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Convoys Fight Way Through - Herald Reporter

 

Provided by John Young, son of William Montague Wright.

 

 

Two more convoys got throught to Russia. But at a cost....One had delivered it's cargoes and was on it's way back. The other was on the outward voyage.

 

For three days - in the lengthening daylight of the Arctic spring, in ice and storms - they were repeatedly attacked from the air, on the surface, and from below it.

 

Cruiser Sunk

 

The 10,000 cruiser edinburgh was torpedoed by a U-boat, taken in tow, again hit by a destroyer's torpedo, abandoned, and - because of the weather - sunk by our own forces.One ship of the homeward-bound convoy and three of those on the way to Russia were sunk.

But 90 percent, of the convoy's war supplies reached their journey's end.

 

One German destroyer was sunk, another severly damaged, three planes were destroyed and others hit.

 

An Admiralty communique last night said that when a U-boat torpedoed the Edinburgh on April 30 her steering geer was disabled.She steamed on at a reduced speed. The following afternoon thre destroyers mad five seperate attempts to break through the homeward-bound convoy's escort. All five attacked were driven off, but one ship was sunk.On the morning of May 2 the Edinburgh, now in tow, and her escort of destoryers, were attacked by three German destroyers.

 

The Edinburgh and our destroyers went into action, sinking one enemy destroyer and damaging another. But the Edinburgh was again hit and had to be sunk.Surviving the May 1 destroyer attack, the convoy bound for Russia was attacked by six Ju.88 dive-bombers. No damage or casualties were suffered.On the evening of May 2 six torpedo-carrying aircraft attacked. Three ships of the convoy were sunk.

 

This convoy was again unsuccessfuly dive-bombed on the following evening.

 

The Edinburgh finished only in 1939, was bombed in the Firth of Forth in October of that year and later fought in the Mediteranean.

 

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