[1] The commodores responsibilities were the management of the merchant ships of the convoy, its course and speed, and its defensive manoeuvers such as zigzag patterns and evasive actions.

This situation could have been a source of friction; the SOE (usually a Lt Cdr or Commander) would invariably be junior to the commodore, often a retired Flag Officer with many years experience.

In practice the two worked together pragmatically; Peter Gretton, an escort commander during the Battle of the Atlantic, describes how his instructions, which were couched in the form of suggestions, were always acted upon: He recalls only one instance where he had to "pull rank" on the commodore.

[5] There were 24 convoy commodores who lost their lives in the course of their duties, recorded on the Merchant Navy War Memorial in Liverpool.

About 20 percent of the graduates were given an opportunity to participate in NATO exercises simulating attack and defense of a convoy of merchant ships.