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"Operation Buttercup" involved a concerted attack on the
U-boats by ships of the Escort Group. On receipt of the order, the ships
would turn together on a pre-arranged bearing to chase the U-boat.
It was hoped that the concerted attack would help overcome the
difficulty of locating U-boats due to the limited range of the Asdic*
submarine detection equipment. In the case of this attack, Walker also
ordered star shells to be fired to illuminate the area in an attempt to
locate the U-boat. Of course, that also had the effect of lighting up
the rear of the convoy and the exposed HMS Stanley!
Kapitanleutnant Dietrich
Gengelbach, Commander of the U574, was quick
to seize this opportunity and ordered torpedoes to be launched. Down in
the engine room of HMS Stanley, Ernie Stentiford and the rest of the
crew on the middle watch were working frantically to keep all engines at
full power, totally unaware that disaster was only seconds away!
As the supporting ships approached
HMS Stanley to lend assistance,
the torpedoes struck and the ship exploded. Only 25 of the ship's
company escaped alive. |
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The hunt for the U-boat continued and within 12 minutes,
Commander Walker had exacted his revenge! Using depth charges to force
Submarine U574 to the surface, HMS Stork chased and rammed her, killing
the German Commander and 28 of his crew. Sixteen survivors were picked
up. This had been their first patrol on active service - their war had
lasted just 19 days!
Whilst this action was taking place, another
submarine, U571, had
penetrated the front of the convoy and managed to torpedo one of the
merchant ships - SS Ruckinge. The crew managed to abandon her before she
sank. |
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A U-boat under attack by depth charges
Source
unknown |
The following day, the return of the German aircraft showed that
the enemy had not finished their attacks on HG76. Fighters were launched
from HMS Audacity and they managed to shoot down a couple of enemy
planes. As the convoy steamed on, what they had most feared came to
pass - the German U-boat Command sent reinforcements. As darkness fell
on 21 December, Commander Walker decided that it was time to try out
another of his novel tactics for drawing the attention of U-boats away
from the convoy. The plan was for the convoy to alter course and, as it
did so, the escort ships were to continue on the original course and
stage a "mock battle". Things did not work out as planned
however. One of the merchant ships, seeing the "action",
mistook it for a real attack and started to fire "snowflakes**".
The illumination thus created provided another ideal opportunity for the
U-boats and this time, SS Anavore was attacked and sunk. |
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*ASDIC --
Anti-Submarine Detection Investigation Committee - the early British
term for sonar.
**Illuminant rockets carried by merchant ships that
could turn night into day.
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