|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 10, 2018 21:51:35 GMT 12
On the 10th of July 1942, Short Singapore K6912/OT-A of No. 5 Squadron RNZAF, based at Prices Landing, in Fiji, made an attack on a rapidly submerging submarine whilst escorting the Thomas Jefferson out of Suva. A single 250lb (113kg) bomb was dropped on the submarine, and as it was seen to go down vertically it was claimed as damaged. The pilot was Flt Lt MacGregor.
At the time many scoffed that this was probably a whale but I recall talking with a crew member who was in the front turret and saw it clearly. He said after the war he found there was indeed a Japanese submarine in those waters at the time.
A nice memory given that No. 5 Squadron RNZAF has just got the news of their new sub-hunters.
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 10, 2018 21:55:01 GMT 12
Also of interest,on this same day two years later, 10th of July 1944, No 5 (Flying Boat) Squadron was reformed in Fiji, flying Consolidated Catalina flying boats. They had been disbanded and their crews had gone to an American squadron to train on Catalinas, and most of those guys reformed as No. 6 (FB) Squadron, so this new incarnation of No. 5 Squadron had largely new crews who'd not been on the Singapores.
|
|
|
Post by davidd on Jul 12, 2018 10:36:25 GMT 12
According to Submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1940 to 1945 (Norman Polmar and Dorr B Carpenter, Conway Maritime Press, 1986), in their summary of Japanese submarine commissioning and losses (chapter 15, pages 153/155), in July 1942 the Imperial Navy commissioned no new submarines, and nor did it not lose any of its current fleet. Total losses of their subs for the entire year of 1942 were just 17, including 4 in January, two in May, three in August, one in September, two in October, three in November, and two in December. "Cause of loss" of these 17 craft are given as: two to land-based aircraft, one jointly to land-based aircraft surface ships, nine to surface-based ships, four to enemy submarines, and one to mines. Conversely, twenty new submarines were accepted into the service. So whatever the Singapore crew saw in July 1942, it definitely was not sunk (hope it was not American - think we would have heard about it by now had that been the case!) Attacks on "own" subs was not that common, but it did happen from time to time. If it was Japanese it must have made good its escape.
The individual details of (particularly) former enemy submarine losses (German, Japanese, Italian) in wartime during the 20th century are sometimes still the subject of debate, and many subsequent official attempts have been made to reconcile reported attacks against and actual losses of enemy and Allied vessels during these wars. Several claims are still disputed by various authorities, and some may never be fully explained. However from time to time, opportunities arise to check out newly discovered wrecks, including some around the UK. Hopefully more wrecks will be discovered in our lifetimes, and maybe a few existing theories overturned. Dave D
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 12, 2018 11:07:28 GMT 12
I don't think they ever believed that they destroyed it, only damaged at best,
|
|