The Loss of U 533 by aircraft of 244 Squadron RAF 16th October 1943

Thought this might be of interest.

THE SINKING OF U 533 BY AIRCRAFT OF 244 SQUADRON IN THE GULF OF OMAN ON THE 16th OCTOBER, 1943

No.244 Squadron

Bisley EH404 'O' (Blenheim)

Crew.

Sgt. L W. Chapman
Sgt. Bonynge
Sgt. Murrel

U 533 (Kptlt. Helmut Hennig) was the first U-Boat to be sunk in the Indian Ocean—this is to say the first from which a prisoner has been taken. After a false start due to saboteurs putting splintered glass in the grease cap of the periscope mountings, she had sailed from Lorient on the 6th July, 1943. On her way down the coast of Africa she unsuccessfully attempted to torpedo a 12,000-ton independent, but had better fortune when she chanced upon two small sailing vessels of 150 tons. These were said to be carrying petroleum and were sunk with gunfire, 47 rounds being expended. The crew swam within a few feet of the U-Boat, but no attempt was made to help them.

U 533 then rendezvoused with a 1,200-ton U-Boat which was homeward bound. Perhaps not all the saboteurs' work had been discovered at Lorient, for the crankshaft hearings had been continually giving trouble, and " U 533 " now took the opportunity of changing them, using one spare which she carried and one which she obtained from the 1,200 tonner. The Cape of Good Hope was given a wide berth, and so far south did the U-Boat go that she found herself among icebergs ; another of the U-Boats proceeding to the Indian Ocean at this time was unlucky enough to collide with one and had to return to France. About 300 miles south of Cape Town U 533 fell in with two more U-Boats on their way to the Far East, and also obtained fuel from a supply U-Boat.

About a fortnight later there was another gathering of U-Boats, this time to the east or south-east of Madagascar. There were five German U-Boats—Schaeffer's and Luth's boats, U 532, U 533 and another, the number of which is not known, and there should have been an Italian. The German tanker" Brake," which had sailed from Penang, supplied them with fuel, drinking water and provisions ; the oil was a Japanese product, and could only be used when out of sight of shipping, since it gave a very dirty exhaust. U 533's crank shaft bearings were still giving trouble, and one of them had to be rentetalled by mechanics from the tanker. For three days the U-Boats, their anti-aircraft armament constantly manned, lay alongside the tanker, but still the Italian U-Boat did not appear. Then came the news of the surrender of Italy, and the Captain of " Brake," fearing that the rendezvous would be compromised, hurriedly left the U-Boats—one still had provisions stacked on her deck—and set course for Penang, carrying with her a list of what the U-Boats would need at the next rendezvous. This was fixed to take place in the sante area at Christmas.

U 533 and Luth's U-Boat proceeded to the Gulf of Aden. They were disappointed to find convoys where they had expected independents. U 533 attacked a small convoy and claimed the sinking of one large ship, but the ensuing counter-attack so damaged her torpedo tubes that she could do no more against it. Looking for targets she then cruised along the coast of Arabia, but all she sighted were dhows, and she kept out of their way for fear that they would report her presence. Once, however, the U-Boat followed the alleged practice of the Japanese and. going close inshore, sent off a few men in a dinghy to get provisions from a fishing village.

She was then ordered to patrol in the entrance to the Persian Gulf. in the hope of intercepting the tankers coming down from Abadan. She reached the Gulf of Oman about the 6th October and spent . ten unremunerative days. The use of G.S.R. was forbidden in this area with the result that there was no warning of the attack which Bisley aircraft of 244 Squadron (Sgt. L W. Chapman. Sgt. Bonynge. Sgt. Murrel ) made on the 16th October. The aircraft was only sighted at the last moment and, though the U-Boat crash-dived, one of its depth-charges exploded very close to her when at 80 ft.

The sole survivor, a torpedo rating (Corporal Gunther Schmidt) who had been keeping watch as an extra look-out, was then standing in the conning-tower with the First Lieutenant. He heard the Engineer Officer report that the hydroplanes were out of action and give the order to start the bilge pumps. At the time the U-Boat was still going down : then another depth-charge exploded close to the pressure hull and the man heard the Captain order the tanks to be blown.

The next thing that he remembered was that water came flooding up from below until it was up to his neck. The First Lieutenant managed to open the hatch, and both men were blown unconscious to the surface. The rating came to his senses first and managed to hold up the First Lieutenant for about an hour, but then had to let him go. The torpedoman stripped off his clothes and began to swim for the coast. The distance that he had to cover was about that of a cross-Channel swim and it took him twenty-eight hours. The water was warm and the thought of sharks spurred him on. There was a moon and by its light he saw land, and was heartened. All night he swam to the westward, and on the following evening walked ashore at Khor-Fakkan. Schmidt finished the war as a POW.


CHAPMAN, LEWIS WILLIAM. 179798, Pilot Officer, DFM, Coastal Command, 244 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Died 31st July 1944. Commemorated on the Alamein Memorial, Egypt. Column 279.
P/O Chapman was killed when a 44 Sqn. Dakota, Serial No KG690 was transporting 244 Sqn. personnel from Riyan to Salalah when it crashed into a mountain 30 miles from Salalah. Apparently the approach was very difficult and should only have been undertaken in good visibility. In this instance there was heavy cloud. Five South African crew were killed along with twenty-seven passengers of whom P/O. Chapman was one. Chapman recd his DFM in January 44, citation read;

On October 16th 1943 the above mentioned NCO Pilot was on patrol in the Gulf of Oman when he sighted a submarine on the surface. He carried out a brilliant attack which resulted in the damaging and possible sinking of the U-Boat. Confirmation is awaited. Although sgt Chapman has only been in 244 squadron for a period of two months and is new to the job, he showed great iniative and clear-headedness in a situation that could have been ruined by the slightest error or delay.

U-533 was sunk 16 Oct, 1943 in the Gulf of Oman, in position 25.28N, 56.50E, by depth charges from a British Bisley (Blenheim) aircraft (Sqdn. 244). 52 dead and 1 survivor.

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