in harbour at Berehaven and Queenstown during their well-earned rest. Throughout this time I kept a diary, and noted down much that would otherwise have been forgotten. Many of the Q-ship officers were my personal friends, and I have enjoyed the hospitality of their ships. Valuable data, too, were obtained from officers of merchant ships who witnessed Q-ships engaging submarines. A considerable number of authentic manuscripts has been examined. By the courtesy of commanding officers I have been lent documents of priceless historical value, such as copies of official reports and private diaries, plans, sketches, photographs, and so on. All this information has been further augmented by personal conversation, correspondence, and valuable criticism. I submit, therefore, that with all these sources of information available, and with knowledge of much that has been published from the German side, it is possible to offer a monograph that is at once accurate in detail and correct in perspective. ‘With respect to single-ship actions,’ wrote James in his monumental Naval History a hundred years ago, ‘the official documents of them are also very imperfect. The letters are generally written an hour or so after the termination of the contest, and, of course, before the captain has well recovered from the fatigue and flurry it occasioned. Many captains are far more expert at the sword than at the pen, and would sooner fight an action than write the particulars of one.’ That statement is true to-day of the Q-ships, and it would have been negligent not to have availed oneself now of the calm and considered version of the chief actors in the great mystery-ship drama while they are still alive. Although the time for secrecy has long since passed, nothing has here been included of a confidential nature that can be of assistance to enemies past or potential. In one instance, for political reasons and in the interests of the service, I have made a certain omission. Those concerned will recognize this and understand: the rest will not notice it. Among those who have rendered me the greatest assistance in regard to information, advice, criticism, the loan of manuscripts, illustrations, and in other ways, I desire especially to return thanks to Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly, C.V.O., K.C.B., K.C.M.G., and Miss Voysey, C.B.E.; to Captain F. H. Grenfell, D.S.O., R.N., Captain Gordon Campbell, V.C., D.S.O., R.N., Captain W. C. O’G. Cochrane, R.N., Commander Godfrey Herbert, D.S.O., R.N., Commander Stopford C. Douglas, R.N., and to Lieutenant G. H. P. Muhlhauser, R.N.R. E. KEBLE CHATTERTON. _March, 1922._ CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE HOUR AND THE NEED 1 II. THE BEGINNING OF SUCCESS 13 III. Q-SHIP ENTERPRISE 26 IV. THE STORY OF THE ‘FARNBOROUGH’ 39 V. THE ‘MYSTERY’ SAILING SHIPS 52 VI. THE ‘MARY B. MITCHELL’ 67 VII. MORE SAILING SHIPS 77 VIII. SUBMARINES AND Q-SHIP TACTICS 92 IX. THE SPLENDID ‘PENSHURST’ 109 X. FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS 132 XI. THE GOOD SHIP ‘PRIZE’ 143 XII. SHIPS AND ADVENTURES 158 XIII. MORE SAILING-SHIP FIGHTS 177 XIV. THE SUMMIT OF Q-SHIP SERVICE 192 XV. LIFE ON BOARD A Q-SHIP 213 XVI. Q-SHIPS EVERYWHERE 228 XVII. SHIPS OF ALL SIZES 242 XVIII. THE LAST PHASE 255 INDEX 273 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Q-Sailing-Ship _Mitchell_ _Frontispiece_ TO FACE PAGE An Early Q-Ship (_Antwerp_) 6 Q-Ship _Antwerp_ 6 Commander S. C. Douglas, R.N. 8 Commander G. Herbert, D.S.O., R.N. 8 Q-Ship _Antwerp_ 12 Gun’s Crew of Q-Ship _Antwerp_ 12 Q-Ship _Redbreast_ 22 Q-Ship _Baralong_ 22 Q-Ship _Baralong_ (Two Illustrations) 28 Officers of Q-Ship _Farnborough_ 42 Captain Gordon Campbell and Lieutenant C. G. Bonner 42 Q-Sailing-Ship _Mitchell_ 68 Q-Ship _Penshurst_ 114 Q-Ship _Penshurst_ (Two Illustrations) 116...