March 8th, 1943 (MONDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Boom
defence vessel HMS Barnaby is launched. Frigate HMS Prince Salvor is launched.
Destroyer HMS Urchin is launched. Minesweeping trawlers HMS Proof, Sir Lomorack
commissioned.
Destroyer HMS Troubridge commissioned.
Submarine HMS Universal commissioned.
GERMANY: The Navy switches from the usual three wheeled Enigma cipher machine to a four-wheeled one, cutting off UK intelligence just as a U-boat "wolfpack" starts to attack Atlantic convoys.
U-1060 is launched. U-489 is commissioned.
U.S.S.R.: Admiral Standley, United States Ambassador to Russia, made statement in Moscow that news of important American aid was being kept from Russian people. "It is not fair to mislead Americans into giving millions from their pockets, thinking that they are aiding the Russian people, without the Russian people knowing about it".
CHINA: Japanese forces cross the Yangtze river.
U.S.A.: USS Sable (IX-81) had been launched in 1923 as SS Greater Buffalo and was commissioned today. The conversion consisted of removing the old superstructure and building a flight deck of 500 to 535 feet (152.4 to 163.1 meters) over the hull. A small island was build on the starboard side and smoke stacks were placed behind the island to vent the gases. USS Sable's flight deck was steel, the first US aircraft carrier to be constructed of that material. The Sable was one of two paddlewheelers used on the Great Lakes for training.
Destroyer escorts USS Amesbury and Joyce laid
down.
Destroyer USS Knapp laid down.
Light cruiser USS Dayton laid down. Escort Carrier USS Block Island is
commissioned.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-156 (Type IXC) is sunk at 1315hrs east of Barbados, position 12.38N, 54.39W, by depth charges from a US Catalina aircraft (VP-53/P-1). 53 dead (all hands lost).
Previously on 12 September, 1942 U-156 sank the Allied liner Laconia west of Africa in what has become known as the Laconia incident. 16 Feb, 1942 U-156 began to shell the oil refinery at Aruba in the Caribbean, but the gun crew forgot to remove the water plug from the barrel, causing an explosion that killed one man [Matrosengefreiter Heinrich Bössinger]. The gunnery officer [II WO Leutnant zur See Dietrich von dem Borne, see right] lost his right leg in this incident, and so had to be put ashore into captivity at Martinique on 21 February. The commander decided to saw off the ruined portion of the gun barrel, and using this shorter barrel, on 27 February U-156 sank a 2,498-ton British steamer. (Alex Gordon)
At 2020, the unescorted Liberty Ship James B. Stephens was torpedoed by U-160 about 150 miles NE of Durban, while steaming a nonevasive course at 11.5 knots. A torpedo struck one the port side between the #2 and #3 hatches. The explosion set the fuel oil in the double bottoms on fire and the ship settled rapidly by the bow. At 2032, a coup de grâce was fired, which struck on the port side at the #4 hatch and broke the ship in two. Both sections remained afloat, but the ship burned until the following morning. An Allied warship sank the stern section by gunfire and a British warship tried to tow the fore section to Durban, but it sank under tow in heavy seas. The eight officers, 35 crewmen and 20 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in, one 3in and four 20mm guns) began abandon ship after the first hit in four lifeboats and three rafts. The explosion of the second torpedo overturned the motor lifeboat and also blew three men from another boat into the water. The other lifeboats picked up all men with exception of one armed guard who drowned because he did not have a life jacked and could not swim. On 11 March, an aircraft spotted one of the boats and directed armed trawler HMS Norwich City to it. 19 survivors were picked up by the trawler and taken to Durban. 30 survivors were picked up by cruiser HMS Nigeria the next day and taken to Durban. Six days after the attack, the remaining 13 survivors were rescued by a SAAF crash boat one mile off Durban, after they were spotted by an aircraft.
At 2155, SS Empire Lakeland, a straggler from
Convoy SC-121, was sunk by two torpedoes from
U-190 NW of Rockall. The
master, 55 crewmembers and eight gunners were lost.
At 1823, SS Fort Lamy, a straggler from Convoy SC-121, was torpedoed and sunk by
U-527 SE of Cape Farewell. The
HMS LCT-2480 on board was lost with the vessel. The master, 39 crew members and
six gunners died. Three crewmembers and two gunners were picked up after 12 days
by the HMS Vervain and landed at St John's.
SS Vojvoda Putnik in Convoy SC-121 sunk by
U-591 at 58.42N, 31.25W.
At 0855, SS Guido was torpedoed and sunk by
U-633 about 450 miles ESE of
Cape Farewell. The vessel was a romper 10 miles off the starboard bow of the
convoy SC-121. Eight crew members and two gunners were lost. The master, 28
crewmembers and six gunners were picked up by USCGC Spencer and landed at
Londonderry.
At 2303, SS Leadgate, a straggler from Convoy SC-121, was hit by one torpedo
from U-642 and sank west of
the Hebrides. The master and 25 crewmembers were lost.