Western Approaches

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The Western Approaches is a rectangular area of the Atlantic ocean lying on the western coast of Great Britain. It is roughly the same height as the west coast of Britain, starting directly on the coast and ending in the Atlantic roughly at Iceland. The area is particularly important to the UK, because many of the larger shipping ports lie in this area.

The term is most commonly used when discussing naval warfare, notably during the First World War and Battle of the Atlantic during the Second World War in which the German Navy attempted to blockade the UK using submarines (U-boats) operating in this area. Since almost all shipping to and from the UK passed through this area, it was an excellent hunting ground and had to be heavily defended.

See also: GIUK gap, Long Forties, Broad Fourteens, Western Approaches Command, Denys Rayner