by PeterDennis (Illustrator), IanPalmer (Illustrator), David Greentree (Author)
Q ships came in all shapes and sizes - coastal steamer, trawler, barque, yacht or schooner - but all had to look harmless in order to lure their opponents to the surface and encourage them to attack. Armaments differed according to ship size; steamers commonly had 4in guns mounted amidships and in the bow, trawlers 3-pdrs and sailing ships 12-pdrs. Those who served on Q ships had to accept that their U-boat opponents would be able to strike first. Q ship captains kept ready a 'panic crew', which was trained to act out an elaborate evacuation to convince the U-boat commander that the ship was being abandoned by its crew. The Q ship captain would remain behind with a handful of other crewmen manning the guns, which remained hidden until the most opportune time to unmask and engage the U-boat. The Q ship concept had emerged early in the war when no other method seemed likely to counter the U-boat threat, and flourished until new technologies and tactics were developed, tested and implemented.
Format: Illustrated
Pages: 80
Edition: 1
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Published: 20 Feb 2014
ISBN 10: 1782002847
ISBN 13: 9781782002840
Book Overview: Confronted by the Kaiser's formidable U-boat fleet during World War I, the British deployed heavily armed small craft disguised as merchant vessels - the Q-ships - in a bid to counter this deadly submarine threat to the commercial shipping that was so vital for the Allied war effort.