At the outbreak of the second world war in 1939, the 'U-Boat peril' menaced international shipping. Travelers sailing westward from Penang were afraid their ship might encounter German submarines which destroyed allied merchant ships using 'wolfpack' tactic. News about the predator U-Boats excited popular imagination, and in Malay the word was translated as 'Kapal Yu' - literally the shark boat. Raja Shahabuddin, a pilgrim from Perak leaving for Mekkah from the port in Penang 1940 wrote a poem about it in jawi script
Selamat tinggal Tanah Melayu
Sahaya belayar berasa sayu
Umpama daun badanku layu
Takut berjumpa 'Kapal Yu'
Yu kapal penyelam
Dipunyai Jerman timbul tenggelam
Mengambat musuhnya di lautan dalam
Di waktu siang ataupun silam
Sumber: carigold
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