APPENDIX C

Task Organization and relevant material from
CTF 4 Op Plan 2-42 of 20 February, 1942.


TASK ORGANIZATION:

United States Mid-Ocean Escort Group --- CTF 4
Escort Units A-1 to A-5 inclusive. (15 U.S. DDs, 16 RCN corvettes, and 20 RN corvettes.)
Royal Navy Mid -Ocean Escort Group - -- CinC WA
Escort Units B-1 to B-5 inclusive (15 RN DDs, 36 RN corvettes.)
Royal Canadian Navy Mid-Ocean Escort Group --- FONF
Escort Units C-l to C-4 inclusive (l2 RCN DDs, 29 RCN corvettes.)
Western Local Escort Group --- COAC
Escorts W-1 to W-7 inclusive (12 RN DDs, 5 RCN DDs, 27 RCN corvettes and minesweepers, 3 Free French corvettes.)
Iceland Escort Group --- Senior Officer in Group.
5 U.S. DDs.
United States Escort Control United Kingdom (Londonderry) --- Squadron Commander
Iceland Escort Control --- Commandant, NOB, Iceland.

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1. (a) The United States Navy, Royal Navy, and Royal Canadian Navy are operating jointly in the protection of trans-Atlantic convoys in the NORTH ATLANTIC.
  (b) Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and the British Admiralty exercise strategic direction of convoy escorts in the Western NORTH ATLANTIC and Eastern NORTH ATLANTIC, respectively. Governing agreements have been promulgated to necessary commands.
  (c) Commander Task Force Four arranges direct with Commander in Chief, Western Approaches, on matters of operational detail.
  (d) Air coverage is provided for convoys in the Western NORTH ATLANTIC by UNITED STATES Navy aircraft basing in NEWFOUNDLAND, and by Canadian aircraft basing in NEWFOUNDLAND and CANADA; aircraft coverage in Eastern NORTH ATLANTIC is provided by UNITED STATES Navy aircraft basing in ICELAND and British aircraft basing in ICELAND and BRITISH ISLES.

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2. This Force will:
  (a) Escort convoys in the NORTH ATLANTIC.
  (b) Conduct anti-submarine hunting operations as available forces permit and circumstances dictate.
3. (a) United States Mid-Ocean Escort Group
  (b) Royal Navy Mid-Ocean Escort Group
  (c) Royal Canadian Navy Mid-Ocean Escort Group - Escort Eastbound and Westbound convoys as assigned.
  (d) Western Local Escort Group - escort assigned Eastbound convoys between maritime Provinces and WESTOMP, and assigned Westbound convoys between WESTOMP and dispersal points.
  (e) Iceland Escort Group - escort shipping from alternate SC convoys to ICELAND and from ICELAND to junction with alternate ONS convoys.
  (f) United States Escort Control, United Kingdom (Londonderry) - sail A and C units; initiate measures for maintenance and readiness of ships in these units.
  (g) United States Escort Control, Iceland - sail ships of ICELAND Escort Group; initiate measures for maintenance and readiness of snips in these units.
  (x) (1) Mid-Ocean Escort Units will normally escort convoys between longitude forty five degrees West and BRITISH ISLES. British Eastern Local Escort will function for Eastbound and Westbound convoys between EASTOMP and BRITISH ISLES as relief for ships of Mid-Ocean Escort Units when steaming radius of latter renders such relief necessary. WESTOMP is forty-five degrees West longitude; EASTOMP twenty-two degrees West Longitude.
    (2) Commander Task Force Four sails all Mid-Ocean Escort Units departing from ARGENTIA.

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    (3) Commanding Officer, ATLANTIC COAST, sails all Western Local Escort Unite departing from HALIFAX.
    (4) Flag Officer, NEWFOUNDLAND Forces, sails all Mid-Ocean Escort Units departing from ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND.
    (5) Commander Task Force Four arranges junction of Eastbound A-and-B Escort Units with W Escort Units.
    (6) Flag Officer, NEWFOUNDLAND Forces, arranges junction of Eastbound C. Escort Units with W. Escort Units.
    (7) Flag Officer, NEWFOUNDLAND Forces, arranges junction of W Escort Units with Westbound convoys.
4. (a) U.S. Destroyers assigned to A Escort Units base BOSTON --- CASCO AREA --- ARGENTIA.
  (b) Canadian Corvettes assigned to A Escort Units base ST. JOHN'S.
  (c) British Corvettes assigned to A Escort Units base ST. JOHN'S.
  (d) B Escort Units base ARGENTIA.
  (e) C Escort Units base ST. JOHN'S.
  (f) W Escort Units base HALIFAX.
  (g) ICELAND Group base HVALFJORDUR.
  (h) Maintenance facilities for B Escort Units at ARGENTIA as set forth in ANNEX BAKER.
  (i) U.S. facilities at Naval Operating Base and Destroyer Base, LONDONDERRY, available to UNITED STATES and CANADIAN ships and, in emergency, to British ships.
  (j) Maintenance facilities at LONDONDERRY as set forth in ANNEX CAST.
5. (a) Commander Task Force Four will coordinate operations of convoy escorts in the Western NORTH ATLANTIC.

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  (b) Commander in Chief, Western Approaches, exercises strategic direction and will coordinate operations of convoy escort in the Eastern NORTH ATLANTIC, including strategic direction of ICELAND Escort Group.
  (c) Commanding Officer, ATLANTIC COAST, commands the forces assigned to Western Local Group (W-Units).
  (d) Flag Officer, NEWFOUNDLAND Forces, Commands forces assigned to Canadian Mid-Ocean Group (C-Units).
  (e) Command of escorts in mixed units is vested in the senior officer in the destroyers present. When no destroyer is present, the command is vested in the senior officer present.
  (f) The Commander of the U.S. Escort Control, ICELAND, operates under the strategic direction of Commander in Chief, Western Approaches, in matters pertaining to escort-of-convoy operations.
  (g) The Senior Officer, ICELAND Escort Group, commands that Group and determines availability of ships for escort assignments.
  (h) The Commander of the U.S. Escort Control, UNITED KINGDOM (LONDONDERRY), operates under the strategic direction of Commander in Chief Western Approaches, in matters pertaining to escort-of-convoy operations.
  (i) Shift of operational control between Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, and Admiralty takes place at a time at which it is predicted that an escort unit will cross a predetermined line of demarcation between Western ATLANTIC area and UNITED KINGDOM and BRITISH HOME WATER AREA.

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