General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
RE: HMS Scotia, Dunkirk and U boat
Posted by:
Lawrence
()
Date: January 31, 2001 10:41PM
<HTML>Hmmm, can\'t find that one. The only Dunkirk area event that I have attributed to U-boats is from a book:
\"On 29th May U62 was surfaced near Kwinte Buoy northwest of Ostend. Ahead Michalowski and his bridge lookouts could see the low silhouettes of evacuation shipping making its way along what the Allies knew as Route Y, from Dunkirk to Kwinte Buoy then west to Ramsgate. While Michalowski pondered an interception route the night sky was abruptly lit by the blinding impact of a torpedo against one of the distant ships. In fact Schnellboot S30 racing from the darkness and disappearing again at full throttle, triple Daimler-Benz engines thundering into the shadows, had just torpedoed HMS Wakeful. Within 15-seconds the British destroyer was gone, taking nearly 700 men with her.
Ships began to converge on the horrific scene to assist where they could. Minesweepers Gossamer and Lydd, Scottish drifter Comfort, motor drifter Nautilus and destroyer HMS Grafton all rushed to aid men struggling in the water. Aboard U62 Michalowski saw his opportunity, closing swiftly on the scene with crew at battle stations.
Aboard HMS Grafton Commander Charles Robinson was well aware of his ship’s perilous position. Two questions kept repeating in his mind; who had torpedoed Wakeful and where was the assailant now? It was 0230hrs and lifeboats were put out from all vessels to rescue any survivors still struggling in the water. At that moment Robinson noticed on his port quarter a small, darkened vessel making directly for him. Assuming it to be Comfort he ordered an Aldis lamp to flash the message: “Close and pick up survivors†- however the newcomer made no answer.
Kptlt. Michalowski knew that he would soon receive a harsher challenge. He resisted the temptation to attempt buying time by answering in gibberish and continued closing upon his victim. At 0250hrs he ordered tubes one and two “Los!†Both “eels†streaked away and Michalowski brought his submarine swiftly about, retreating at full speed still surfaced, exhausts gurgling as the boat heeled over. The first torpedo hit Grafton’s wardroom, slicing through her hull plates and killing 35 officers. The second smashed against the stern ripping it apart with devastating force. Commander Robinson and three crewmen lay dead in her bridge, now a twisted shambles. Soldiers believing themselves free of Dunkirk’s hell were again confronted by screaming wounded men and all order was lost aboard the stricken ship.
Ironically vessels closest to HMS Grafton opened fire on a darkened ship that they believed to have been the attacker - sinking British minesweeper Comfort with concerted machine gun and cannon fire. The destruction of the small drifter was completed in minutes, adding to the mass of bodies floating in the gentle Channel swell beneath Kwinte Buoy, which continued to throw its bleak flashing light over the carnage. U62 had made good her escape. Her victim HMS Grafton refused to die, the battered hulk burning and forlorn until finally sunk by three shells from fellow destroyer HMS Ivanhoe as dawn crept into the eastern sky. Initially BdU believed that Kptlt. Michalowski had sunk French transport ship Douaisia until Allied reports intercepted by B-Dienst and U62’s War Diary laid bare the identity of her victim.\"
Cheers
Lawrence</HTML>
\"On 29th May U62 was surfaced near Kwinte Buoy northwest of Ostend. Ahead Michalowski and his bridge lookouts could see the low silhouettes of evacuation shipping making its way along what the Allies knew as Route Y, from Dunkirk to Kwinte Buoy then west to Ramsgate. While Michalowski pondered an interception route the night sky was abruptly lit by the blinding impact of a torpedo against one of the distant ships. In fact Schnellboot S30 racing from the darkness and disappearing again at full throttle, triple Daimler-Benz engines thundering into the shadows, had just torpedoed HMS Wakeful. Within 15-seconds the British destroyer was gone, taking nearly 700 men with her.
Ships began to converge on the horrific scene to assist where they could. Minesweepers Gossamer and Lydd, Scottish drifter Comfort, motor drifter Nautilus and destroyer HMS Grafton all rushed to aid men struggling in the water. Aboard U62 Michalowski saw his opportunity, closing swiftly on the scene with crew at battle stations.
Aboard HMS Grafton Commander Charles Robinson was well aware of his ship’s perilous position. Two questions kept repeating in his mind; who had torpedoed Wakeful and where was the assailant now? It was 0230hrs and lifeboats were put out from all vessels to rescue any survivors still struggling in the water. At that moment Robinson noticed on his port quarter a small, darkened vessel making directly for him. Assuming it to be Comfort he ordered an Aldis lamp to flash the message: “Close and pick up survivors†- however the newcomer made no answer.
Kptlt. Michalowski knew that he would soon receive a harsher challenge. He resisted the temptation to attempt buying time by answering in gibberish and continued closing upon his victim. At 0250hrs he ordered tubes one and two “Los!†Both “eels†streaked away and Michalowski brought his submarine swiftly about, retreating at full speed still surfaced, exhausts gurgling as the boat heeled over. The first torpedo hit Grafton’s wardroom, slicing through her hull plates and killing 35 officers. The second smashed against the stern ripping it apart with devastating force. Commander Robinson and three crewmen lay dead in her bridge, now a twisted shambles. Soldiers believing themselves free of Dunkirk’s hell were again confronted by screaming wounded men and all order was lost aboard the stricken ship.
Ironically vessels closest to HMS Grafton opened fire on a darkened ship that they believed to have been the attacker - sinking British minesweeper Comfort with concerted machine gun and cannon fire. The destruction of the small drifter was completed in minutes, adding to the mass of bodies floating in the gentle Channel swell beneath Kwinte Buoy, which continued to throw its bleak flashing light over the carnage. U62 had made good her escape. Her victim HMS Grafton refused to die, the battered hulk burning and forlorn until finally sunk by three shells from fellow destroyer HMS Ivanhoe as dawn crept into the eastern sky. Initially BdU believed that Kptlt. Michalowski had sunk French transport ship Douaisia until Allied reports intercepted by B-Dienst and U62’s War Diary laid bare the identity of her victim.\"
Cheers
Lawrence</HTML>
