Few people in Britain know of the ordeal faced by merchant seamen on Atlantic convoys. In unarmed ships, sometimes miles from their escorting screen of destroyers and frigates, they are constantly subjected to air or torpedo attacks - and yet have to maintain a constant course at a constant speed on the convoy commodore's orders if the convoy is to get through.
Survivors are snatched from the sea - often with hideous burns from fuel oil which can set the sea itself alight. Many spend days in lifeboats or clinging to wreckage until they are rescued. And yet most will always sign on for the next voyage - even though they know that 4,500 merchant ships have been sunk so far in this war.