In 1941 as the Battle of the Atlantic raged and ship losses mounted the British Admiralty desperately tried to find ways to defeat the U-Boat threat to Britain's maritime lifeline. Facing a shortage of traditional aircraft carriers and shore-based aircraft the Royal Navy as a stopgap measure converted merchant ships into small escort carriers'. These were later joined by a growing number of American-built escort carriers sent as part of the Lend-Lease agreement. The typical Escort Carrier was small slow and vulnerable but it could carry about 18 aircraft which gave the convoys a real chance to detect and sink dangerous U-Boats. Collectively their contribution to an Allied victory was immense particularly in the long and gruelling campaigns fought in the Atlantic and Arctic. Illustrated throughout with detailed full-colour artwork and contemporary photographs this fascinating study explores in detail how these adaptable ships had such an enormous impact on the outcome of World War II's European Theatre. . Language: English