For every British ship's company afloat in 1944 as many men again were busy in the docks at home. Despite blackout raids and other hindrances, 4,415,669 tons of merchant shipping was launched in the first four years of World War Two, compared with 3,770,170 tons in the four years of World War One, although fewer men and yards were available. Mr. J. f. Cunningham (top left), welder for 27 years wields the oxy-acetylene torch in a Liverpool yard. Another bustling Liverpool scene (top right) and fitting a new stern to a vessel (bottom).
