British Overseas Territories and the U-Boat menace

The British Overseas Territories played an unsung but pivotal role in countering the deadly German U-boat threat during World War II, standing as steadfast sentinels across the Atlantic and beyond.

In terms of Remembrance, 2024 has witnessed several historic commemorations, with the events surrounding the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landing holding particular significance. The display of loyalty and determination from elderly veterans in attendance at the event was an incredible spectacle, particularly given how few now remain who can say they participated in the Second World War.

It is right that on Remembrance Sunday and Remembrance Day (11th November), that we honour British and Allied forces who paid the ultimate sacrifice in their duty. British Imperial and Commonwealth forces have played key roles in British military history, particularly in relation to the two World Wars.

While the contributions of Canada, Australia and India may be more widely understood by the British public, the efforts of many smaller nations have gone unsung – today’s British Overseas Territories included.

However, there is an area of operations where the Overseas Territories can perhaps claim a disproportionate contribution – countering German U-boats across the world, from the sunny Mediterranean to the icy waters of the South Atlantic.

Europe

“Fortress” Gibraltar played a key role in countering German U-boat operations, with its commanding position guarding the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. The Rock played a particularly important role in protecting convoys bound for the besieged island of Malta, acting as a crucial base and resupply point for British and Allied ships conducting convoy escort duties. At least 8 German submarines were sunk in and around the Straits of Gibraltar, which became renowned as a particularly dangerous area for U-boats to operate. These losses included the German Submarine U-451 which was sunk in December 1941 by a British Fairy Swordfish aircraft based at RNAS North Front in Gibraltar. On 12 May 1945 an additional German submarine surrendered to British authorities in Gibraltar, following the defeat of Germany just 4 days prior.

North Atlantic and the Caribbean

Moving from one “fortress” territory to another, we now look at the role played by Bermuda. Sitting off the Eastern Coast of North America, Bermuda acted as a key rendezvous point for Allied convoys crossing the North Atlantic. Bermuda was a hub for both naval and air activity with a number of warships being based in the territory. A new Naval Air Station was constructed in 1939 to service the increasing number of flying-boats and seaplanes associated with the Fleet Air Arm in the region. Given the lack of alternative units in the area, these aircraft were crucial in maintaining aerial anti-submarine patrols across the region between 1940 and 1944. Bermuda also became the site of extensive US bases during the war, from which additional anti-submarine efforts were made. In 1942, German submarine U-158 was sunk by a US Mariner flying boat operating from Bermuda and in August 1943 U-84 was sunk Southwest of Bermuda by an American Liberator aircraft based in Bermuda.

The United States also established a naval base in the Cayman Islands during the war, though this was later relegated to a US Coastguard facility in 1945, once the perceived threat from German U-boats operating in the Caribbean had reduced.

The contribution made by the British Overseas Territories in countering the German U-boats was not always of a military nature. For example, the Turks and Caicos Islands provided generous support to the survivors of ships that had been sunk in the waters surrounding the islands. This was a task that the Islanders had previously provided in the First World War. Back in 1918 seven crew members of the Norwegian ship Stifinder sailed their lifeboat an incredible 1000 miles to safety, after the Stifinder had been sunk by a German Submarine 800 miles Southeast of Bermuda.

South Atlantic

Situated in the middle of the South Atlantic, St Helena acted as a hub from which Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships could resupply and refuel allied ships in the South Atlantic, including vessels dedicated to combatting U-boats in the region. Several U-boats were sunk in the waters surrounding St Helena during the war and the island provided vital food and medical care to the survivors of sunk vessels such as the SS City of Cairo, which was sunk by a German submarine south of St Helena in 1942. The island also hosted a secretive naval radio station, which is believed to have been used in conjunction with a similar base on Ascension Island, to locate German ships and U-boats through “direction finding”.

As mentioned above, Ascension Island hosted a military radio station used to help locate German U-boats operating in the South Atlantic. It was also during the Second World War that Wideawake Airfield was constructed by the United States Military in 1942. The airfield was used as a base to conduct anti-submarine air patrols in the South Atlantic as well as a crucial stop-off between the Americas and Africa. In December 1941 German U-boat U-124 attacked Ascension Island with its deck guns, however the return fire from the island’s garrison forced the aggressor to crash-dive and retreat before it could inflict any meaningful damage. Multiple U-boats were sunk in the waters surrounding the island by US aircraft, that were likely based out of the newly built airfield. Ascension, like many of the British Overseas Territories, also found itself providing life saving aid to survivors of wrecks and sinkings.

Moving further South, there were multiple sightings of U-boats from Tristan Da Cunha. This played a part in the establishment of a secretive naval station in 1942, which came to be known as HMS Atlantic Isle. This station was a communications outpost, conducting critical work in monitoring German U-boats. The establishment of the base brought huge changes to the small island community, introducing a wage economy and the establishment of the island’s first shop, known as the “canteen”. The war would see the beginning of an economic boom in the territory, as the island became better connected with the outside world.

While this article provides only a snapshot of the wartime activities that took place across today’s British Overseas Territories, it hopefully offers a glimpse into the impact that they had on the allied war effort. Despite the small size of the territories, they played a critical role in achieving victory. No doubt thousands of lives were saved due to the contribution the territories made in combatting the U-boat menace and hundreds of thousands of tonnes of war materiel that might have been lost, made it to the required destination.

This Remembrance Day we honour all those from the Overseas Territories that gave their lives in the British, Commonwealth and Allied Armed Forces and recognise the great effort of the territories’ civilian populations. We will remember them.

German U-Boat U-871 being sunk as it attempted to transit the Straits of Gibraltar

The Royal Air Force at Darrell’s Island, Bermuda

Sailors stationed in St Helena during World War II