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[Page 50]
drifters fitted with hydrophones, depth charges, and a light calibre gun. It is safe to say that these drifters did not worry Fritz a great deal, and when this became obvious to our own Authorities, the Australian T.B.D's were sent to the Adriatic to augment the work of the drifters.
A submarine can only steam submerged a limited number of hours and so, if by keeping him under water you can force him to use up his battery power to the point of exhaustion, he must then come to the surface in order to re-charge. In coming to the surface he renders himself vulnerable to attack either by surface ships or aircraft, and so it was that the moment a Fritz was sighted by a T.B.D. the latter gave chase and forced him under water, when the drifters with their hydrophones came along and kept him in touch, frequently with the result that he was surrounded and depth charges sprinkled on him, destroying him out of hand, or he was forced to the surface and promptly despatched by gun fire.
Frit's Caution
Naturally Fritz was very much averse to exposing himself by day, and so he would as a rule wait until darkness or bad weather set in before attempting to re-charge.
Our patrol then was placed in an area governing the narrowest portion of the Adriatic, a space ten miles north and south of Capes Otranto & Linguetta. The drifters worked ten to twenty miles to the south of this, and only came north when in chase of a Fritz.
Before proceeding on patrol the Commanding Officer of each of the T.B.D's was informed in writing from the Commodore what they were likely to expect and the steps to be taken under various circumstances.