Chapter 4

Command Headquarters

In London the next morning it was as usual a cold wet morning as Second Officer Angela Nash made her way into the underground war room in Central London. She made her way carefully down the concrete steps, under a shop, that had formerly been a wine store, to the cellars well below ground. She showed her pass to the Royal Marine sentry at the bottom of the stairs, who checked her identity carefully, then she made her way into the map room. This was her place of duty for the next eight to twelve hours.

"Morning Angela." Commander Ronnie Parker muttered as Angela passed his desk, and went straight to the large wall map to look what was happening with Convoy AH122, She saw that the last news that they had received, was that the convoy was under attack by seven U Boats and that four Merchant Vessels had already been sunk or badly damaged in attacks the previous night.

She looked for HMS Summer Rose a flower class corvette on the map commanded by her brother Lieutenant Commander Tony Nash RN. He was also the senior officer of the escort.

To her dismay she saw that HMS Summer Rose was no longer with the convoy. She had broken down, and had been left far behind the rest. There was no further news from her. Angela gave a little gasp of distress, but her boss said "Don't worry Angela he is still out there, and he has not broken radio silence. Remember that no news can be good news."

It was later in the day that news came through about HMS Summer Rose and her kills. Back in the map room in London their were drinks all round, when the news came through that HMS Summer Rose had made two kills and one probable. Angela was quietly proud of her young brother, and she let every one know about it...

The weekly naval resource meeting was convened at the Admiralty two days later with C in C Western approaches The First sea lord, the Prime Minister and several other VIP's. Angie was requested as usual to take the minutes. Their faces were grim as they considered the statistics relating to the mounting losses of Merchant vessels in trans Atlantic Convoys.

The C in C Western Approaches commented apologetically "I am short of escorts sir, and the ones I have are undermanned, the ships companies are worn out. They are doing a fantastic job considering. We are fitting radar to all the new escorts that are being built, and the Canadians bless them, are building like crazy, but the U boats are still beating us. I am sending ships to sea with only two qualified watch keeping officers, and the Captains frequently are having to stand alternate watches as they give new officers more watch keeping experience."

"I know Roy, the Prime Minister said, but we have just got to hang in there. From what I hear there are still a few bright spots. The Nazi's are bombing the ports every night, and the city is taking a hammering. The RAF are doing their best but they are now in the process of rebuilding from the Battle of Britain"

"Can we not find a few bombers now and fit them with extra fuel tanks sir? If we could only use machine guns on the U Boats, even if we cannot carry depth charges, we could keep them dived as the U boats have to surface to charge their batteries. The First Sea Lord asked. "We are working on it as fast as we can. "The Canadians are working on new aircraft with larger fuel tanks, and they will be able to carry bombs or depth charges as well as the extra fuel.

Roosevelt is sending us a lot of help short of declaring war. We are buying a lot of World war one destroyers from him and we are getting a lot of volunteers from the Commonwealth and quite a few Yanks are also volunteering bless them.

We can build ships and guns given time, but it is the shortage of experienced man power that worries me most. We have to step up their training and increase the call up rate..."

The First Lord replied "We are training fast sir, but the men need experience. I am promoting our few experienced officers faster than the regulations allow. Some of our escorts are being commanded by schoolboys, we are so short of experienced officers."

The prime Minister then asked." What about that Corvette Summer Flower, or something like that, which sank three U boats the other day what's happened to that CO?"

"I am not sure at present sir."

Second Officer Angela Nash spoke up. "Excuse me sir, he is on his way back to Liverpool sir, and has just completed his eighth convoy to Halifax."

The First sea Lord burst out. "Young lady your job is to take minutes not to interrupt the meeting ... but as a matter of interest "How do you know that?"

"He is my brother sir."

All eyes were on Angela by now. The Prime Minister said "You must be very proud of him?"

"I am sir. But he is only 25 and he is going grey with the strain. Its killing him." The First Lord said. "Young Lady will you make sure that his service papers are sent to me for my personal attention after the meeting"

The meeting went on as the plans for new Escort Carriers long range aircraft, and building new escort ships were explained. At the end of the meeting the Prime Minister caught hold of Angela's hand to stop her leaving and asked

"When is your brother due?

"He is due in Liverpool any time soon I believe Sir."

"Telephone him from me, and say the Prime Minister owes him, and all his ships Company his best wishes and thanks. I am proud of them."

It was at that meeting that the decision was made to move the convoy protection headquarters in Western Approaches to Liverpool and set up Western Command ... Her Boss told her I am recommending that you be transferred to the new HQ at Liverpool as you are experienced, and you will also be near your brother."

Two days after the meeting a battered a and sea stained HMS Summer Rose proudly led the remains of the convoy into Liverpool Harbour, some had peeled off to go to other UK ports on the way. HMS Summer Rose had two kills proudly painted on to its funnel amidst the welcoming sound of sirens from other ships in harbour. There had been more non effective attacks on the convoy. The Convoy Commodore had cancelled the zig zags in favour of speed,, but the U boats did not have the speed or the ability to keep up with the fast convoy. Especially as they were now in range of coastal command aircraft