Aircraft – Sunderland, U-boat U-461

Robert Taylor’s dramatic rendering captures the final moments on July 30th, 1943 of U-461 in the Bay of Biscay as Flight Lieutenant Dudley Marrows RAAF spots three U-boats on the surface and powers his four-engined Sunderland aircraft over the conning tower of U-461, through a hail of gun fire. The submarines were at their most vulnerable as they set out and returned from their deadly missions in the Atlantic Ocean.
“The U-boats were manoeuvring in formation, keeping bows pointed towards the attacking aircraft, putting up a formidable barrage of cannon and machine gun fire. I decided the only thing to do was to go in as low as possible. We went in, jinking violently, with all 30 guns of the three submarines firing at us. Shrapnel was hitting the fuselage like hail. Just skimming the swell tops, I had to pull up to clear the sub as I dropped my depth charges. We just cleared the conning tower” Ft. Lt. D Marrows.
Seven depth charges straddled U-461 and blew the ship apart. Climbing away to assess the situation Dudley Marrows could see survivors in the water and in an involuntary act of compassion, flew back over the scene to drop one of his three dinghies to the survivors. It saved their lives.

Signed in pencil by the artist Robert Taylor, four crew of Sunderland ‘U’ and four crew of U-461; Flight Lieutenant Dudley Marrows DSO DFC (Captain and Pilot), Flight Lieutenant John ‘Jock’ Rolland (Navigator), Flight Lieutenant Peter Jensen (1st Wireless Operator – Air Gunner), Warrant Officer Horrie Morgan (Wireless Operator – Air Gunner),
Leading Seaman Alois Momper, Medical Orderly Wilhelm Hoffken,
Able Seaman Helmut Roschinski, Able Seaman Gerhard Korbjuhn

Overall print size: 25 inches wide x 16 inches high

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