[Abraham]

Most convoys in the first year of the war had only a token protection, usually three ships at the maximum, a mix of corvettes, minesweepers and usually an armed trawler. These escorts could - obviously - not cross the Atlantic and turned back after reaching their range limits.

Usually the only protection left - if any - was an auxilary cruiser against surface threats.

Primitive attempts were made - and were sometimes succesful - to replenish escorts at sea from tankers.