A fully-illustrated account of the British Q ship, a heavily armed small craft disguised as a merchant vessel, and its tactics against the Kaiser’s formidable U-boat fleet during World War I.

Q ships came in all shapes and sizes – coastal steamer, trawler, barque, yacht or schooner – but all had to look harmless in order to lure their opponents to the surface and encourage them to attack. Armaments differed according to ship size; steamers commonly had 4in guns mounted amidships and in the bow, trawlers 3-pdrs and sailing ships 12-pdrs.

David Greentree covers how the Q ship used a ‘panic crew’, trained to act out an elaborate evacuation to convince the U-boat commander that the ship was being abandoned by its crew. The Q ship captain would remain behind with a handful of other crewmen manning the guns, which remained hidden until the most opportune time to unmask and engage the U-boat.

Packed with illustrations, this book explores the Q ship concept in detail, from its emergence early in the war, when no other method seemed likely to counter the U-boat threat, and as it flourished, until new technologies and tactics were developed, tested and implemented.

This edition by David Greentree covers the development and deployment of q-ships as well as how the tactics changed as the war progressed. It also covers the German side of things and how they reacted to this threat. There are a lot of great period photos and some fine art work and drawings to get an idea of how these ships were designed and used. There are also several superb examples of Q-ship operations and successes. It makes for a most interesting read, a book that no WWI naval fan should be without.
- Scott Van Aken, www.modelingmadness.com
This edition by David Greentree covers the development and deployment of q-ships as well as how the tactics changed as the war progressed. It also covers the German side of things and how they reacted to this threat. There are a lot of great period photos and some fine art work and drawings to get an idea of how these ships were designed and used. There are also several superb examples of Q-ship operations and successes. It makes for a most interesting read, a book that no WWI naval fan should be without. --Scott Van Aken, www.modelingmadness.com

David Greentree graduated in History at York before taking a MA in War Studies from King’s College London and qualifying as a lecturer in Further Education. In 1995 he accepted a commission in the Royal Air Force and has served in a variety of locations, including Afghanistan and Oman. He has written several books for Osprey, focusing on British military history.

Peter Dennis was born in 1950. Inspired by contemporary magazines such as Look and Learn he studied illustration at Liverpool Art College. Peter has since contributed to hundreds of books, predominantly on historical subjects, including many Osprey titles. A keen wargamer and modelmaker, he is based in Nottinghamshire, UK.