Seek and Sink Bracknell Paper No 2 A Symposium on the Battle of the Atlantic 21 October 1991 Sponsored jointly by the Royal Air Force Historical Society and the Royal Air Force Staff College, Bracknell ii SEEK AND SEEK Copyright ©1992 by the Royal Air Force Historical Society First Published in the UK in 1992 ISBN 0-9519824-0-0 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the permission from the Publisher in writing. Printed by FotoDirect Ltd, Brighton Royal Air Force Historical Society SEEK AND SEEK iii Contents Preface Quotation 1. Opening Remarks: Air Vice-Marshal R G Peters 2. Chairman’s Introduction: Air Chief Marshal Sir John Barraclough 3. Setting the Scene: Mr John Terraine 4. The Organisation, Structure and Tasks of Coastal Command: Air Vice-Marshal W Oulton 5. The Course of the Battle: Lieutenant Commander W J R Gardner 6. Intelligence: Mr. Edward Thomas 7. Development of Equipment and Techniques: Dr Alfred Price 8. A German Perspective: Dr J Rohwer 9. Pre-lunch Discussion 10. Digest of the Group Discussions A. Policies, Priorities and Politics B. Coastal Command, Operations, Techniques and Equipment C. Intelligence D. Maritime/Air Doctrine and Policy E. German Operations and Equipment 11. Lessons for the Present: Air Marshal Sir John Curtiss 12. Closing Remarks by the Chairman RAF Historical Society Biographical Notes on the Main Speakers Addendum The Royal Air Force Historical Society Acknowledgement iv SEEK AND SEEK Preface To commemorate the Battle of the Atlantic 50 years on, the RAF Historical Society and the RAF Staff College convened a joint seminar at Bracknell on 21 October 1991. This was the second in an on-going series of seminars under the general title of the Bracknell Papers. The audience of just under 300 consisted of some 100 members of the RAF Historical Society and the Bracknell Directing Staff and students. Contributions were made by some 50 former RAF and Royal Navy officers, including a number of historians of both light and dark blue origin. A German view of the Battle was represented by an eminent German historian. The day’s proceedings were presided over by Air Chief Marshal Sir John Barraclough and a similar pattern to the Battle of Britain symposium in 1990 was followed. The morning was devoted to a series of six talks on various aspects of the Battle, while in the afternoon the symposium was divided into discussion groups in which issues that had been raised were debated in more detail. These provided an opportunity for Battle of the Atlantic veterans and others to offer recollections and for historians to comment further on various questions and controversies. The day’s events were rounded off with an address by Air Marshal Sir John Curtiss. This volume contains the edited texts of the main talks and a digest of what was said in the discussion groups. Derek Wood Editor SEEK AND SEEK v ‘We who dwell, in the British Isles must celebrate with joy and thankfulness our deliverance from the mortal U-boat perils, which deliverance lighteth the year which has ended. When I look back upon the fifty-five months of this hard and obstinate war, which makes ever more exacting demands upon our life’s springs of energy and contrivance, I still rate highest among the dangers we have to overcome the U-boat attack on our shipping, without which we cannot live or even receive the help which our Dominions and our grand and generous American ally have sent us.’ Signed by the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill The original of the above was given to Air Marshal Sir Edward Chilton, AOCinC RAF Coastal Command. It was framed and hung in the Officers Mess at Northwood, but unfortunately was destroyed in the great fire there. It formed part of a speech which Winston Churchill made in April 1944. vi SEEK AND SEEK Back – Left to Right Air Chief Marshal Sir Neville Stack, Air Marshal Sir Frederick Sowrey Front–Left to Right Air Marshal Sir Edward Chilton, Lord Shackleton. SEEK AND SINK 1 1. Opening Remarks The Commandant Air Vice-Marshal R G Peters It is my very great pleasure on behalf of all those resident at the college to bid a warm welcome to our visitors to this second RAF Historical Society Symposium on Second World War anniversaries. I know that many of you have been eagerly awaiting today and many have travelled far to be here. I trust you will not be disappointed and will have a thundering good day. This symposium has, I am delighted to say, proved very popular and there is one drawback, that we have too many people to accommodate in the one lecture hall, and we have had to make use of the Salmond Room for a CCTV link. I hope those of you there will feel fully part of the proceedings. Last year’s very successful symposium was on the Battle of Britain; next year in March we shall be holding one on the development of land/air warfare and the war in the Mediterranean and the North African littoral. For me these symposia give not only the chance to look back in history and project from that to the future but also an opportunity to ensure a vital interaction between people of all ages and experiences. For some of you who are veterans of the Battle of the Atlantic today may be a chance for some nostalgia and a chance to meet old friends. For the historians it may be an opportunity to argue your particular point or line –and I trust to ensure our accuracy; for the members of the Staff College course it is an opportunity to look at a major element of the Second World War and to participate in living history. Sadly the pressures of the syllabus these days prevent us looking at such events in quite the detail that might be desirable, so I am particularly glad that we are able to combine with the RAF Historical Society in this series of symposia and to allow the course members to mix with you, learn from you, and I hope in turn to give you something of their experience and knowledge of the modern Air 2 SEEK AND SINK Force and the way it’s working. Normally on these occasions it is my lot to introduce speakers and moderate affairs. Today I am happy to report that we have someone infinitely better qualified: Air Chief Marshal Sir John Barraclough. He was commissioned in 1938 and served during the Second World War in Coastal Command and later in the Middle East Air Force, he took part in the campaign in Madagascar and commanded the captured Italian airfield at Mogadishu. After the war he commanded RAF Biggin Hill and RAF Middleton-St George, known to some of us these days as Teeside Airport. He also served in FEAF, and as AOC 19 Gp; he was VCDS, Air Secretary and finally Commandant RCDS. Since retirement he has been active in many defence matters and has also been Chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Inspector General of the RAuxAF. He is extremely well qualified, by experience and capability, to run our affairs today. SEEK AND SINK 3 2. Chairman’s Introduction Air Chief Marshal Sir John Barraclough A very warm thanks to our invited guest speakers, who are giving up their time to making this day possible. We are most appreciative of the hospitality and facilities of the College. Our Chairman will speak of this later in the day, but I should here like to register our appreciation of his initiative, vision and drive in founding our RAFHS some five years ago. What a success it has been. All of us who hold our Service dear and see the importance of its history when recalled in tranquillity have reason to thank Sir Freddie, his Committee and his helpers for all that they have done and continue to do in that cause, and I hope words to that affect can be included in the proceedings of this day. The thrust of this symposium is of course the anti-submarine war, and for this morning we must confine it to that. But in seminars the anti-shipping, mining and other exciting things that happened at sea can, of course, be considered. Our first speaker is Mr John Terraine, a most eminent historian, broadcaster and writer on military matters – and most recently on RAF and maritime matters. His contributions to the literature have been most justly recognised by the highest awards and distinctions, and we are very fortunate to have him set the scene for us. He will be followed by Air Vice-Marshal Wilf Oulton, who took part in every aspect of the battle, as aircraft captain, Squadron Commander, Station Commander – with land- and seaplanes – and was then on the staff. He will tell us of the wartime tasks and structure of Coastal Command. I think Staff College students will find interesting anomalies in both. Lieutenant Commander Jock Gardner – naval historian and anti-submarine warfare specialist – will then give us a sharply focussed retrospect on the course of the battle, and Mr Edward Thomas, a guru from that secret world of Bletchley and naval intelligence – will fill in the intelligence background (perhaps it was the foreground on some occasions, for what an intelligence driven war 4 SEEK AND SINK it turned out to be).