26. Turning the Tables on U-Boats
The use of expensive and powerful torpedoes to sink relatively easy targets such as trawlers and freighters was considered overkill, and was also officially frowned upon. So U-boat captains would normally close the distance to the now “abandoned” Q-Ship, in order to open fire from close range and sink it with the deck gun.
However, once the submarine got close enough, hidden crewmen remaining on board the Q-Ship would haul down the merchant flag and raise the Royal Navy’s ensign. Simultaneously, other crewmen would collapse the deck structure, revealing up to four guns manned and ready for action, which would open fire upon and sink the surprised U-boat.