This is the first-hand story of an integrated group of British, Polish and Free French convoy escort vessels in WWII, from the viewpoint of a junior officer in one of the British corvettes. The Group, inspired by its first leader's secret capture of the German 'Enigma' coding machine in 1941, fought through the Atlantic battles of 1942 and 1943, eventually dispersing for the assault on Normandy.

This is a 'do-it-yourself' plan of action for anyone who wishes to spend up to a year out of the U.K. getting to know another society. Acquiring a deeper knowledge of a European community leaves fewer carbon footprints and is also, probably, a safer option than traipsing around the Far East. The eight fieldwork tasks, which are proposed here, should lead to clear conclusions about the particular life-style observed. The experience should not only be entertaining individually, but would also provide a valuable insight into one of the different national cultures which make up the European...