Covering The Retreat From Tunisia Through Sicily
Allied armies advancing through North Africa and Sicily constructed a system of airfields increasing the frequency of U-boat detection by aircraft. The 29th flotilla focused on western Mediterranean convoys supplying Allied troops, but three U-boats were based at Salamis to maintain an eastern Mediterranean patrol presence requiring distribution of Allied ASW efforts. On 1 August 1943 the 29th Flotilla shifted its headquarters from La Spezia to Toulon where it could use the former French naval base for patrols in the western Mediterranean.
- U-73 sank the 1,598-ton Brinkburn of convoy TE 22 on 21 June, and damaged the 8,299-ton Abbeydale of convoy XTG 2 on 27 June 1943.
- U-81 sank the 8,131-ton Yoma of convoy GTX 2 on 17 June, the sailing ship Nisr on 25 June, sailing ships Nelly and Toufic Allah on 26 June, and the 3,742-ton Michalios on 27 June, before damaging the 7,472-ton Empire Moon on 22 July.
- U-97 sank the 1,179-ton Palima on 12 June 1943 and the 8,995-ton Athelmonarch on 15 June before being sunk on 16 June by a Lockheed Hudson of No. 459 Squadron RAAF.
- U-371 sank the 1,162-ton Merope on 27 April, damaged the Liberty ship Matthew Maury and the 6,561-ton Gulfprince of convoy ET 22A on 10 July 1943, and sank the 6,004-ton Contractor of convoy GTX 5 on 7 August 1943.
- U-375 sank the 8,762-ton City of Venice and the 5,634-ton Saint Essylt of convoy KMS 18B on 4 July 1943 before being sunk on 30 July 1943 by PC-624.
- U-380 damaged Liberty ship Pierre Soulé on 23 August 1943.
- U-407 damaged HMS Newfoundland on 23 July 1943.
- U-431
- U-453 damaged the 6,894-ton Oligarch of convoy GTX 3 on 30 June, and sank the 5,454-ton Shahjehan of convoy MWS 36 on 6 July 1943.
- U-458 was sunk on 22 August 1943 by the escort of convoy MKF 22.
- U-561 was sunk on 12 July 1943 by MTB-81.
- U-565 sank the 5,594-ton Michigan and 4,392-ton Sidi-Bel-Abbès of convoy UGS 7 on 20 April 1943.
- U-593 sank 1858-ton Runo on 11 April, then damaged LST-333 and LST-387 on 22 June and sank 6054-ton Devis of convoy KMS 18B on 5 July 1943.
- U-596 sank 68-ton El Sayeda on 20 August 1943 and 130-ton Lily, 50-ton Namaz and 21-ton Panikos on 21 August. U-596 then sank 183-ton Nagwa on 30 August and 80-ton Hamidieh on 7 September.
- U-602 was lost to unknown causes in April 1943.
- U-617 sank HMS Puckeridge on 6 September.
- U-755 sank 928-ton Simon Duhamel II of convoy TE 20 on 2 April before being sunk by a Lockheed Hudson of No. 608 Squadron RAF on 28 May 1943.
Read more about this topic: Mediterranean U-boat Campaign (World War II)
Famous quotes containing the words covering the, covering, retreat and/or sicily:
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