Commander of the Second Support Group
Royal Navy
March 1944
I am the leader of the Second Support Group, which succeeded in sinking six U-boats in 1943. Of all the battles I have experienced, the battle in January and February has been the most climatic of them all.
We managed to sink six U-boats in a single patrol, from January to February. The situation has changed drastically since 1943, and Doenitz's desperate attempts are utterly ineffective now. Our reinforcements arrived promptly after our convoy was sighted by the Germans, thanks to British intelligence. This enabled Coastal Command to send a squadron of Beaufighters to ward off German air-patrols, and dispatch more ships to protect the convoy and its escorts. The Germans were only able to sink two ships - one merchant ship, and HMS Woodpecker. However, all the crew of the Woodpecker were able to escape, and there was no loss of life.
Eleven U-boats were destroyed, six by the Second Support Group's hand. It was a resounding success. we were also able to gain intelligence about the new German innovation, the schnorkel. One of the U-boats (U264) which we attacked was fitted with a schnorkel. The commander, Hartwig Looks, was meant to submit a report about its effectiveness after the battle. We succeeded in capturing Looks and his crew after sinking U264, and he has since volunteered information about the schnorkel and other German technological developments to the Naval Intelligence Division, supplementing the knowledge gained from Ultra.
When we returned to Liverpool on the 25th of February, the whole port was full of cheering people - why, even the First Lord of the Admiralty was there to greet us! The Germans have suffered a terrible loss with this battle, and I think that this has been one of the decisive victories in the Battle of the Atlantic.
Since 1943, the Germans have been the underdog, and the tide has turned against them. Their actions do not stem from a position of naval supremacy, but are the result of their increasing desperation. From January to March, we have sunk thirty-six submarines in the Atlantic, and Doenitz is now pulling his U-boats back to defend the Reich because we have sunk so many. We are able to deliver food, fuel, and ammunition reliably. Our boys have come to describe the convoy route as a "milk run" because it is as routine and uneventful as a milkman's daily route.
Despite this resounding success and the withdrawal of many U-boats, I will not rest on my laurels, and I will ceaselessly strive to aid Britain in its victory. I believe that it is only a matter of time before the Germans will either collapse or surrender, and I will do my best to ensure this outcome.
