To win the war against German U-boats, the Allies had to protect their convoys in the vast black hole of the mid-Atlantic known as the Azores Gap. In 1943 they devised a plan to set up air bases on the Azores Islands, owned by neutral Portugal.

To win the war against German U-boats, the Allies had to protect their convoys in the vast black hole of the mid-Atlantic known as the Azores Gap. In 1943 they devised a plan to set up air bases on the Azores Islands, owned by neutral Portugal.

It was essential for the operation – code named Operation Alacrity – to remain secret because the Allies had to get there before the Germans, who had their own plan to build bases.

Further research into this is being undertaken by the RFA Historical Society members but it is known that Allied shipping was allocated to take part in this Operation and this included RFA Dewdale (1)

RFA Dewdale (1)