For the next few months the U-boat's 'Happy Time' continues against the poorly defended convoys. Approximately 22 U-boats are operational and long-range aircraft including the Focke Wulf Kondors fly over the waters off Ireland spotting for U-boats and sinking ships. The British Admiralty has sent out a warning about a major new threat: a large German surface raider in the western Atlantic- possibly a pocket battleship or a battle cruiser. These ships have six to nine 11 inch guns that can fire a 300 kg. explosive shell up to 18 km. accurately. Such a ship could demolish a destroyer like yours with one shell. It could tear through an entire convoy and all its escorts. In 1939 the German pocket battleship Graf Spee took on three British cruisers and wrecked them in less than a hour. Fortunately, a clever British ruse convinced the German captain that a major British fleet was in the area and the captain chose to sink his ship to avoid capture. You know that you won't be so lucky if a German raider attacks your convoy.