How did the convoy help the Allies during ww2?
Conveys like the “Liberty ships” that hauled cargo to the European front toted thousands of tonnage to the War. sometimes there would be hundreds of ships in a convey. The “Red Ball” express was made famous by the men hauling across the Burmese road to outfit the men fighting in those jungles, both allies were to get support from them. The “flying angles” of the Air Force were the ladies, and men, that made up the conveys that flew hundreds of missions, flying planes, bombers and fighters across the Oceans to the European front and the Asia front, taking another plane home for refitting or, flying together and bringing more back. Many of these women were lost at sea I should say or, shot down by the enemy, they were not armed. Patton the famous General should have the right to say “convey” although they fought there way across Europe with his 3rd armor division.
The convoy system, whereby large numbers of merchant ships were escorted across the Atlantic by a small number of warships, was absolutely essential to the survival of Great Britain in WWII. The “Battle of the Atlantic” as the attacks on the convoys came to be known, was probably the most important battle in the European theatre of War. Had the basic supplies, like food and oil, not got through, Britain would have collapsed. In addition, the convoys brought much needed war supplies and fighting men from the USA to assist in the eventual return to mainland Europe on D-Day.
