Operation CF (i)

'CF' (i) was the designation of British convoys (together with a numerical suffix) plying from Cape Town, South Africa, to Freetown, Sierra Leone and ultimately the UK (April 1941/October 1943).

The first of the series, which was designed round the use of large ships and especially liners, often escorted by a capital ship, was CF.1 of 23 April/1 May 1941 with the 26,032-ton British Empress of Japan and 22,424-ton British Monarch of Bermuda as well as the fleet carrier Illustrious. The last was CF.14 of 26 September/10 October 1943 with the 4,678-ton French El Biar, 22,281-ton British Strathaird carrying 3,425 troops and passengers, and 15,434-ton Dutch Volendam.