Another convoy quiz question

[Ping Panther]

Breadcatcher101, you are on your way to the correct historic date... and it was first announced in WW1. Convoy shipping was once again, adapted right away, and as best as they could, by the Royal Navy in WW2.

[breadcatcher101]

As to what I read (had to look it up) the first was on Sept. 7th, 1917. Used to protect trans-Atlantic shipping from the U boat threats.

[Raptor1]

IIRC, the Royal Navy adopted convoy tactics in late May 1917 after a few trial convoys were used successfully in the Atlantic

But convoys were used way before that, for instance all three Battles of Ushant (incl. the so-called Glorious First of June) were fought over cross-ocean convoys

EDIT: Or maybe it was just the 2nd and 3rd Battles of Ushant, can't remember...

[Sailor Steve]

Well, you're trying to be slick by refering to WWI convoys, but the earliest British convoys were organized during the Anglo-Dutch wars during the 1600s. The warship-escorted merchant convoy was the staple of shipping all during the sailing-ship era.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convoy

[breadcatcher101]

Nothing "slick" about it. As this is mainly a subsim site I assumed the convoy he is asking about pertained to anti-submarine/Uboat threats. I futher assumed since the site pertains mostly to WW2 that his question was in regards to that time period. I simply stated that the convoy system was used first in WW1. I even knew the year without having to look it up. The exact date I did in fact have to do a search which in fact I noted I did so.

As for the convoy system first being used in the 1600's, could be, I don't think U boats were much of a threat at that time however.

[johnm]

Originally Posted by breadcatcher101

As for the convoy system first being used in the 1600's, could be, I don't think U boats were much of a threat at that time however.

I wouldn't bet on it, several people were working on submarines 17th & 18th centuries.

Anyway, convoys were certainly used all through the napoleonic wars.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by breadcatcher101

Nothing "slick" about it. As this is mainly a subsim site I assumed the convoy he is asking about pertained to anti-submarine/Uboat threats. I futher assumed since the site pertains mostly to WW2 that his question was in regards to that time period. I simply stated that the convoy system was used first in WW1. I even knew the year without having to look it up. The exact date I did in fact have to do a search which in fact I noted I did so.

As for the convoy system first being used in the 1600's, could be, I don't think U boats were much of a threat at that time however.

Very true, but he didn't mention u-boats in the initial post. On the other hand, he did mention 'crossing the pond', so while the Spanish convoyed their treasure fleets in the 1500s as a result of Francis Drake's attacks, I'm sure they didn't call them by that name.

And I knew he was talking about the World Wars (probably WW1), but I couldn't resist being a jerk and showing off. Sorry.

Originally Posted by jimbuna

HX 1, Sept 16th 39, as a result of the sinking of the Athenia

That was the first transatlantic convoy (again, 'crossing the pond'), so you're right; but the first WW2 convoy was AB1, from Freetown to Gibralter, which set out on September 2, the day before the declaration of war and the sinking of Athenia.

[Sailor Steve]

Oh, and I completely forgot my favorite sailing convoy story:

USS Experiment was a sister ship of the third USS Enterprise, a schooner built in 1799. She was escorting four merchantmen in the caribbean when they were attacked by pirates in small boats.
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclop...periment-(1799)

What the story doesn't say is that it was dead calm, and Experiment fought the pirates by rowing after them. Small warships in that day also carried oars for just that purpose.