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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters

U.S. NAVAL FORCES OPERATING IN EUROPEAN WATERS

U. S. S. MELVILLE, Flagship.   

November 24, 1917.      

FROM:     Force Commander,

TO  :     ALL FORCES.

SUBJECT:  Concerning submarine attack.

     1.   In view of recent lack of success by the enemy against convoys well escorted, and the fact that we must be prepared for bolder enemy action and perhaps for some change in enemy submarine tactics, the Force Commander desires to particularly warn all ships against the possible attack on convoys by more than one submarine.

     2.   All Commanding Officers should carefully consider the above possibility and should so instruct their lookouts that regardless of the circumstances of any individual attack, the escort should be fully alive to the chance of simultaneous or successive attacks from different directions.

/S/ WM. S. SIMS.   

Vice Admiral, U. S. Navy.

Commanding.

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B. “COPIES TO:/Commander, Patrol Force, Brest (30)/Commander, Patrol Force, Gibraltar (15)/Commander, Patrol Force, Azores (10)/Commander, Destroyer Flotillas,/Queenstown (4)/Secretary of the Navy (Operations) (1)/Commander-in-Chief, ATLANTIC FLEET (1)/Captain R[ichard]. H. Jackson, U. S.N. (1)./Commander Aviation Forces (15)/FILE (5).”