U-106

The ordeal of the Type IXB boat U-106 continued when two more aircraft were sent in. These were Sunderland G.R.Mk.111 (JM708) of No.228 Sqd flown by Flying Officer Reader D. Hanbury, and Sunderland G.R.Mk.111 (DV968) of No.461 (RAAF) Sqd flown by Flight Lieutenant I.A.F. 'Chick' Clarke both from Pembroke Dock. Both aircraft exchanged gunfire with the U-boat and then dropped depth charges, as shown by this photo taken from the Sunderland of No.228 Sqd. Damerow ordered his men to abandon the the U-boat shortly before it blew up and left debris and bodies in the water. Twenty-five men were killed but thirty-seven were picked up by the German torpedo boats T-22, T-24 and T-25. Damerow was one of those rescued but was badly wounded and taken to hospital. He died of his wounds on 21 May 1944. Ref: ADM 199/2060