PDF Summary:Convoy Escort Commander, by Peter Gretton

War on the high seas has never been so vividly depicted. In Convoy Escort Commander, Peter Gretton draws from his firsthand naval experiences to chronicle the vital role of convoys in securing Allied victory during World War II's Battle of the Atlantic.

Gretton takes readers through the evolution of his leadership aboard escort ships, tasked with safeguarding merchant vessel convoys from the relentless onslaught of German U-boats. His powerful anecdotes capture the pivotal battles, calculated tactics, and stalwart determination needed to outmaneuver the submarine threat and sustain the supply chains fueling the Allied war effort.

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The author portrays the hostilities involving Convoy ONS 5 as some of the fiercest and most brutal naval engagements of the entire war. The B7 group encountered an overwhelming force of more than sixty submarines, organized into several wolfpacks, resulting in an extended and exhausting battle that pushed the resilience of the escort ships and the merchant vessels to their absolute limits. The author emphasizes the relentless and ongoing assaults by the enemy, noting the constant pursuit and the ever-present threat of aerial and submarine attacks.

Even under difficult circumstances, B7, with intermittent assistance from long-range Liberator bombers and auxiliary units, inflicted significant harm on the enemy forces. The writer chronicles a series of close calls and victorious encounters, including a notable one led by the Wolverine, along with multiple hedgehog attacks and depth charge offensives that inflicted heavy losses upon the German submarine forces. Gretton's commitment to proactive tactics, honed during his team's training phase, played a pivotal role in disrupting the coordinated attacks by dispersing the adversary's underwater vessels. The prolonged conflict demonstrated B7's relentless resolve and endurance, both of which were vital for the convoy's eventual victory, even though both sides suffered significant losses.

The strategic teachings underscore the significance of employing advanced monitoring devices, including equipment to intercept radio communications and radar systems, as well as the imperative for crew members to receive comprehensive training and acquire extensive experience.

The author extracts several key strategic insights from the ONS 5 conflict, highlighting the crucial importance of auxiliary naval units, the influence of sophisticated enemy detection and positioning systems, and the imperative for crew members to be highly skilled and knowledgeable in their responsibilities. Gretton emphasizes the significant strengthening of the convoy's protective measures, which was realized by adding a support group consisting of four destroyers from the Home Fleet, allowing for a more assertive approach and the ability to spread out the ships for prolonged chase maneuvers. He underscores the vital role of employing high-frequency direction-finding technology to pinpoint the locations of U-boats during their transmission of contact reports, enabling escort ships to disrupt their navigation and coordinate attacks from the air.

The struggle highlighted the crucial necessity of having teams that are thoroughly prepared and seasoned. The writer chronicles multiple instances in which poor collaboration, miscommunications, and malfunctioning equipment undermined the defensive team's ability to safeguard the merchant vessels adequately. The personnel on the Wolverine and Vidette showcased remarkable proficiency in employing cutting-edge radar systems with precise centimeter-level targeting and advanced Hedgehog weaponry, leading to substantial losses among the enemy forces. The incident involving ONS 5 highlighted the considerable dangers associated with maritime combat in the Atlantic, underscoring the need for ongoing advancements in technology, regular skill enhancement, and a proactive approach to countering enemy actions. The book also emphasized a crucial shift in recognizing the importance of support fleets and escort vessels in actively addressing the threat of submarines.

Significant engagements involving convoys

The author's group successfully protected the merchant vessels through the implementation of strategies that demonstrated their skill, determination, and advanced techniques in combating submarine threats.

Throughout the book, Gretton recounts a sequence of crucial encounters that underscore B7's progressively refined tactical skills in opposing submarines, along with the continuous evolution of Allied strategies. The clashes, while brief and not as intense as the battle at ONS 5, were crucial in countering the enemy's strategies and guaranteeing the continuous movement of vital supplies across the sea. The author often highlights the group's growing expertise in deploying state-of-the-art technologies, particularly radar functioning at centimeter wavelengths and the hedgehog anti-submarine weapons, in addition to tactics designed to counteract acoustic torpedoes.

A significant clash resulted in the disabling of U-274, achieved through the use of radar to detect its location and skillfully orchestrating a hedgehog assault. The team exhibited proficient execution of maneuvers often necessary to counteract the danger posed by submerged U-boats in the conflict. During a later confrontation, the Sunflower courageously confronted and destroyed U-631 from close range. This triumph demonstrated the team's increasing self-assurance and their swift reaction to emergent dangers. The relentless emphasis on preparation and adept use of innovative technologies solidified this team's status as an exceptionally proficient combat unit. Allied strategies were becoming increasingly advanced in countering submarine threats, leading to a notable shift in the Atlantic's balance of power.

Other Perspectives

• While B7 Group's use of centimetric radar technology was effective, it's possible that the technology's success also depended on the enemy's lack of countermeasures or technological parity at the time.
• Assertive tactics can minimize losses, but they also carry the risk of escalating conflict or provoking more aggressive responses from the enemy in the long term.
• The emphasis on collaboration and dialogue is important, but over-reliance on vocal radio transmissions could potentially be exploited by an enemy with advanced interception capabilities.
• Proactive measures are crucial, yet they must be balanced with caution to avoid unintended consequences or overextension of resources.
• The success of B7 Group's tactics during the encounter with HX 231 might not be entirely replicable in different contexts or against different adversaries who may adapt or innovate in response.
• Inflicting considerable harm on enemy submarines is a measure of success, but it does not necessarily reflect the broader strategic situation or the sustainability of such tactics.
• Advanced monitoring devices and technology provide significant advantages, but they also create dependencies that can become vulnerabilities if the technology fails or is countered by the enemy.
• Comprehensive training and experience are imperative, but they must be continuously updated to remain effective against evolving threats and tactics.
• The focus on B7 Group's skill and determination may overshadow the role of other contributing factors, such as intelligence support, logistics, and broader strategic decisions.
• The continuous movement of vital supplies is critical, but the methods used to ensure this must also consider the cost, both in terms of resources and human lives.

The convoy system was crucial and effective during the entirety of World War II.

The historical importance and proven effectiveness of employing grouped vessels for transportation.

Since the 13th century, the tactical organization of ships into convoys has been a cornerstone of naval operations.

The author emphasizes the proven effectiveness of assembling vessels in collective defense, a tactical concept that dates to the 13th century. They delve into the foundational British convoys that played a pivotal role in maintaining essential trade routes, along with the remarkable success of the Spanish treasure fleets in protecting valuable ships navigating between Europe and the Spanish Main. The practice of safeguarding sea vessels by arranging them into formations for protection against numerous threats has a deep-rooted history, and is not a tactical concept that emerged solely during the World War periods.

The author argues that assembling ships in convoys and ensuring they are escorted by armed vessels proved to be a far more effective safeguard against pirates, privateers, and enemy navies than allowing individual ships to sail along established routes. This centralized approach allowed for the focused application of defensive resources, maximizing firepower and minimizing vulnerability. The use of convoys extended beyond a mere defensive measure; it also strategically forced opponents to divert their resources into tracking down the protected ships, thereby acting as an efficient offensive maneuver. The shift in perspective emphasizes the crucial importance of convoy tactics in counteracting adversary movements and shaping the battlefield conditions.

Merchant vessels experienced a marked enhancement in their protection against various threats when they journeyed together in groups rather than in isolation.

The author highlights the intrinsic advantages of employing convoy tactics to safeguard merchant ships against various threats, such as submarine assaults. Merchant vessels sailing together in a convoy were better shielded from threats posed by aircraft, other ships, and mines when accompanied by naval and air force escorts than when traversing the waters solo. Surface raiders frequently showed reluctance to initiate a confrontation that might lead to harm when far from their bases of operation, particularly if the convoy was accompanied by even a small protective escort. They also emphasize the success of safeguarding convoys by steering them along previously cleared paths, thereby reducing the likelihood of coming across lethal mines.

Gretton and Waters argue that the concentration of firepower and the deployment of specialized anti-submarine resources made convoys a much more formidable obstacle for German submarines compared to solitary vessels. They confront the misconception that attacking convoys would be straightforward, emphasizing the complex difficulties in locating and penetrating the defensive configurations of these strategically organized assemblies. The convoy system's flexibility in responding to different threats highlights its advantage over the risky and solitary journeys undertaken by single vessels, which invariably led to significant losses throughout the war.

The global conflicts witnessed the strategy's initial shortcomings and later triumphs linked to employing convoys.

During the First World War, the initial hesitation to adopt convoy procedures led to substantial merchant ship casualties.

The book details the initial reluctance of the British Admiralty during World War I to adopt convoy systems, stemming from unfounded concerns, insufficient intelligence, and an unwavering adherence to outdated naval tactics. The narrative emphasizes the dire consequences of hesitation, especially its severe impact on unprotected commercial ships at the onset of conflict. Naval leaders disregarded the proven effectiveness of escorting groups of ships from past conflicts, considering such strategies too unwieldy and difficult to coordinate, and chose to persist with the less effective method of protecting designated maritime routes through dispersed patrols.

Gretton, in collaboration with Waters, argues that the hesitancy to implement convoy systems stemmed from an underestimation of the enemy's capabilities, insufficient knowledge about sea transportation, and an overestimation of the challenges associated with managing large-scale escort operations. The successful navigation of the North Sea and the English Channel by smaller convoys offers irrefutable evidence that such a strategy could be equally effective for transatlantic voyages. The author conveys his remorse for the delayed response that led to casualties, emphasizing the crucial role that the introduction of the convoy system in 1917 played in reducing ship losses and altering the tide of the conflict with U-boats.

Throughout World War II, the convoy method proved its strategic significance, even though there were some initial uncertainties regarding its effectiveness.

At the onset of the Second World War, Gretton and Waters noted a renewed skepticism about the convoy tactic's efficacy, reminiscent of the skepticism it encountered in the previous conflict. The book highlights the early reluctance of naval leadership to implement the convoy system, stemming from concerns about the ability to keep ships in formation, the availability of sufficient escort vessels, and the possibility of port overcrowding. This reluctance was fleeting. The sudden assault by a German U-boat on the unprotected passenger vessel Athenia prompted the Admiralty to rapidly implement convoy strategies, safeguarding the transatlantic sea routes.

The author chronicles the continuous advancement and refinement of the methods employed to safeguard convoys throughout the conflict, emphasizing the development of tactics, the integration of cutting-edge technologies like sonar detection systems and anti-submarine weaponry, and the crucial role of support groups in countering the progressively complex threat posed by U-boats. The system's effectiveness in diminishing losses was evident, despite its initial reliance on personnel who were not fully trained and contended with a scarcity of escort ships. The author highlights the crucial contributions of figures like Captain Gilbert Roberts, whose strategic development against submarine threats and guidance of upcoming convoy protection leaders were pivotal. Initially regarded with skepticism and derision, the method of guiding groups of ships became an essential component in the strategy of the Allied Merchant Navies, playing a significant role in securing victory over naval conflicts in the Atlantic.

The strategy of assembling ships into convoys was crucial in the Atlantic conflicts.

The essential strategy for neutralizing the threat of U-boats and protecting Allied sea transportation involved organizing ships into collective units instead of relying on individual patrols.

The author confidently claims that the triumph in the Battle of the Atlantic can be chiefly attributed to the implementation of the convoy system, as opposed to reliance on lone patrols or search squads. The strategy of assembling ships into safeguarded convoys with armed escorts altered the dynamics, forcing U-boats into a defensive role rather than allowing them free rein for aggressive attacks. Statistical data indicates that U-boats primarily sank ships that were navigating alone, and most U-boats were destroyed when they encountered formations tasked with the protection of convoys or their accompanying support vessels.

Gretton and Waters emphasize that, despite their outwardly defensive stance, convoy missions possess intrinsic offensive potential. The requirement for U-boats to function collectively heightened the chances of their detection and eventual neutralization. The relentless improvement of tactics and anti-submarine defenses was key in countering the threat from German U-boats, securing the uninterrupted flow of essential supplies to Allied forces. The author challenges the prevailing opinion by emphasizing how convoys actively obstruct enemy tactics and establish the terms of engagement. This perspective emphasizes the crucial importance of the convoy system in achieving success in the Atlantic campaign, solidifying its status as an essential component of modern naval strategy.

The convoy system's efficiency was greatly enhanced by the vital roles played by escort commanders and their supporting units.

The author emphasizes the significant role played by commanders of escort and support groups in improving the effectiveness of the system designed to protect convoys. The story portrays the individual in charge of the escort as a central player in tactical operations, orchestrating the defense of the merchant vessels, employing various resources, and making critical choices under intense pressure. Gretton emphasizes the need for adaptability, unambiguous dialogue, and resolute actions to effectively tackle the erratic threat posed by German submarines. He also underscores the importance of a symbiotic relationship, fostering a unified and integrated strategy for overseeing the vessels entrusted to their leadership.

Gretton and Waters underscore the importance of support groups in bolstering convoy defenses and providing the necessary firepower to engage and defeat submarines. The creation of support groups in 1943 is recognized as a crucial turning point in the Atlantic campaign, allowing for more sustained and aggressive counterattacks. The narrative emphasizes how critical air support was, particularly from distant Liberator bombers, in disrupting the operations of U-boats by forcing them underwater, which in turn markedly enhanced the effectiveness of the escorting naval vessels. The effectiveness of the convoy system was contingent upon more than just the evolution of technology and strategic methods; it was fundamentally dependent on the courage, expertise, and dedication of the crew aboard the escort vessels and auxiliary teams, who faced risks to safeguard the vital shipment of supplies across the treacherous Atlantic.

Other Perspectives

• While the convoy system was historically significant, it also had limitations, such as slower travel times due to the need to accommodate the speed of the slowest ship in the group.
• The effectiveness of convoys against threats was not absolute; there were instances where convoys were successfully attacked and suffered significant losses, highlighting that the system was not foolproof.
• The protection of merchant vessels in convoys was not always guaranteed, as the concentration of ships could also make them a larger target for enemy forces, potentially leading to higher casualties in the event of a successful attack.
• The assertion that convoys were a formidable obstacle for German submarines could be contested by pointing out that U-boats did have periods of success against convoys, particularly during the early years of the Battle of the Atlantic, known as the "Happy Time" for U-boat crews.
• The initial reluctance to adopt convoy systems in World War I could be seen as a rational decision based on the information and tactics understood at the time, rather than simply unfounded concerns or adherence to outdated tactics.
• The effectiveness of the convoy system in World War II evolved over time and was not solely due to the system itself but also due to technological advancements, such as radar and improved anti-submarine warfare tactics.
• The strategic significance of the convoy system in the Battle of the Atlantic is clear, but it was just one aspect of a multifaceted campaign that included intelligence efforts like code-breaking, long-range aircraft patrols, and technological innovations.
• The neutralization of the U-boat threat was not solely due to the convoy system; it was also the result of a complex interplay of factors including intelligence breakthroughs, technological advancements, and the overwhelming industrial capacity of the Allies.
• The roles of escort commanders and support units, while vital, were part of a broader strategic and logistical framework that also included advancements in naval aviation, intelligence, and coordination with other Allied forces.