Attack on Ark Royal and the sinking of U-39

14 September 1939, Western Approaches, north-west of Ireland

British success; the first U-boat sunk in the war

Ark Royal was hunting U-boats in the Western Approaches with destroyers when, on 14 September 1939, U-39 got into position and fired two torpedoes at her. Both had the new magnetic pistols, which were faulty, and exploded short of the carrier. The destroyers Faulknor, Foxhound and Firedrake turned on the splashes and depth-charged U-39 until she came to the surface, and her whole crew were taken prisoner. She was the first U-boat lost in the war. Three days later U-29 sank Courageous in the same waters, and the carriers were taken off U-boat hunting.