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Mr. Gurnell (Capt. Gurnell?) wrote:

> Re change from quadrantal to 360 degree compass cards. -
> I remember being on my first British ship in convoy from Liverpool to West
> Africa early in September 1939 and the compasses were marked in quadrants. Then
> early in 1940 they were in the 360 notation.  My guess was that the change was
> made to avoid mistakes when complying with courses ordered by the Commodore of
> the convoy.  Does anyone have any other ideas? n.s. gurnell


I can remember reading something on this issue in the last few years but
(as I indicated in my earlier message), I cannot recall the details. I
_think_ that the RN adopted 360-degree notation during or shortly after
the 1914-18 War. It is quite likely that most ships in the British
merchant service continued using quadrantal notation. If so, the return
of convoy late in 1939 would have strongly encouraged standardization,
not so much for communication between the convoy commodore (often aboard
a merchantman) and his ships as for communication between the escort
commander (in a warship) and the convoy.

It may also have been substantially easier to work out zig-zag courses
in 360-degree notation: swapping about between North 80 degrees East and
South 70 degrees East, either side of an average course of South 85
degrees East, may come naturally to those who have thought in quadrantal
terms since childhood but it can't be as easy for neophytes to pick up
as zig-zagging between 080 and 110, either side of 095.


Trevor Kenchington


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