"Gross began an eight-week voyage on board 'Highland Monarch' in late November 1941. The ship sailed from Avonmoth to Suez via Sierra Leone, the Cape, the Indian Ocean and Aden. He finally made his base at Cairo in early 1942. On board the ship, Gross completed his 'Convoy Series', depicting mess decks, parades, scenes of instruction and entertainment on board ship." image: A small, cramped ship's quarters. Two men eat food from a table on the left whilst another stretches out on a bench behind.