Skip to main content
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 Vice Admiral Henry B. Wilson, Commander, United States Naval Forces in France

DISPATCH TO BE SENT.

Date      27 October 1918

To        COMFRAN BREST

Prepared by    CS

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

SECRET.

My 8495.1 The following message sent to Opnav quoted for your information and is to be maintained highly secret. Forward 8495 and this message to Paris for information of Admiral Benson.2 Six enemy submarines are now known to have arrived in the area referred to. None of them have left it and none are coming to that area from home ports. There has been no confirmed report of an attack by submarine or any vessel in any area for forty-eight hours.3 Admiralty will not use the thirty destroyers for offensive action against submarines but are employing a small number of destroyers fitted with hydrophones which will be succeeded later by submarines for hunting purposes and after[w]ards by the trawlers all equipped with hydrophones.

SIMS.

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B.

Footnote 1: This document has not been found.

Footnote 2: Adm. William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations.

Footnote 3: For more on the movements of German submarines, see: Sims to Comfran, 26 October 1918, and Sims to Opnav, 26 October 1918.

Related Content