Black May

by Michael Gannon

  13. PRO, ADM 223/16, S.I. Summary, Convoy ONS.5, Analysis of U-Boat Operations, f. 85.

  14. Bradley F. Smith, The Ultra-Magic Deals: And the Most Secret Special Relationship, 1940–1946 (Novato, CA: Presidio Press, 1992), pp. 105–172. The Bletchley Park decrypts are found in PRO, ADM 223/103, Admiralty Signal Messages, DEFE-3; the U.S. Navy decrypts, including retroactive decrypts of all Kriegsmarine traffic from the beginning of the war, are found in NARA, RG 457, Records of the National Security Agency/Central Security Office: German Navy/U-Boat Messages Translations and Summaries, SRGN 1–494668 [hereafter RG 457 SRGN].

  15. PRO, ADM 237/113, Naval Messages, 4 May 1943. Tay’s own HF/DF receptions are recorded in PRO, ADM 237/113, Report on U-Boat transmissions received by H.M.S. Tay on HF/DF … between 24.4.43 and 8.5.43.

  16. Douglas and Rohwer, “Convoys, Escorts,” p. 224; W. G. D. Lund, “The Royal Canadian Navy’s Quest for Autonomy in the North West Atlantic: 1941–43,” pp. 138–157, both in Boutilier, ed., RCN in Retrospect.

  17. Douglas and Rohwer, “Convoys, Escorts,” ibid., p. 229. The experienced and accomplished U-boat fighter Donald Macintyre, in his Battle of the Atlantic, concluded: “A diversion to avoid it [Fink] was impossible”; p. 191.

  18. PRO, ADM 237/113, Convoy ONS.5, Naval Messages, 4 May 1943, message sent at 2005; acknowledged and new route for Pink given at 2244: alter course forthwith for (xy) 54 01 north 46 30 west thence rejoining convoy route in (xr). The night stations are given in PRO, ADM 237/113, Convoy ONS.5, Continuation of report by Commanding Officer, H.M.S. “Tay”—SO, Close Escort in absence of H.M.S. “DUNCAN” [hereafter PRO, ADM 237/113, Continuation Report, TAY], No. 3.

  19. PRO, ADM 237/113, Report of Proceedings, H.M.S. OFFA, 29th April 1943 to 8th May 1943; 4 May 1943, No. 27.

  20. DHIST/NDHQ1 Tenth Fleet Records, Box 44, Royal Canadian Air Force Eastern Air Command, Statistics of Anti-Submarine Operations, May 1943, prepared 7 June 1943, p. 3. Earlier, on 2 May, a B-17 attacked three U-boats in positions ahead of the convoy; W. A. B. Douglas, The Creation of a National Air Force: The Official History of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Volume 77 (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1986), p. 553.

  21. DHIST/NDHQ, 181.003 (D1341) RCAF HQ file 28–2–52 RCAF a/c attacks on U-Boats re: Attack by Canso A 9747 of 5 Sqn 4 May 43, U630, 43 ff.; Eastern Air Command, Fifty-Second Attack by R.C.A.F. Aircraft (EAC), 4th of May 1943; photographs in File 81/520/8280, Box 7 ONS.5. While still in the area of the attack Moffitt reported his action to Tay by R/T, however Tay could not make R/T contact in return; PRO, 237/113, Continuation Report, TAY, 4 May 1943.

  22. NHB/MOD, Proceedings of U-Boat Assessment Committee, April-June 1943 [typescript], f. 244.

  23. NARA, RG 457, SRGN 17295; KTB-BdU, 23 May 1943; R. M. Coppock to author, 13 November 1996.

  24. Flak, a term commonly used for anti-aircraft gun or fire, was a contraction of Flugzeugabwehrkanone, although some say Fliegerbwebrkanonen. An excellent discussion of Type VII anti-aircraft weapons and mountings is given in Stern, Type VII U-Boats, pp. 100–109.

  25. DHIST/NDHQx 181.003 (D1341) RCAF HQ file 28–2–52 RCAF a/c attacks on U-Boats [hereafter RCAF Attacks on U-Boats] Memorandum, No. 5 (BR) Sqdn, 4th May, 1943; NHB/MOD, Proceedings of U-Boat Assessment Committee, April-June 1943, f. 246. At 2155 CinCCNA sent word of the attack to Tay, PRO 237/113, Convoy ONS.5, Naval Messages, 4 May 1943. The NHB/MOD reassessment is “slight damage” to U-438; R. M. Coppock to author, 13 November 1996.

  26. NARA, RG 457, SRGN 17055, 17090. The attack took place, U-438 reported, in position qu AJ 6147 (55°51'N, 44°25'W). There is no KTB available from U-438 because she was sunk on 6 May by H.M.S. Pelican (see below).

  27. NARA, RG 457, SRGN 16974; PRO, ADM 223/16, Special Intelligence Summary, April 29th-May 5th 1943, Convoy ONS.5, Analysis of U-Boat Operations [hereafter U-Boat Operations], f. 89.

  28. This is also the conclusion of Rohwer, Axis Submarine Successes, p. 165.

  29. PRO, ADM 237/113, Convoy ONS.5, Report of J. Kenneth Brook, Commodore, R.N.R. in M.V. “RENA” (NOR). Seth speculates that a derelict ship sighted at 1500 on 6 May, position 55°N, 44°W, by U.S.C.G. Manhassett was Lorient. Near the wreck, with its painted-out name, were empty lifeboats. The wreck sank before it could be salvaged. Seth, Fiercest Battle, pp. 192–194.

  30. NARA, RG 467, SRGN 17017; KTB-BdU, 4 May 1943; PRO, ADM 223/16, U-Boat Operations, f. 86.

  31. Ibid., ADM 223/16.

  32. NARA, Roll 3377, KTB-U-707,12 April to 31 May 1943; 4 May 1943.

  33. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Form S.1203, Report of Attack on U-Boat, H.M.S. TAY, 4 May 1943. Cf. PRO, ADM 237/113, Commodore Brook, ONS.5, Submarine Attack Report for May 4th/May 5th, 1943 [hereafter Brook Attack Report]. Oribi made a visual U-boat sighting at 2130 and was joined by Offa in an “Observant” and a sweep along the U-boat’s line of advance until 2230. Vidette forced a U-boat to dive at 2220.

  34. NARA, Roll 3377, KTB-U-707, 4 May 1943.

  35. PRO, ADM 237/113, Report of Survivors from ONS.5.

  36. Ibid.

  37. NARA, Roll 4185, KTB-U-628, 4 May 1943.

  38. Ibid.

  39. Ibid., 5 May 1943. The U.S. Navy translation of Hasenschar’s F.T. describing to BdU his destruction of the corvette reads: sank a corvette. (torpedo’s) magnetic fuse on, depth 4 (meters). (corvette) burst into atoms. See NARA, RG 457, SRGN 17140. Cf. NARA, KTB-BdU, 5 May 1943.

  40. PRO, ADM 199/2145, Reports of Interviews with Survivors from British Merchant Vessels Attacked, Damaged or Lost by Enemy Action; from 1st April, 1943 to 30th September, 1943; Shipping Casualties Section, Trade Division, Admiralty [hereafter Interviews with Survivors], S.S. Harbury, Capt. W. E. Cook, 16th June 1943. Jurgen Rohwer has the wreck of Harbury sunk by U-264 (Kptlt. Hartwig Looks) at 0707 GST (0507 GMT) on 5 May, Axis Submarine Successes, p. 165; but this cannot be if Cook and his party reboarded the wreck well after that hour. Cf. PRO, ADM 237/113, Report of Survivors from ONS.5, where Lieutenant J. Downer, captain of Northern Spray, specifies that the boarding party left for Harbury at 0900 GMT and returned at 1000. U-264 did launch two torpedoes at 0707 GST and made a single launch at 0708, but both targets were moving at 7 knots; NARA, Roll 2886–2887, KTB-U-264, 5 May 1943: although Looks claimed a sinking with the 0707 launches, no ship under way in ONS.5 was hit by torpedo or gunfire at that time or two hours and 19 minutes before and five hours and 33 minutes after 0707. Syrett, Defeat of the German U-Boats, p. 78 and n. 55, attributes the sinking of Harbury by gunfire to U—264, but his endnote does not address the incident; neither does the U-264 KTB, which makes no mention of it and instead describes torpedo actions against moving targets from 0302 GST (0102 GMT) through 1438 on 5 May.

  41. NARA, Roll 4185, KTB-628, 5 May 1943. Cf. Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv, Freiburg, Case GE 14/3, PG 30659, Schussmeldung, U-628, 5.5.43, 0243 Uhr; Seite 12: ”S.Ia Dampfer ‘Harbury’ nach 13 Std. mit Artillerie versenkt.” At 2004 on the 5th Hasenschar signaled BdU.: just sank with shellfire in Qu aj 6543 [55°09'n, 42°35'w] the harbury, presumably a ship that I myself had damaged. torpedoes exhausted…. Am going to provisioner; NARA, SRGN 17156. For Harbury see Lloyd’s Register, ships’ names given alphabetically. A few Schussmeldungen from May operations can be found appended to KTBs.

  42. NARA, Roll 2886–2887, KTB-U-264, 5 May 1943. Looks’s report to BdU on this attack is in NARA, RG 457, SRGN 17039.

  43-NARA, RG 38, Chief of Naval Operations, Naval Transportation Services, Armed Guard Files, 1940–1945, Box 684, S.S. West Maximus. The position of the sinking was 55°10‘N, 42°58‘W; Mr. Thomas Weis to the author, Stuttgart, Germany, 26 February 1997. PRO, ADM 199/2145, Interviews with Survivors, S.S. Harperley, Capt. J. E. Turgoose, 16th June, 1943; PRO, ADM 237/113, Report of Survivors from ONS.5. The order for Northern Spray to proceed to St. John’s was given at 1630 on the 5th.

  CHAPTER 6

  1. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Form S.1203, Report of Attack on U-Boat, H.M.S.
TAY, 4 May, 2247; R. M. Coppock to the author, 13 November 1996.

  2. Seth, Fiercest Battle, pp. 123–124; Roskill, War at Sea, Vol. II, pp. 70 and n.2, 74.

  3. NARA, Roll 3067, KTB-U-514,15.4.1943–22.5.1943, 5 May; 0230 GST; NARA, RG 457, SRGN 17189, 17343.

  4. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Form S.1203, Report of Attack on U-Boat, VIDETTE (VID ONE, VID TWO), 5 May 1943, 0030 1/2, 0059 1/2, 0127 1/2. For U-732 see NARA, Roll 3398, KTB-U-732, 8.4.43–15.5.43, 5 May, pp. 19ff. In an F.T. at 0515 on the 5th U-732 claimed to have made a stern tube hit on a “5000 to 6000 tonner,” but this was probably Hasenschar’s hit on Harbury. Because of damage she broke off and returned to base; NARA, RG 457, SRGN 17053. As an aid to researchers it may be emphasized that Vidette s first attacks on the 5th/6th May (VID ONE, VID TWO) were delivered on the day and at the times given above; Syrett, Defeat of the German U-Boats, p. 77, and Seth, Fiercest Battle, p. 133, construe Vidette % first attacks to be what were actually her fourth and fifth attacks, delivered twenty-three hours later: VID FOUR 2109 convoy time (2309 GMT) and VID FIVE 2117 convoy time (2317 GMT) on the 5th. The correct order is given in the Forms S.1203 as as in PRO, ADM 237/113, Summary of Attacks and Attempted Attacks on ONS.5, Nos. 15 and 27.

  5. See chap. 4, infra, n.25.

  6. PRO, ADM 237/113, Narrative of Events During Passage of Convoy ONS.5, Commanding Officer, H.M.S. SNOWFLAKE, Incident SNOW 5, 4/5 May 1943; NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Form S.1203, Report of Attack on U-Boat, SNOWFLAKE (Event 5), by Sub-Lieutenant R. E. Bennett, R.N.V.R., 4/5 May 1943.

  7. Ibid., Incident SNOW 6 and Event 6; PRO, ADM 237/113, Report of Proceedings, H.M.S. Oribi, 29th April to 8th May 1943; NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Report of Attack on U-Boat, Form S.1203, ORIBI, 1st and 2nd Attacks, 5th May, 1943, by Lieut-Cmdr. J. C. A. Ingram. Oribi’s second ten-pattern exploded on a decoy bubble target (“Bold”) released by U-270; R. M. Coppock to author, 13 November 1996. NARA, Roll 2887, KTB-U-270, 23.3.43–15.5.43, 5 May 1943, pp. 26–27. Damage sustained by U-270 is also given in her F.T. of 0959 on the 5th; NARA, RG 457, SRGN 17079. A second corvette, Sunflower, made two attacks on an asdic contact at the port bow during the nighttime hours, at 0220, but her Captain concluded that the echo was not from a U-boat; there were two drops of two D/Cs each, one D/C of which on the first drop failed to explode, a rarity in the 40-odd attacks made by ONS.5 escorts in the period 4–6 May.

  8. NARA, Roll 3044–3045, KTB-U-j5#, 11.4.43–16.5.43, 5 May 1943.

  9. Ibid.

  10. PRO, ADM 199/2145, Interviews with Survivors, S.S. Bristol City, Capt. A. L. Webb, 9th June, 1943.

  11. Ibid., S.S. Wentworth, Capt. R. G. Phillips, 24th June, 1943; H.M.S. Loosestrife, Report of Proceedings whilst escorting ONS.5, 5 May 1943. Professor Rohwer states that the Wentworth wreck was sunk by gunfire from U-628; Axis Submarine Successes, p. 165. But two sources, Capt. Phillips and Lt. Stonehouse, attribute the coup de grace to Loosestrife. Harbury is the better fit for U-628’s gun action, previously cited in the text, since that U-boat, which identified the Harbury name and shipping line, had just passed through position 55°14'N, 43°02'W, which was near Harbury’s last known position 55°oi’N, 42°59'W, whereas Wentworth was torpedoed at 53°59'N, 43°55W. Cf. n.40 in chap. 5.

  12. NARA, Boxes 1718–1719, Captain (D) Newfoundland, Form S.1203, Report of Attack on U-Boat, H.M.S. LOOSESTRIFE, 5 May 1943, 0527; Report of Proceedings, H.M.S. LOOSESTRIFE, 5 May, 0517–0550. R. M. Coppock to author, 13 November 1996. NARA, Roll 2940–2944, KTB-U-413, 30–3–43-I3–643, 5 May 1943.

  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.