sentences:  The attack however, continued and throughout the fierce fighting the escorts distinguished themselves by screening the merchantmen from many attacks, especially U-boat sorties; "Ledbury" alone had sighted seven.The Admiralty believed that the convoy faced an imminent attack from elements of the German Kriegsmarine, possibly a combined attack of the commerce raiding capital ships , , and the .A series of signals were issued to the convoy, culminating in an order to 'scatter' to Soviet ports.