Attacking during a storm - why I like poor visibility!

[GJO]

I have recently enjoyed significant success with attacks in very poor visibility. My routine is as follows:

If visibility is poor it is best to hunt submerged on the hydrophones. As soon as the hydrophone operator reports a closing contact, I plot the target's course and bring myself onto a parallel course until I am abreast of the target at a distance of about 250 metres. I then widen the distance up to the limit of visibility but not more than 450 Metres. This is easy with a slow target where it is possible to stay submerged and use the periscope but at anything above 6 Knots it is usually necessary to surface to keep on station - here the poor visibility helps prevent the target from spotting my boat but if I am spotted and the target starts to zig-zag, maintaining a parallel course to keep the target in sight becomes very much more of a challenge. Also if the target is armed, it is essential to act quickly and submerge before the gunners have a chance of scoring hits. While on the parallel course, slightly ahead of the target and sure of the target's speed and AOB, I fire a torpedo from the stern tube aimed to hit below the funnel - I then slow right down (submerge if I had been surfaced) and if the target starts to overtake me I fire another torpedo from the bow aimed to hit the target about half way between the previous hit and its stern (or if the funnel is at the stern, further forward). By firing from a parallel course, the torpedoes travel through an arc and have sufficient time to arm themselves even though the direct distance may be less than 300 Metres. So far, I haven't needed more than two to stop the target (but I am always ready to fire a third from the bow tubes if necessary) and once stopped the target is a sitting duck. In recent patrols, this method has worked every time . . .