This month, some extra context regarding a U-boat pursuit by submarine chasers at Plymouth, England:
On 11 July 1918, Group 24 (SC 39, SC 252 and SC 262) were listening for U-boats south of Eddystone Light, and picked up a sound. The unit pursued, and dropped depth charges on the detected location; then again made sound contact and continued the hunt. That evening a periscope was sighted, and based on the location, it was determined that the earlier attacks had overshot the mark.
They kept up the hunt into the night, several times picking up the sound and dropping charges. The report indicates that other vessels running enginges during the listening periods hampered the hunt. By midday on 12 July they were forced to call off the chase, as the weather conditions had worsened, and it was impossible to regain sound contact.*
* Summarized from Hunters of the Steel Sharks: The Submarine Chasers of WWI, page 185.
Recently posted on the website is a document citing this incident and commending the chaser crews for "maintaining their stations and vigilance under these circumstances." The document is presented to Seaman Arthur S. Eddy, of SC 39. Thanks to Greg Eddy, his grandson, for submitting the scan.
--Todd Woofenden, editor
Posted this month:
The citation noted above, for a crewman on SC 39
Photo added to the Hull Numbers Collection, of SC 247, and a crew shot of men on that chaser.