th . ▁The ▁day ▁following ▁this , ▁the ▁ship ▁reached ▁Hal if ax , ▁her ▁oper ational ▁base , ▁where ▁she ▁prepared ▁herself ▁to ▁take ▁her ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁great ▁international ▁struggle ▁to ▁maintain ▁the ▁country ' s ▁freedom . ▁The ▁day ▁following ▁arrival , ▁she ▁comm enced ▁a ▁ref it . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁chief ▁undert ak ings ▁included ▁in ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁fitting ▁in ▁her ▁of ▁H / F ▁D / F ▁equipment . ▁A ▁generator , ▁being ▁defect ive , ▁also ▁required ▁attention . ▁ ▁Border ▁C ities ▁passed ▁the ▁month ▁of ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁in ▁B erm ud an ▁waters , ▁engaged ▁in ▁working - up ▁exer cis es . ▁She ▁left ▁Hal if ax ▁on ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁return ▁until ▁ 3 ▁August . ▁Two ▁days ▁before ▁her ▁return , ▁she ▁had ▁been ▁allocated ▁to ▁the ▁Western ▁Esc ort ▁Force ▁for ▁duty ▁with ▁the ▁esc ort ▁group , ▁W - 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁Western ▁Esc ort ▁Force ▁was ▁based ▁in ▁Hal if ax ▁and ▁was ▁employed ▁in ▁esc ort ing ▁east bound ▁con vo ys ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁W E ST O MP , ▁the ▁western ▁ocean ▁meeting - point . ▁This ▁was ▁on ▁or ▁about ▁Long itude ▁ 5 2 o ▁West , ▁thus ▁east ▁of ▁Cape ▁Race , ▁New found land . ▁Here , ▁the ▁esc ort s ▁of ▁the ▁Force ▁were ▁rel ieved ▁by ▁ships ▁of ▁the ▁Mid - O cean ▁Esc ort ▁Force . ▁Turn ing