ATLANTIC BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 227, 21 June 1941, Page 10

ATLANTIC BATTLE

Convoy Conference System PRECAUTIONS TAKEN

(British Official Wireless.) (Received June 20, 7.30 p.m.)

RUGBY, June 19.

Conferences vital to the Battle of the Atlantic are day by day taking place between senior naval officers and masters of merchant ships. A description of one of these convoy conferences was given by a naval eye-witness.

‘‘The Navy and Merchant Navy are sitting in conference to discuss the problems of the Battle of the Atlantic,” he says. “The men in civilian suits are the masters of those merchant ships, cargo liners or rusty old tramp steamers who run the gauntlet of the U-boat and Nazi plane to feed Britain and supply the war machine. A senior officer of the Naval Control Service rises and explains the points contained in the sheets of sailing orders, instructions and other secret, documents which each Merchant Navy captain has before him. “The men in civilian clothes listen carefully. The senior Naval Control Officer calls upon the Royal Naval Reserve officer who is to be commodore of this convoy to address the men who will look to him for guidance throughout the perilous voyage. Be will sail in the senior ship of the convoy. The commodore rises and explains to these Merchant Navy masters what be wishes them to do and what action be proposes to take in the event of various emergencies which may arise on the voyage. Air And Sea Protection.

‘•More questions are asked and answered and then the senior officer of the warships which wilt escort the convoy tells the men whose ships be is to protect exactly what experience has taught him about the best way to co-operate in beating the U-boat and warplane. He is followed by a captain whose interest is in the defensive guns with which the merchant ships have been fitted. “Then an officer of the Royal Air Force explains the air protection which his service affords convoys and bow best to cope with German planes out in the Atlantic from the air-fighter’s point of view. The men of the Merchant Navy make observations and ask questions. “Finally the captain presiding over the convoy conference rises to introduce the commander-in-chief and admiral who has found time from lhe unceasing work of/directing the Battle of the Atlantic to come and explain the position as be sees it to these men of the Merchant Navy. So ends the convoy conference. The Merchant Navy captains return to their ships to prepare for sailing, and another great adventure is under way.”