The incident furnished an example of the risks run by heavy ships cruising in the North Sea in waters frequented by submarines, unless accompanied by a much stronger screen of destroyers than it was possible to provide owing to the paucity of destroyers and the immense amount of work required of them. It was noted at the time, and considered to be suspicious, that a large fleet of trawlers flying neutral colours was fishing in the neighbourhood of these submarine attacks.
As a result a force comprising three armed boarding-steamers and three destroyers was despatched from Scapa on June 26th to examine a fleet of neutral fishing vessels working to the south-eastward of the Pentland Firth and on the ordinary track of the Fleet when proceeding to sea. Six vessels were sent in for detailed examination, but nothing suspicious was found on board. The fishing fleet, however, shifted its ground to a position clear of the track of the Fleet.
Operations against enemy submarines carried out by Grand Fleet forces during June included the following:
June 1st to 2nd.—A division of destroyers endeavoured, without success, to locate and attack a submarine 60 to 80 miles to the eastward of May Island.
June 4th to 5th.—Two destroyers and two sloops operated against a submarine, with a supposed tender, to the eastward of the Pentland Firth.
June 5th.—The armed trawler Hawk, of the Peterhead area, disabled submarine U 14 by gun fire and sank her by ramming at 7.30 A.M. in Lat. 57.15 N., Long. 0.32 E. One officer and 21 men were rescued. It was a fine exploit, typical of the consistently good work of the vessels of the Peterhead patrol; it was a success that was specially welcome at this time when submarines were very active in northern waters.
There were many other engagements between auxiliary patrols and submarines during the month, but no other certain successes. It was believed that at least one submarine was sunk in a deep mine-field which had been laid at my request off Tod Head on the Aberdeen coast. Appended are notes of further operations against the enemy’s under-water craft:
June 18th and 19th.—Anti-submarine operations by three destroyers and sloops were carried out in the Fair Island Channel.
June 20th.—Four destroyers were operating against submarines to the westward of the Orkneys.
June 21st and 22nd.—The Botha and eight destroyers of the 1st Flotilla were operating against submarines in an area between Lat. 56.20 and 57.10 N. and Long. 1 E. to 1 W.