On 17 November 1942, a Lockheed Hudson damaged U-331 north of Algiers and left a forward hatch open, preventing a safe dive. The submarine signaled surrender to the Hudson, and HMS Wilton was sent to seize her. Three Albacores and two Martlets from HMS Formidable arrived before the destroyer. The surrender message had reached neither their carrier nor their squadrons, so the aircraft attacked the surfaced submarine. Strafing and an aerial torpedo sank U-331, killing 32 crewmen and leaving 17 survivors.
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U-331's surrender lost in the communications chain
U-331 signaled surrender after air attack left her unable to dive, but the message never reached Formidable's approaching aircraft before they struck.