Donald Mackay's painting depicts the crowded open bridge of the Canadian corvette HMCS Galt, which spent much of the war escorting convoys of merchant ships.

Crew members perform a variety of duties, while a number of the convoy's merchant ships are visible in the background. Drawing on First World War experience, Allied nations established convoys following the outbreak of war in September 1939. Allied navies sought to protect them from attack by enemy forces, particularly German submarines (U-Boats), by gathering merchant ships into groups and escorting them with warships like Galt.

Corvette Bridge
Painted by Donald C. Mackay around 1944
Beaverbrook Collection of War Art
CWM 19710261-4211