north of port at dusk 10th with bombs and aerial torpedoes. ARGUS 2 bomb hits, still serviceable, some fighters destroyed. IBIS hit by bomb and aerial torpedo, capsized and sunk. Survivors 5 officers and 98 ratings. CO died of wounds. Destroyer shot down one aircraft.”

NCXF to Admiralty at 1731/11: “IBIS hit by aircraft torpedo at 1002/10 ten miles north of Algiers capsized immediately and sank. 6 officers and 96 ratings saved but captain has since died.”

The first two messages indicate both that the torpedo hit on IBIS occurred in the evening and only the last one reports the time as 1002/10, but this must be an error because IBIS had not joined the escort screen of ARGUS yet. NCENTF sent this message to STORK at 0642/10: “IBIS is to be sent at 1000 today to Force O to relieve escorts while fuelling.”

More details can be found in the NCXF War Diary on 10 November:
“At dusk enemy air raids of medium strength took place – one enemy aircraft being destroyed.”

“Force O was operating 20 miles north of Algiers and escorts were fuelling. About 1705 eleven Ju88 made a dive bombing attack on the Force, ARGUS being hit. At 1727 IBIS was torpedoed by a T/B and capsized about 1730.”

“ARGUS was attacked by 13 Ju88 at 1700 and straddled or near missed by all the bombs except one which hit the extreme edge of the flight deck causing slight damage.”

“IBIS, part of the destroyer screen of SCYLLA and ARGUS was hit by an aircraft torpedo at 1724 while ten miles north of Algiers. She turned over a few minutes after being hit. SCYLLA picked up five officers and 102 ratings and at 2030, CLARE picked up another three ratings.”

I think this confirms that IBIS was sunk in the evening of 10 November and therefore U-561 had nothing to do with her loss. According to Harold Thiele a few He111 torpedo bombers from KG 26 were sent to the Algerian coast to attack ships at dusk on 10 and 11 November. In my opinion one of those He111 torpedo bombers managed to surprise IBIS by approaching in the twilight shortly after the Ju88s bombed ARGUS.

Best regards
Rainer

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