How early U-boat losses weaken later officer training

Additional convoy escorts could affect German submarine expansion long after an individual encounter. Prospective U-boat commanders learned through patrols under an experienced officer before taking their own command. Losing a few more boats early in the war, even half a dozen in this example, could remove officers who would otherwise train the next group of commanders. A smaller intermediate generation would then struggle to support the later expansion. Sending inexperienced crews straight into submarine warfare would reduce effectiveness and increase the danger of losing boats through their own mistakes. The cumulative effect therefore depends on lost experience as well as lost hulls.