Atlantic Convoys

Series Summary

Britain was isolated in the Second World War. The Nazis controlled much of Europe, and Britain's survival depended on importing food, raw materials and munitions from North America.

Merchant ships sailing the Atlantic in convoys became the nation's crucial lifeline, which the German U-boats were determined to break, in what became the longest and bloodiest campaign of World War II.

Over four years, 100,000 people died and 2,600 ships were sunk, bringing Britain to the brink of defeat. Yet the merchant navy are amongst the most unsung heroes of the War.

This compelling and authoritative series examines the critical moments of the biggest naval campaign of the 20th century.

Veterans of the merchant navy, who risked their young lives to bring vital supplies to Britain, and the U-boat crews who once sought to destroy them as a key component of Germany's plan to win the war, now tell their stories.