This new book tells the story of the Ocean class of standard cargo ships, their design, building, and careers, and the author places them firmly in the context of the battle of the Atlantic which was raging at the time of the first launchings. They entered the vanguard of the Allied shipping effort at a time when the German U-boat threat was at its most dangerous, and British shipping resources were stretched to the limit. They were deployed in the North Atlantic, on the long supply routes around Africa to the Middle East, in the Russian convoys, in operations in support of the invasions of North Africa and Italy and the land campaigns which followed, in the D-Day landings, and later amphibious operations on the south coast of France. Finally, some of the class joined an invasion force making its way towards Malaya when Japan surrendered in August 1945.

Genesis --Mission to America -- Building the Oceans -- The Oceans at war -- Wartime casualties -- The Oceans at peace -- Evaluation and conclusions -- Ocean class vessel specifications -- Ocean class vessel histories -- Valour and strength in the firing line : two Oceans at war -- Manning the Oceans -- The cost of war.