204Orders by convoy commanders and commanding officers of escorting ships

1. Where any vessel forms part of a convoy which is under the command of an officer of the Navy or which is under the command of any other person appointed by the Chief of Defence Force for the purpose, the master or other person for the time being in command of the vessel shall obey—

2. if the convoy is escorted by any naval ship, any directions relating to the navigation or security of the convoy given by the commanding officer of the ship; or
3. in any other case, any directions relating to the navigation or security of the convoy given by the officer or other person in command of the convoy—
and shall take such precautions for avoiding the enemy (if any) as may be required by any such directions.

4. If the master or other person in command of a vessel fails to obey any such directions, the commanding officer of the escorting naval ship, or, as the case may be, the officer or other person in command of the convoy, may compel obedience to his directions by force of arms; and neither he nor any person acting under his orders shall be criminally or civilly responsible for any injury or loss of life, or for any damage to or loss of property, resulting from the use of that force.