SL convoys

Merchant ships carrying commodities bound to the British Isles from South America, Africa, and the Indian Ocean traveled independently to Freetown, Sierra Leone to be convoyed for the last leg of their voyage to Liverpool.

Convoy operations were coordinated by a naval staff aboard the elderly Union-Castle Liner Edinburgh Castle.

Edinburgh Castle and a hospital ship anchored as far offshore as practicable to avoid the unhealthy conditions ashore.

Refueling coal from the United Kingdom and oil from the West Indies was held and distributed afloat in detained merchant ships.

The reduced threat of submarine attack off the African Atlantic coast allowed merchant ships to sail independently to Gibraltar after convoy SL 178/MKS 69 left Freetown on 25 November 1944.

[2] From 7 September 1939, OutBound OB convoys had sailed from Liverpool south through St George's Channel to the open Atlantic.

RMS Edinburgh Castle served as assembly headquarters for the SL convoys. She was not worth the cost of towing back to England, and was sunk as a target off Freetown in 1945.