Convoy escort by denying German reconnaissance

After re-equipping with Wildcat Vs, 881 served from the new escort carrier HMS Pursuer on convoys between Britain and Gibraltar. Its fighters intercepted German Condors and other patrol aircraft seeking convoy positions. The job mattered because keeping the convoy unseen reduced the opportunity for submarines and air strikes to converge on a target, protecting the supply routes needed for wider Allied operations. As Mediterranean routes reopened, the same sea lanes also helped sustain forces in Italy and move resources onward toward the Far East.