How did air and surface crews respond to contact requests, and which force deserved the resulting submarine credit?
Short answerRequests were generally framed as cooperation, and an aircraft's report could lead a nearby sloop group to find and finish the contact.
NotesAn aircraft could report a suspected submarine hit while returning to base because it was running short of fuel. A hunter-killer group waiting nearby to reinforce a convoy could investigate the reported position. If the sloops found and sank the boat, the aircraft's detection or earlier attack still contributed to the result. Contact reports and requests were framed as cooperation between the forces, which helps explain why they could be accepted without being formal orders. The final sinking credit alone does not describe that sequence.