As the new chaser fleet headed overseas to hunt U-boats, the posibility of capture by the enemy had to be considered. On 20 April, 1918, the chaser commanding officers received written instructions titled, "Prevention of Submarine Devices falling into the hands of the enemy."
In the event that capture by the enemy should be imminent, everyone on board from the CO to the ship's cook had orders to participate in destroying the secret devices and documents on the chaser. For example, the commanding officer's duty was to destroy all confidential books, papers, and instructions, either by throwing the entire locker overboard, or by putting all the documents into a weighted canvas bag and throwing that overboard. The exective officer was responsible for tearing out the radio telephone and throwing it overboard. Crewman had assignments from cutting the K-tube lines to discarding the breech block of the Y-gun. The cook, who would be at the stern anyway, was assigned the task of destroying the trailing wire—by breaking it up with the tiller, if necessary. Listeners below decks were to detach the listening tubes and allow them to slide through the bottom of the boat.
Several days later, an addendum was circulated, indicating that "the dismantling of the vessels must never be begun until the specific orders to that effect have been given by the Commanding Officer, who will be the sole judge as to the necessity of giving such an order." No over-excited cook was to start hacking at the trailing wire with the tiller at the first sight of a submarine.