From the Bridge River –Lilloet News – BC- 1944 This article takes us back in time over a half a century when Canada's corvettes were hunting down and sinking German U-boats during a world war that killed millions. The U-boats were the single most effective force the Germans had as they avoided direct contact with a superior Royal Navy and later the USN. U-boats operated against unarmed vessels of commerce. When they went head to head with the RCN warships manned by Canucks from civilian jobs …they lost. Here is one story from those times of how a Canadian cattle rancher and his crew took on U-501 in 1941.

PRENTICE CORRALS SUBMARINE

When the bull sale opens" at Kamloops March 11, there will be one rancher absent who, in the piping times of peace, loved to attend livestock sales and agricultural exhibitions - Commander J. D. Prentice, of the Western Canadian Cattle Company, owners of the Gang Ranch in this district. Usually in company with Wally MacMorran ranch manager, Prentice would drop anchor at Clinton, Ashcroft, Kamloops or Williams Lake for the meetings. A shy retiring sort he nevertheless followed closely every word uttered by his fellow ranchers, and at times when the financial side was being discussed offered shrewd suggestions.

This week, the Gang Ranch man was ganging up on the German under-sea enemy somewhere in the Atlantic. He had thrown off his schapps and sombrero at the first call of war and was off as many a British sailor had done before him, from the broad acres to the broad ocean. Sailing in his own corvette HMCS CHAMBLY he attacked the German submarine U-501. The official account issued by the Admiralty is as follows:

 "…Depth charges forced the enemy to the surface and running pursuit developed  

After some miles the German commander lost heart and surrendered his vessel…"

The business of cowmen is to look well after the herd and ward off vermin of the wilds -wolves, bear, coyotes. In the course his work in the sage brush country he must be careful of rattlesnakes. He must be efficient in managing the great beef drives in the fall. He must have fair trading conditions. There must be law and order in the country of the open range and rustlers and gyp artists with bad cheques must be watched. When Prentice cast off from shore his work was to help guard the homesteads of the United Nations and to keep clear the trade trails of the world.

A grateful sovereign has awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his heroic achievement.

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