Capital ships in convoys???

[K-61]

I bagged HMS Rodney from a convoy in my previous GWX Gold patrol. She was travelling in the middle of the convoy, doing six knots. In real life, this would be suicide. Most warships, especially large ships like cruisers, battleships and carriers could do well above a U-boat's top speed surfaced. To place them within the convoy perimeter would force them to travel well below a safe speed.

I know it was a practice to occasionally sail major warships with a convoy to guard it against the predations of surface raiders like Graf Spee or Bismarck. I just don't think the Admiralty would tell them to sail within the convoy's perimeter. An escort could as easily protect the convoy by sailing outside the convoy, but still maintain a higher speed and zigzag to avoid torpedo attack.

What do you folks say on the subject? Do you think the SH3 way of simulating warship escort is realistic? I intend to "ignore" further occurences of this type, as a concession to what I feel is unrealistic. I'd appreciate any definitive references on the subject. I've read of accounts where convoys had major warship escort, but nothing specific as to how the convoy was escorted. I think the Admiralty would keelhaul a battleship commander who lost his ship when he was sailing inside a convoy rather than making speed outside the convoy.