When conditions, such as travel through narrow waters, make a commodore's control of the convoy impracticable, the convoy must be ordered to proceed independently. The masters will then know they should no longer look for guidance. Although the commodore is responsible for the safe conduct and information of the convoy, MASTERS, INDIVIDUALLY, ARE AT ALL TIMES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFE NAVIGATION AND HANDLING OF THEIR SHIPS. The commodore will issue maneuvering orders to ships in convoy. The OTC may request the commodore to order a maneuver, and the transmission be overheard. Care must be exercised by merchant ships to ensure that only those orders addressed to them are obeyed. Orders from the OTC to the commodore are not intended for the ships in convoy until relayed by the commodore and addressed to ships in the convoy. VICE COMMODORE The vice commodore, if assigned, will sail in a ship other than that in which the convoy commodore sails. His/her duties are to assist the commodore and to assume the duties of convoy commodore should the convoy commodore's ship become incapacitated. If the convoy splits, he/she may take charge as commodore of a section. REAR COMMODORE The rear commodore, if assigned, assists the commodore and vice commodore in their tasks and acts for them in their absences. If the convoy splits, he/she may take charge of a section. SPECIAL CONVOY FLAGS LEARNING OBJECTIVES: List and define special flags flown in convoy formations. The majority of flags used in convoy communications will be familiar to signalmen because of their normal use in international and Allied communications. COMMODORE’S FLAG A large XRAY flag is flown by the commodore's ship while the convoy is forming up or reforming or whenever the commodore wishes to make the ship readily identifiable. It is flown on similar occasions by the vice or rear commodore's ship when such officer has assumed command of the convoy or is acting independently of the commodore when in charge of some of the convoy. CONVOY FLAG The NCSO at the port of departure of a convoy will assign a distinguishing flag to be flown by all ships and escorts in a particular convoy. It only has local and temporary significance to assist in mutual recognition. GUIDE FLAG The commodore's ship normally acts as the guide ship of the convoy, but he or she may have another ship to take over as guide. A ship ordered to take over as guide will immediately hoist her largest merchant ensign and keep it flying as long as she remains guide. CONVOY FORMATION LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Explain the procedures for the forming of ships in a convoy formation. The arrangement of ships in a convoy is termed convoy formation. While convoys have traditionally been formed in columns in line ahead on a broad front, higher speeds and different types of merchant ships, and the modern vehicles, weapons, and sensors of opposing forces may require convoys to be of any size or shape in order to get the best protection possible. CONVOY GRID SYSTEM A formation grid is shown in figure 7-1; the grid allows almost total variation of ship stations within a convoy. The formation grid also allows for the situation where it is considered that several small but interrelated convoys are required. Escorts may or may not be stationed on the same grid system. Convoy station designators are used as convoy internal call signs (see fig. 7-1). The convoy will be formulated by the OCA, OTC, commodore, NCSO, and the Sailing Order Folder issued to each ship before sailing. Once at sea, the 7-4