Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[Philip L]

I came across some information on U boat. net
12 Aug 1944
German U-boat, U-198 was sunk near the Seychelles, in position (such and such with the numbers and degrees), by depth charges from the British frigate HMS Findhorn and Indian Sloop HMIS Godavari.

And information in the National Archives.
1944
In regard to HM ships Findhorn, Shah, Begum, Taff, and HMIS Godavari destroying an enemy submarine after eight-day (1000 mile) hunt.

Is there any more information about these events.

Thank you.

Philip L

[PhiloNauticus]

More detail can be found elsewhere on this website at:
www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/ESCORT/BEGUM.htm

www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/ESCORT/SHAH.htm

and also the German language website –

www.u-boot-archiv.de/dieboote/u0198.html

From these (and with the help of Google translate…)

A U-Boat was known to be operating in the Indian Ocean, and Task Force 66, consisting of two escort carriers, the Begum and Shah, with seven frigates and two sloops, supported by shore-based RAF aircraft, carried out anti-submarine sweeps of the area around the Seychelles.
An RAF Catalina flying boat spotted a U-boat on the surface, which concentrated the search and an Avenger aircraft from the Shah again sighted the sub on 10th August before it dived.  Hunting in the vicinity continued, and two days later another Avenger caught the U-Boat on the surface and carried out an attack as it dived.  The Findhorn, along with the Indian Navy sloop Godavari was detached to the spot and Godavari gained an Asdic (sonar) contact, and the pair continued to track the submarine, keeping it down, until the full Task Force was in range.  Findhorn then carried out an attack on the contact with ‘Hedgehog’ anti-sub projectiles and heard one loud and two weaker detonations.  As the projectiles were primed to explode on contact, it was presumed that they had hit the sub, but all the force remained in the area until the following morning, when with no further asdic contacts and a large oil slick on the surface, it was assessed that the attack had been successful.
For the Hedgehog weapon, see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedgehog_(weapon)