And yet another convoy quiz question

Ping Panther · 12-05-08, 06:04 PM

Yet another question d'jour:

From all of my reading of various historical accounts of naval battles that involved ASW attacks (yes, of WW2), I have become familiar with the term of "an embarrassing charge" in many of the stories.

The British Navy seemed to use the term of deploying an "embarrassing charge" when almost all hope of a certain u-boat location was lost from their escort searches. An "embarrassing charge" was when one of the remaining escorts would drop just 1 depth charge at the area that was presumed to be the very last place to assume a previously spotted u-boat was lurking.

Was this embarrassing charge done as though they may have one last speck of a chance to get a very odd direct hit, or just to at least spook a sub crew to staying under? To me it always seemed this 1 DC drop would just blow an spread of bubbles and deafen any escorts, more so than get a 1 in a million hit by pure chance on a lost sub.
What do you think? :hmm:

Wreford-Brown · 12-05-08, 06:43 PM

I think it was done to spook the sub crew into doing something stupid. If the sub made the slightest noise then the Royal Navy would reacquire their target.

Sailor Steve · 12-06-08, 05:22 PM

Good points, and probably 'all of the above' is the likely answer. I was unfamiliar with the term until now. Thanks.

12-05-08, 06:04 PM	#1
Ping Panther Lieutenant Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: the armpit of the Mid-Atlantic / Quadrant CA42 Posts: 262 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	And yet another convoy quiz question Yet another question d'jour: From all of my reading of various historical accounts of naval battles that involved ASW attacks (yes, of WW2), I have become familiar with the term of "an embarrassing charge" in many of the stories. The British Navy seemed to use the term of deploying an "embarrassing charge" when almost all hope of a certain u-boat location was lost from their escort searches. An "embarrassing charge" was when one of the remaining escorts would drop just 1 depth charge at the area that was presumed to be the very last place to assume a previously spotted u-boat was lurking. Was this embarrassing charge done as though they may have one last speck of a chance to get a very odd direct hit, or just to at least spook a sub crew to staying under? To me it always seemed this 1 DC drop would just blow an spread of bubbles and deafen any escorts, more so than get a 1 in a million hit by pure chance on a lost sub. What do you think? :hmm:

12-05-08, 06:43 PM	#2
Wreford-Brown Sea Lord Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: In sight of Stonehenge Posts: 1,750 Downloads: 51 Uploads: 26	I think it was done to spook the sub crew into doing something stupid. If the sub made the slightest noise then the Royal Navy would reacquire their target. __________________ All my mods are available at MediaFire: SH3 Mods Other modders SH3 mods SH4 Mods ...you can't please all of the people all of the time...

12-06-08, 05:22 PM	#3
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Good points, and probably 'all of the above' is the likely answer. I was unfamiliar with the term until now. Thanks. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo