A merchant carrier combines several services into one crew

Empire MacAlpine retained roughly forty merchant officers and crew to run the cargo ship but expanded to about 110 people for her new duties. The additional complement included Fleet Air Arm aircrew, aircraft maintainers and deck handlers, communications and medical personnel, stewards, and Royal Artillery defensive gunners. Operating aircraft and defending the ship required a normal merchant crew to absorb enough specialists without ceasing to run the commercial hull. Commander Ransford Slater of 836 Squadron made the first deck landing on 7 May 1943 and directed an intensive work-up across the whole company. Empire MacAlpine's effectiveness depended as much on goodwill and rapid cooperation between services as on the ship's physical conversion.