SECRET

From:-    THE COMMANDING OFFICER, H.M.S. KASHMIR.

Date:-    5th December 1939                    No.

To:-        ADMIRAL COMMANDING ORKNEYS AND SHETLANDS.

(Copies to:-    Rear Admiral (D), H.M.S. AURORA.

Captain (D), 5th Destroyer

Flotilla, H.M.S. KELLY

Commanding Officer, H.M.S. KINGSTON).

REPORT ON THE SINKING OF GERMAN SUBMARINE - U.35

SUBMITTED: -

The following report of the sinking of the German Submarine, U.35, in estimated position 60 degrees 53 minutes North, 2 degrees 49 minutes East at noon on 29th November 1939, is forwarded in accordance with H.W.O. No. 24, paragraph 4. No I.D. forms A.E.G. have been received in KASHMIR.

2. At 1037 the KASHMIR was ordered by Rear-Admiral Commanding Home Fleet Destroyers to proceed with the KINGSTON and close the ICARUS who had been attacking a submarine. On receiving a range and bearing of the submarine from the ICARUS, the KINGSTON was ordered to take station on the port beam of the KASHMIR and a search was started.

3. About 2 miles before the reported position was reached KINGSTON obtained a contact. Contact was also obtained by KASHMIR at a somewhat greater range. The KINGSTON then attacked and dropped three depth charges with no visible result. Considerable difficulty was then experienced in KASHMIR in maintaining contact, due partly to the eddies set up by the depth charges and partly to a temporary failure of her Asdic set at this moment, and a reliable contact was not regained and an attack started until the KINGSTON had started a second attack.

4. As the KASHMIR was approaching on her attacking course, the KINGSTON’s second pattern having exploded some 400 yards ahead at 1158, the submarine was seen to surface directly ahead with headway on. The crew were coming on deck and some of them started to man their gun. On a shot being fired across the bows of the submarine by the KASHMIR, they left their gun, held an their hands and started to abandon the submarine whose engines were then stopped. No depth charges were dropped by the KASHMIR.

5. The KASHMIR then approached the submarine from aft and picked up 4 officers and 27 ratings while the KINGSTON carried out a circular sweep. On completion of the latter, the KINGSTON closed and rescued the remaining survivors including the Captain.

6. As soon as the submarine surfaced, she began to sink by the stern and by the time the KASHMIR had approached only the conning tower and part of the foredeck were above the surface. She sank by the stern about 20 minutes after she surfaced. She is estimated to have been of 500 tons displacement and carried one gun. She bore no identification number. Her number - U.35. - was learnt from the survivors. She sank in about 120 fathoms. (NOTE in 1975 — close to BRENT Oilfield!)

7. The following is a summary of information subsequently gleaned from the survivors:-

(a) Two other submarines were operating in the vicinity. One of them was the one that sunk H.M.S. ROYAL OAK. This information was obtained independently from both officers and ratings and it was as result of it that I decided to remain in the area and continue the search. (For Prien for about 12 hours)

(b) They had sighted H.M.S. NORFOLK on 28th November but were too far off to attack.

(c) They had seen two destroyers the previous night (November 28/29), but it was too rough to attack.

(d) They had been at sea for a fortnight, operating in the same area. They usually do 5 weeks at sea followed by 4 in harbour.

(e) Their speed on the surface was 11 knots, submerged 8 - 9 knots.

(f) They expressed surprise at being "Heard" while they were stopped, although they were "very deep".

(g) As a result of KINGSTON’s first pattern, the hydroplanes and wireless were put out of action and the periscope glass was broken. The second pattern put all the lights out, holed her aft and jammed the hydroplanes in the surfacing position. She went full speed ahead to try and regain control but came to the surface and stopped engines when the KASHMIR’s shot was fired.

None of the attacks prior to the KINGSTON’s appear to have incommoded them, though it is possible they were directed at another submarine.

(h) Previous History

1. Was in company with submarine that sank H.M.S. COURAGEOUS. It was stated that the other submarine reached home in spite of being attacked by 96 depth charges.

2. U.35 claims to have sunk 40,000 tons of shipping. One ship was sunk while in convoy escorted by 6 destroyers. During the subsequent attack her periscope was damaged.

3. She landed the crew of a Greek steamer in Dingle Bay, and was not damaged by a flying boat which attacked her at this time.

4. Quite recently she had 2 torpedoes fired at her by a British submarine.

8. The names of the survivors picked up by the KASHMIR are included in the Appendix to this report. Several of them left the ship wearing articles of clothing belonging to officers and men of the ship as they had lost their own. It would be appreciated if these could he recovered and returned to KASHMIR. Their good bearing and behaviour for the 2 days they were on board left nothing to be desired.

9. H.M.S. KINGSTON is rendering a separate report, as some time is likely to elapse before she is again in company in harbour, this report is forwarded without having been discussed with the Commanding Officer, H.M.S. KINGSTON, who, it is considered, carried out his attacks in a most efficient manner.

H. A. King

COMMANDER

IN COMMAND.

 

NOTE (1975)

The German ratings were accommodated in the lower Mess Deck, displacing the Stokers, with an armed Sentry at the top of the hatch. They were exercised occasionally and were fallen in for entering harbour at Greenoch. The Officers lived in the Ward Room. I spoke only to the Senior Officer.

There was some trouble subsequently with C-in-C. about Press coverage. Vide second sentence of Nelson’s final prayer, which I used to read to the Ship's Company on the rare occasions we were in harbour on Sunday.