technique to shadow a convoy

[commandosolo2009]

Hey guys I wonder what your technique is for shadowing a 60K Gross Registered Tonne heavily defended convoy? And is it correct to shadow them so that when looking at the periscope at night the moonlight would be behind them and not behind me? Or is it the other way around?
Thanks in advance
CS2K9

[Aktungbby]

otherwise known as "Ramage's rampage"

CITATION
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Parche in a predawn attack on a Japanese convoy, 31 July 1944. Boldly penetrating the screen of a heavily escorted convoy, Comdr. Ramage launched a perilous surface attack by delivering a crippling stern shot into a freighter and quickly following up with a series of bow and stern torpedoes to sink the leading tanker and damage the second one. Exposed by the light of bursting flares and bravely defiant of terrific shellfire passing close overhead, he struck again, sinking a transport by two forward reloads. In the mounting fury of fire from the damaged and sinking tanker, he calmly ordered his men below, remaining on the bridge to fight it out with an enemy now disorganized and confused. Swift to act as a fast transport closed in to ram, Comdr. Ramage daringly swung the stern of the speeding Parche as she crossed the bow of the onrushing ship, clearing by less than 50 feet but placing his submarine in a deadly crossfire from escorts on all sides and with the transport dead ahead. Undaunted, he sent three smashing "down the throat" bow shots to stop the target, then scored a killing hit as a climax to 46 minutes of violent action with the Parche and her valiant fighting company retiring victorious and unscathed.

[Jonas Grumby]

Originally Posted by commandosolo2009

Hey guys I wonder what your technique is for shadowing a 60K Gross Registered Tonne heavily defended convoy? And is it correct to shadow them so that when looking at the periscope at night the moonlight would be behind them and not behind me? Or is it the other way around?
Thanks in advance
CS2K9

I stay 5k away from the escorts and work my way to the front of the convoy all while plotting their course. It can be closer under certain circumstances, however, with a 5k separation you can't go wrong. Once I am far enough ahead on the convoy I turn in on their track and dive according to the situation at hand. It could be a long surface run or a short one, depending on how I maneuvered into this position.
You never want to be in the "moonstreak". You want the target vessels to be in there. In other words, you always want the convoy between you and the moon. If you have the moon at your back you are "silhouetted" and this is not good.