Ultimate sacrifice of the 'Four Chaplains'
3rd February 1943: Tragedy and heroism at sea as the SS Dorchester is torpedoed in the North Atlantic with great loss of life
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The U-boat war was now entering a critical phase. Just as more and more men and munitions were leaving America and Canada to join the fight in Britain and North Africa, the U-boat packs were intensifying their efforts to sink them. Whilst a wide range of new technical measures and tactics were transforming the anti U-boat campaign, and having increasing success, the Battle of the Atlantic was far from won.
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The SS Dorchester was passing through the freezing seas off Newfoundland when her captain learnt of a U-boat nearby, located by land-based radio direction finding. There was little they could do about it, apart from keeping especially alert and staying close to the convoy. None of the escorts possessed radar so U-223 was able to surface in the darkness and fire one torpedo at 0055 on the 3rd.
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