How would extra armed merchant ships be used in the Second World War?
Short answerThey would mainly add escort capacity on convoy routes and in secondary theatres, while remaining useful force multipliers elsewhere.
NotesAdditional armed merchant ships could provide useful escorts, particularly on worldwide and Indian Ocean routes. They would add strength in secondary and tertiary theatres while remaining available to support the main theatre when necessary. This extends roles for which such ships were already suited. Their value lies in convoy coverage and presence rather than service as equivalents to purpose-built cruisers.