ARCTIC CONVOYS 141
Norwegian
Sea
Hvalfjrđur
Scapa
Flow
Loch
Ewe
Firth
of Clyde
Altafjord
Barents
Sea
Matochkin
Strait
Gulf of
Bothnia
N
o
v
a
y
a
Z
e
m
l
y
a
ICELAND
UNITED
KINGDOM
Hopen
Kolguyev
Island
Bear Island
Jan Mayen
Island
North
Cape
Kola
Peninsula
Washington
Paulus
Potter
River Afton
Peter Kerr
Fairfield City
Zaafaran
Empire Byron
Scharnhorst
Daniel
Morgan
Aldersdale
Carlton
Honomu
Waziristan
Tirpitz
Earlston
Bolton Castle
Pankroft
Hartlebury
Olopana
John Witherspoon
Alcoa Ranger
Pan Atlantic
Winston Salem
(run aground)
Hoosier
El Capitan
Matabele
Leningrad
Liverpool
Reykjavík Hammerfest
Trondheim
Bergen
Skellefteå
Murmansk
Mo i
Rana Archangel
Tromsø
Svolvær
Kokkola
Segezha
Oban
Glasgow
Joensuu
Bugrino
Rørvik
Vadsø
Shoyna
Narvik
Onega
Mezen
Bodø
Pskov
Nikkeli
Luga
Kem
Alta
Lake
Ladoga
U
S
S
R
S
W
E
D
E
N
IR
E
LA
N
D
F
I
N
L
A
N
D
N
O
R
W
A
Y
AR
C
T
IC
O
C
E
A
N
A
T
L
A
N
T I C
O
C
E
A N
▷ Battling the ice
The crew of HMS Scylla—
a Royal Navy cruiser that
served as an escort to
Arctic convoys—are seen
using steam hoses to clear
the decks of accumulated
ice. Temperatures on
patrol in the Arctic
could drop as low as
-58°F (-50°C).
Aug 1941–May 1945
Murmansk provides
the only year-round
ice-free anchorage on
Russia’s northern coast.
Jul 6, 1942 The Master
of the Winston Salem
runs his ship aground
on Novaya Zemlya.
Dec 31, 1942 Hitler threatens
to scrap the German surface fleet
after its heavy cruisers are crushed
by the Allied light destroyers.
Dec 26, 1943 The
German battleship
Scharnhorst is sunk
in the Battle of the
Northern Cape.
Jan 2, 1942
Britain loses its
first merchant
ship, the
Waziristan, in
the Arctic.
Mar 6–9, 1942 Tirpitz
fails to engage with
convoy PQ-12.
1 2
Summer route Winter route
Sinking of British freighter Waziristan, Jan 2, 1942
Sinking of British destroyer Matabele, Jan 17, 1942
Failed assault on PQ-12, Mar 6–9, 1942
THE CONVOY SCATTERS
JUNE 27–JULY 4, 1942
When PQ-17 left Iceland for Archangel on June 27,
the Allies became aware that Germany was planning
Operation Rösselsprung—an attack by their surface
and U-boat fleets, and the Luftwaffe. PQ-17 was
well protected, but the loss of two of its ships to the
Luftwaffe and the news that the Tirpitz and the cruiser
Hipper had moved to Altafjord on July 4 prompted the
Admiralty to order the convoy to scatter. The convoy’s
escort vessels raced west, thinking they would intercept
the Tirpitz, but failed to sight the enemy.
3
Route of PQ-17, Jun 27–Jul 4, 1942
First attacks on PQ-17, Jul 4, 1942
Cruiser escorts leave convoy
Aug 31, 1941
“Dervish,” the first
Arctic convoy, arrives.
THE CONVOY IS DECIMATED
JULY 5–24, 1942
By July 5, the ships of PQ-17 were scattered over 25 sq
miles (64 sq km), all trying to reach safety. While some
headed north into the ice before making their way into
the Matochkin Strait, others sought cover in the fog or
headed for Novaya Zemlya, only to be picked off by
U-boats. The first survivors reached Archangel on
July 9; by July 24, only 11 of the 35 ships of PQ-17 had
made it to safety. After this episode, the Royal Navy
improved its cover for the Arctic convoys, adding
fighters and reconnaissance planes to their escorts.
4
Merchant ships of PQ-17 sunk
A REDUCED THREAT
DECEMBER 1942–MAY 1945
In late 1942, increased conflict on the Eastern Front
forced Germany to scale back their air operations in
the Arctic. The loss of the Admiral Hipper at the Battle
of the Barents Sea, the Scharnhorst (December 1943),
and the Tirpitz (December 1944) further reduced the
threat the German fleet posed to convoys. Out of
550 ships that sailed to Russia in 22 convoys between
December 1942 and May 1945, only nine were lost.
5
Scharnhorst sunk
Tirpitz sunk
Battle of the Barents
Sea, Dec 31, 1942
THE FIRST ARCTIC CONVOYS
AUGUST 12–DECEMBER 31, 1941
The first convoy, code named “Dervish,” sailed from
Liverpool on August 12, 1941, reaching Archangel
on August 31. By the end of the year, six convoys
(designated PQ for outbound and QP for homebound)
had delivered 750 tanks, 800 fighter aircraft, 1,400
vehicles, and more than 110,000 tons (100,000 metric
tons) of supplies to the USSR. No ships were yet lost.
THE THREAT INCREASES
JANUARY– JUNE 1942
America’s entry into the war resulted in an increase
in supplies to the Soviets. Germany responded by
sending more resources to the Arctic: the battleships
Tirpitz and Admiral Scheer moved to Norway and the
number of submarines was increased. The British
Merchant and Royal Navies lost their first ships in
January 1942, and in March the Tirpitz headed out
to make the first direct assault on PQ-12. Although
the attack failed, overall losses began to increase.
US_140-141_Arctic_convoys.indd 141 19/03/19 7:27 PM