Reference:  A/SW.  1456/43.
 
 
 
 
Precis of Attack by U.S.S. SPENCER
 
     
  Date:  17.4.43.                               Time:  1250                        Position:  48° 50' N  
                                                                                                                 21° 20' W.  
  Weather Conditions:  Wind N.E. Force 5; Sea moderate; Visibility  
                                    overcast, moonlight.  
     
  Duty:  Escorting Convoy H.X.233,  Course 043°.  
     
  Relative Position:  Ahead.  
     
  Narrative:  At 1250 SPENCER obtained a firm asdic contact bearing 039° range 1,500 yards.  This was counter-attacked and subsequently attacked a second time when close ahead of the Convoy.  
     
  Details of Attacks:  
 
No. of Attack
1st.
2nd.
3rd.
Time
1252
1258
1323
Movement of target.
Bearing steady
Ship's course
043°
080°
Ship's speed
18 knots
18 knots
10 knots
Rate of Approach
9 knots
15 knots
9 knots
Range of losing contact
800 yards
800 yards
350 yards
No. of D/Cs.
11
11
Mousetrap
Depth Settings
50 & 100 feet.
200 & 250 feet.
Remarks
No explosions
 
  The echo was regained four minutes after the first attack and the second was made immediately as, by this time, the contact was getting dangerously near the Convoy.  However, after this attack asdic contact was maintained as SPENCER steamed down through the Convoy columns.  At 1317, while still passing through the Convoy, SPENCER obtained another firm contact bearing 042° range 1,700 yards.  This was attacked with the Mousetrap at 1321 but no results were seen.  At 1338, however, a conning tower broke surface bearing 270° at a range of 2,500 yards.  SPENCER immediately opened fire on the U-Boat with all guns of her port battery and closed the enemy at full speed.  U.S.S. DUANE also closed at this time and opened fire as did several ships in the Convoy.  The majority of the U-Boat's crew abandoned ship and the U-Boat was observed to sink stern first at 1427.    
     
  Decision of U-Boat Assessment Committee:  U.175 known sunk.  
     
     
  14th June, 1943.