U boat war 1914 - 1915
Picture courtesy of Central News Agency.
This German artists depiction of a U boat attack on a British Merchant ship is a reminder of the chivalry and gentlemanly conduct in accordance with the Geneva Convention, practised by U boat commanders in the early years of the First World war.
Unfortunately this soon changed with the introduction of unrestricted submarine warfare by the Germans as a result of Winston Churchill's orders to merchant ship captains not to surrender and the introduction of "Mystery" or "Q" ships, heavily armed merchant ships with concealed guns which opened fire on U boats the moment they surfaced.
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