Small ships carried convoys and gave reservists command

Trawlers supported coastal supply, D-Day preparations, incoming Atlantic convoys, and at times Arctic routes despite being only a fraction of a destroyer's size. A ship weighing one-quarter to one-third as much as a Tribal-class destroyer still faced the same seas and submarine threat. Small crews and junior officers worked with limited equipment and little access to senior expertise, which demanded considerable courage and self-reliance. Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve officers could also receive independent command much earlier than they might aboard a larger warship. The assignment was dangerous, but it gave reservists unusual authority and experience.