MOST SECRET.
	From. . . . . . . . . . The Senior Officer, (D)  3rd Escort Group H.M.S. BULLDOG. Date. . . . . . . . . . . 10th May, 1941 To. . . . . . . . . . . . The Captain (D),  Greenock - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Subject. . . . . . . . . Capture of U-110. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Submitted  :
	At 1202 G.M.T. on 9th May, two ships of convoy O.B. 318, which was being escorted by the 3rd Escort Group, were torpedoed in position 60 20 N  33 40 W.  Escorts were disposed as found in the diagram attached.  It was evident to me that the attack had come from a position between Broadway and Aubretia.  Both ships were in contact almost immediately and attacked, Broadway at 1208, Aubretia shortly afterwards.  Bulldog was also in contact and I could see that Aubretia's attack was a good one.  Bulldog had moved over to join in the hunt.
	At 1235 a conning tower was sighted at about 800 yards range on the port beam.  Fire was immediately opened by 4.7 inch, 3 inch, 2 pounder pom-pom and stripped Lewis guns.  One 3 inch shell struck the conning tower and men were seen to be abandoning the submarine.  Fire was ceased by the heavier guns but the men were speeded on their way by small arm fire.  H.M.S. BROADWAY was then seen to be about to ram.  The submarine turned her stern on to her and Broadway only grazed the submarine and in doing so had her port forward fuel tank holed.  She dropped a depth charge close to the submarine's bow.  Oil covered the water.
	2.        H.M.S. Bulldog stopped within 100 yards of the submarine and sent away an armed whaler's crew.  No sign of a white flag was seen and two men appeared to be manning the submarine's forward gun.  Fire was again opened by Lewis gun and two or three men were hit.  My object was to keep the crew rattled.  They already appeared dazed and uncertain what to do.  By the time the whaler was alongside the submarine, the whole crew appeared to have jumped into the water.  There was a moderate sea running and waves were breaking over the U. boat's deck.  The officer in charge of the whaler, appreciating the necessity of speed, ran his boat hard on board the submarine and a wave carried it on to the deck where it was smashed.  The crew found that the conning tower hatch was closed.  They opened it and went below without delay. ( Their orders were to seize all books and anything that looked important).  Shortly afterwards they signaled that the U. boat had been abandoned, and appeared to be sound and in no danger of sinking.  I therefore decided to take her in tow and passed her a 3-1/2" wire.  (See report by Sub Lieutenant Balme).
	3.        I had ordered Aubretia to pick up all German survivors.
	4.        The submarine was trimmed slightly by the stern and had a slight list to port.  She was making a little headway down wind.
	5.        Meanwhile another submarine had torpedoes two more ships of the convoy and was being counter-attacked by H.M.S. Amazon and other corvettes and trawlers of the 3rd Escort group.  H.M.S. Broadway and H.M.S. Aubretia had obtained a further contact and were dropping depth charges.  They eventually reported having lost contact.  Aubretia reported that it had been doubtful.  I therefore ordered Broadway to close and lower a boat.

 

	6.        A periscope was reported from two look-outs in Bulldog.  The tow was slipped and a search made.  Nothing was seen and no contact obtained, but a plank was passed near the position reported.
	7.        Tow was again passed to the U. boat.  I ordered Aubretia to search round me.  I sent my Engineer Officer and two E.R.A's to the U. boat, but unfortunately had no one on board with sufficient submarine experience to attempt to blow the after tanks, as none could understand the technical German.  The Engineer Officer found that the port motor was running slow ahead with all switches put to the same position on the port side as on the starboard side, the engine still would not stop and the guage showed 10 amps.  The Engineer Officer reported that the bilges were dry and the pressure hull watertight, but that there was the bubbling noise of an air leak or an open vent somewhere aft.  (See Engineer Officer's report).
	8.        Broadway's boat made two journeys to bring back books, charts and documents.  The wind and sea were rising all this time and the visibility had shut down to four miles.  The convoy had turned away from the U. boat after the first attack and was soon out of sight.  Consequently no ship in the convoy witnessed the capture of the submarine.  From the amount of gunfire they must have heard, it may be supposed that they imagined the submarine to have been sunk.
	9.        It was now considered most important to get clear of the area as it was thought that other submarines may be near.  As I had nobody who could work on the U.boat in any way I considered it best to withdraw all men from on board her.  She seemed to have some starboard wheel on and it was only with difficulty that she could be turned to port on the homeward course.  This was eventually done however, and she rode quite easily slightly on the starboard quarter and heading slightly to starboard of my course.  When she was towing nicely at 4 knots I ordered all watertight doors and hatches to be closed and the crew to rejoin Bulldog in Broadway's boat.
	10.        Everyone was back on board by 1830 speed increased to 6 knots and the U. boat, although she had settled slightly more aft, seemed perfectly seaworthy.
	11.        I had ordered Broadway to escort me, carrying out a broad zig zag astern, and had told Aubretia to rejoin the convoy.  Bulldog set course 045.
	12.        There were no incidents that night and the submarine seemed to be quite comfortable at the speed of the tow.
	13.        The wind had risen slightly and was S.W. force 4 at 0400.  by 0700 it had veered to W. by S. and increased to force 6 with a nasty lumpy sea.  It was now impossible to hold the course and it was decided to let the submarine head down wind, as she seemed comfortable in this position, and to keep the wire just taught.
	14.        Suddenly at 1100 the U.boat began to sink by the stern.  Very shortly her bow was standing vertically out of the water.  She slowly sank and the wire was cut.  The prize must have been working slightly in the heavy sea and this may have aggravated any damage caused by depth charges or contact with Broadway.  Her loss was a bitter blow as it was felt that having survived so many shocks, particularly Broadway's depth charge close to her bow, she should be able to stand the 400 mile tow to Iceland.
	15.        I consider that she was forced to the surface in the first place by Aubretia's well executed attack.  Great credit is therefore due to her Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander V.F.Smith R.N.R., for contributing directly towards the destruction of U 110.
	Commander D.