Layout of a Convoy

The convoy was usually made up of columns of ships with the most important cargos being in the centre of the convoy. And on the centre column, they might have two more columns either side of it. And the convoy commander was in the lead ship of the centre column which contained the ships with ammunition, air plane parts, gasoline, diesel and all the important stuff was right in the centre. And the outer two were made up of food stuffs, clothing, maybe other materials and that. So, actually, basically, when you looked at it, they were expendable - to keep them away from the centre convoy. We were on outside the convoy on the zigzag course. We’d zig out for a certain length of time, all the time sweeping with our Aztec ahead. And then a certain length, you’d sweep back in. So the escort group were always ahead of the convoy and beside it and astern. And just trying to protect it, listen for the submarines and if they came up, try and drive them back down again because they were slower under water than they were on the surface, on the diesels.