Below I've provided the supply routes utilized by allied shipping to supply the troops with everything needed to keep them in the field. The task was monumental. Admiral Doenitz understood very well how important it was to cut the artery of troops in the field and until mid-'43 his strategy was deadly effective. The supply route designations are as follows:
World War 2
Number Route Notes
A.B.- Aden - Bombay From Nov' 1942
A.C.- Aden - Colombo
A.H.- Aruba - Halifax, NS From July to Sept' 1942. 4 convoys only
A.K.D.- Aden - Kilindini - Durban From Sept' 1943
A.P.- UK - Middle East
via Cape Summer 1940. Fast military convoy with war materials for Middle East
A.S.- America - Freetown From March 1942, military convoys
A.T.- New York - UK From March 1942, military convoys
B.A.- Bombay - Aden/Red Sea From May 1941, military then later merchant
B.B.- UK Coastal
B.C.- Beira - Capetown July to September 1943, then A.K.D.
B.C.- Bombay - Colombo From September 1943
B.D.- White Sea - Dikson Russian. From summer 1943
B.H.X.- Bermuda - Halifax Feeder. May 1940 to March 1941
B.K.- White Sea - Kola Fjord Russian. From Summer of 1941
B.R.N.- Brazilian Coast From late 1942
B.S.- Brest - Casablanca French. September 1939 to June 1940
B.T.- Sydney, NSW - USA From January 1943. Military
B.T.- Bahia - Trinidad November 1942 to July 1943 then J.T.
B.T.C.- U.K. coastal From June 1944
B.X.- Boston - Halifax, NS From 1942
C.A.- Colombo - Aden
C.B.- Capetown - Beira July to September 1943 them D.K.A.
C.B.- Colombo - Bombay From September 1943
C.D.- Capetown - Durban From November 1942
C.E.- U.K. coastal From September 1940. St Helens to Southend
C.F.- Capetown - Freetown From May 1941
C.G.- Casablanca - Gibraltar From January 1943 for F.T.
C.H.- Colombo - Calcutta
C.J.- Colombo - Chittagong
C.M.- Capetown - Red Sea From June 1940. Military
C.T.- UK - North America From August 1941. Military
C.U.- Caribbean - UK From February 1943. Tanker convoys
C.W.- UK Coastal Channel coast
C.X.- Colombo -Maldives - Chagos From April 1943
C.Z.- Curacao - Panama Canal From August 1942
D.B.- Dikson - White Sea From summer 1942. Russian
D.C.- Durban - Capetown From December 1942
D.K.A.- Durban - Kilindini - Aden From September 1943
D.N.- Durban - North
E.B.C.- English Channel From June 1944. Eastern feeder, Operation Neptune
E.B.M- English Channel From June 1944. Western feeder, Operation Neptune
E.C.- Southend - Loch Ewe -Clyde From March to October 1941
E.C.P.- English Channel From June 1944. Invasion convoys
E.M.C.- English Channel From June 1944. Invasion convoys
E.N.- Methil - Loch Ewe (Clyde) From August 1940 to Clyde, from July 1941 to Loch Ewe only
E.T.- North African Ports - Gibraltar From November 1942
E.T.C.- English Channel From June 1944. Eastern feeder for Operation Neptune
E.W.- UK Coastal Channel area West
F.C.- Freetown - Capetown From May 1941
F.N.- Southend - Methil From September 1939
F.N.- Freetown - Natal From summer 1942
F.P.- Brest - UK From March to June 1940
F.S.- Methil - Southend From September 1939
F.S.S.- Bizerta - Salermo From September 1939 to end of 1943
F.T.- Freetown - Trinidad From July 1943
F.X.P.- English Channel From June 1944. Invasion convoys
G.A.T- Guantanamo - Aruba -
Trinidad From August 1942. Former W.A.T.
G.C.- Gibraltar - Casablanca From November 1942. Former T.F.
Gibr Canares - Gibraltar Coastal
G.K.- Guantanamo - Key West From September 1942
G.M.- Gibraltar - Malta From July 1941. Military convoys
G.N.- Guantanamo - New York From September 1942
G.P.- Guantanamo -
Panama Canal From July 1942. G.Z. from September 1942
G.P.- Australia - East Coast From 1942
G.S.- UK Coastal
G.S.- Greenland - Sydney, NS
G.T.- UK Coastal
G.T.X.- Gibraltar - Tripoli - Alexandria/Port Said From May 1943
G.U.F.- Gibraltar - US From November 1942. Fast
G.U.S.- Gibraltar - US From November 1942. Slow
G.Z.- Guantanamo -
Panama Canal From September 1942. for G.P.
H.A.- Halifax, NS - Aruba From July to September 1942
H.A.- Tripoli - Augusta From August 1943
H.C.- Calcutta - Colombo
H.G.- Gibraltar - UK From September 1939 to September 1942, later M.K.F. and M.K.S
H.K.- Galveston - Wey West From August 1942
H.M.- UK coastal
H.N.- Bergen - Methil From October 1939 to April 1940
H.X.- Halifax/N.Y. - UK From September 1939 to 1942 from Halifax. From September 1942 to May 1945 from New York. From July 1940 entry from the North Channel, and from October 1944 from South of Ireland. From September 1939 to February 1940 additional HXF (fast) convoys. Feeder convoys HXH from Halifax, NS. HXS from Sydney, NS. HXJ from St Johns, NF
J.C.- Chittagong - Colombo
J.T.- Rio de Janeiro - Trinidad From July 1943 for former B.T.
J.W.- Loch Ewe - Kola Fjord From December 1942, former P.Q. Part of convoy direct to Archangel
K.- Casablanca - Brest From October 1939 to June 1940
K.B.- Kola Fjord - White Sea From summer 1941
K.G.- Key West - Guantanamo From September 1942
K.H.- Key West - Galveston From August 1942
K.J.- Kingston - Europe From September to October 1939. KJF (fast) also linked with KJ
K.M.F.- UK - Mediterranean
(fast) From October 1942. Military at the start. Replacing OG. From May 1943 to Alexandria
K.M.S.- UK to Mediterranean
(slow) From October 1942. From April 1943 linked with OS convoys off Gibraltar.
K.N.- Key West - New York From May 1942 to Hampton Roads. From September 1942 to New York
K.P.- Kola Fjord -
Pilottotown(Mississippi) From August 1942
K.P.- Kola Fjord -
Petsamo/Kirkenes From November 1944. Soviet convoys.
K.R.- Indian Ocean From 1944. Military convoys
K.R.S.- UK - North Africa From 1942. Operation Torch
K.S.- Oran/Casablanca -
Brest/St Nazaire From September 1939 to June 1940. French
K.X.- UK - Gibraltar From October to November 1942. Operation Torch
L.E.- Port Said/Alexandria -
Famagusta/Haifa/Beirut From July 1941
L.M.D.- Laurenco Marques -
Durban From November 1942 to September 1943 then AKD.
L.S.- Lagos - Freetown From April to August 1942 then TS
M.C.- Middle East - Kilindini-
Capetown From June 1940. Military.
M.E.- Mediterranean - East From June 1940
M.G.- Malta - Gibraltar From July 1941 to August 1942. Military
M.H.- UK coastal
M.K.F.- Mediterranean - UK From November 1942. Fast military
M.K.S.- Mediterranean - UK From November 1942 replacing HG. Slow convoy. From May 1943 linked with SL
M.T.- Methil - Tyne (replaced FN From February 1940
M.W.- West Mediterranean - Alexandria/Malta From July 1940 to 1941. Resumed November 1942. July 1943 MWF for operation Husky
N.A.- North America - UK January/February 1942. Military convoys. Later combined with AT
N.C.- Oran/Algiers - Sicily July 1943. Invasion convoys for Operation Husky
N.E.- New Zealand - Panama
N.G.- New York - Guantanamo From August 1942
N.K.- New York - Key West From May to August 1942 from Hampton Roads, from August - New York
N.P.- Clyde/Scapa Flow - Narvik April 1940. Military
N.S.- North Africa - Naples
O.A.- Outward Bound to North America September 1939 to July 1940 from South Ireland. July 1940 to October 1940 from North Channel. Gibraltar section OAG till July 1940. From October 1940 OB only
O.B.- Liverpool - North America From September 1939 to July 1940 from Bristol Channel. From July 1940 from North Channel. July 1941 merged with ONF and ONS. Gibraltar section OBG until July 1940
O.C.- Australian coastal 1943
O.G.- UK - Gibraltar From October 1939 to August 1942 and from May to October 1943, then KMS. Until July 1940 from South of Ireland then from North Channel. Combined with KMS July 1943 and for a short time with OGF.
O.L.- Mersey/Clyde - Outward From September 1940 to October 1940. Large passenger liners only
O.N.- Methil - Bergen From November 1939 to April 1940
O.N.(F) UK - North America From July 1941 fast convoys for former OB. From September 1944 from South of Ireland. From August 1944 final destination shifted from Halifax to New York.
O.N.S.- UK - North America From July 1941, slow convoy for OB. From September 1942 to 1943 final destination New York. From September 1944, South of Ireland. From March 1943 new number to avoid confusion with ON
O.S.- UK - Freetown From July 1941 to September 1942, then again from February 1943. From April 1943 off Gibraltar together with KMS
O.T.- New York - Caribbean -
Northwest Africa From February 1943 to June 1944, tankers
P.A.- Persian Gulf - Aden From September 1943
P.G.- Panama - Guantanamo From July 1942 to September 1943
P.G.- Australian coastal 1943
P.K.- Pilottotown, Miss - Key West From August 1942
P.K.- Petsamo - Kola Fjorde From November 1944. Russian convoys
P.Q.- Iceland - North Russia From September 1941 to December 1942 then as JW
P.W.- Portsmouth - Bristol Channelt From July 1941
Q.P.- North Russia - Iceland From September 1941 to December 1942 then as RA
Q.S.- Quebec - Sydney From 1942
R.A.- Kola Fjord - Loch Ewe From December 1942 for former QP. Russian feeder convoys BK.-
R.B.- St Lawrence - UK From September 1942. Transfer of passenger ships from Great Lakes to UK
R.S.- Gibraltar - Brest From October 1939 to June 1940. French
R.S.- Gibraltar - Sierra Leone From February 1943
R.U.- Reykjavik - UK
S.- Brest - Casablanca From 1939 to June 1940. French
S.B.- Malta - Sicily From July 1943. Invasion convoys for Operation Husky. Subdevided into SBF - Malta and SBM, SBS - Sfax
S.C.- Sydney, NS - UK From August 1940 to May 1944, and again from October 1944.September 1942 to March 1943 assembly at New York, then Sydney again.
S.G.- UK coastal
S.G.- Sydney, NS - Greenland From 1942.
S.L.- Sierra Leone(Freetown) - UK From September 1939 to October 1942 and again from March 1943. Off Gibraltar linked with MKS
S.N.- Naples - North African ports From 1943. Fast (SNF)
S.Q.- Sydney, NS - Quebec From 1942.
S.R.- Sierra Leone - Gibraltar From February 1943
S.T.- Freetown - Takoradi From December 1941. Later FL and FT
S.W.- Suez - Durban/Capetown From 1940. WS on return.
T.A.- UK - USA From March 1942. Military convoys, combined with AN
T.A.G.- Trinidad - Aruba - Guantanamo From August 1942. Former TAW
T.A.M.- Trinidad - Aruba - ???
T.A.W.- Trinidad - Aruba - Key West From July to August 1942 then TAG
T.B.- USA - Sydney (Aust) From January 1942, military convoys
T.B.- Trinidad - Bahia From December 1942 to July 1943 then TJ
T.B.C.- UK coastal From 1944. Invasion convoys
T.C.- Canadian Troop Convoy From 1939 to 1940
T.E.- Trinidad - eastward From November 1942
T.F.- Trinidad - Freetown From November 1942 to July 1943
T.E.- Gibraltar - North African ports From November 1942
T.G.- UK coastal
T.J.- Trinidad - Rio de Janeiro From July 1943. Former TB
T.J.- Tunisia - Sicily July 1943. Invasion convoy for Operation Husky with TJF, TJM and TJS
T.M.- Tyne - Methil From February 1940
T.M.- Trinidad - Gibraltar From January 1943. Tanker convoy for Operation Torch
T.O.- NW Africa - Caribbean - USA From February 1943 to June 1944. Tankers.
T.R.- Trinidad - Recife November 1942. One convoy only, then TB
T.S.- Takoradi - Freetown From August 1942. From April 1942 LS
T.S.- Tripoli - Termini September 1943. Invasion convoys for Operation Avalanche with TSF and TSS
T.U.- UK - USA From September 1943. Military
T.X.- Tripoli - Alexandria From February 1943
U.C.- UK - Caribbean From February 1943. Special tanker convoys
U.G.F.- USA - Gibraltar From October 1942(fast) Initially invasion convoys Operation Torch then ports in North Africa
U.G.S.- USA - Gibraltar From October 1942(slow) as per UGF
U.R.- UK - Reykjavik
U.S.- Australia - Middle East From January 1940. Military
U.T.- USA - UK From August 1943. Military
V.A.- Vilkizky - Dikson From July 1943. Russian
V.D.- Vilkizky - Dikson From July 1943. Russian
W.A.T.- Key West - Aruba - Trinidad From July to August 1942. Then GAT
W.E.P.-
W.N.- Loch Ewe - Methil From July 1940.
W.P.- Bristol Channel - Portsmouth From July 1941.
W.S.- UK - Middle East "Winstons Specials" From June 1940 to August 1943 mostly via Capetown. A few in Sept/41, June/42 and Aug/42 via the Mediterranean
X.- Le Verdon - Casablanca From September 1939 to June 1940. French
X.B.- Halifax - Boston From April 1942
X.C.- Chagos - Maldives - Colombo From May 1940
X.K.- Gibraltar - UK From October 1942. Special convoys for Operation Torch
X.S.- Le Verdon - Mediterranean From September 1939 to June 1940. French
X.T.- Alexandria - Tripoli From January 1943
X.T.G.- Alexandria - Tripoli - Gibraltar From June 1943
Z.C.- Panama Canal - Curacao From August 1942
Z.G.- Panama Canal - Guantanamo From September 1942. Former PG
M.V.S.- UK coastal
V.W.P.- UK coastal
W.E.G.- UK coastal Various local coastal convoys