The Battle of Britain Five Months That Changed History, May—October 1940 by James Holland (z-lib.org).epub

Trouble at Sea: Part 2
ON 3 JULY, THE HARTLEPOOL, a 5,500-ton freighter, inched its way out of
Southend-on-Sea. It was one of fifty-three slow, chugging merchant ships
that made up convoy OA178. ‘OA’ for ‘Outward Bound, Route A’ this was
a large transatlantic convoy heading to Sydney, Nova Scotia. Hartlepool
was near the front of the convoy, each of the ships progressing down the
Thames estuary in a single line, one after the other. Nearly an hour later,
Captain William Rogerson, looking back from the bridge, still could not see
the tail of this long line of ships.
Protecting them was just one naval corvette, hardly armed to the teeth –
just one four-inch gun and four anti-aircraft machine guns were all it could
boast. Having now formed up into two columns, they inched their way
towards the Channel, aircraft often buzzing overhead. Most were identified
as German, clearly watching the convoy with interest. There were no
attacks, however, and as afternoon wore on to evening, the convoy
continued on its leisurely way, calmly, even serenely in the still summer
night.
Convoys of merchant shipping had passed through the English Channel
since the outbreak of war; London, especially, remained a hugely important
port. Of course, some ships had been lost, but it had nonetheless remained a
viable trade route. Even after Dunkirk, the Channel remained open,
including the Straits of Dover. As June gave way to July, however, this was
about to change, and the Royal Navy and British Merchant Navy would pay
a harsh price for their complacency.
Captain Rogerson was out on the bridge again at 6.45 the following
morning. Overnight, the convoy had manoeuvred again, this time into lines
of eight ships abreast. Single aircraft were once more overhead, enemy
reconnaissance planes watching the convoy, which had now passed through
the Straits of Dover and was heading along the south coast of England,
although, as Captain Rogerson noticed, somewhat further south of their
supposed course. After a brief breakfast, he took double altitude positions
and realized they were even further south than he had thought, almost
parading past the newly conquered French coast. ‘Good heavens!’ he