27. Putting on a Show For U-Boats
The Q-ship decoys were usually trawlers or freighters carrying hidden guns in collapsible deck structures. They would sail routes known to be heavily infested with U-boats, in the hopes of attracting the attention of a German submarine and enticing it to make an attack.
When hailed by the U-boat, a portion of the crew, known as the “panic party”, would behave like normal merchant sailors. They would act terrified by the sudden appearance of an enemy submarine, and rush to the lifeboats to abandon ship.