Order of battle for Convoy PQ 17

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Convoy PQ 17 was the penultimate of the PQ/QP series of arctic convoys, bound from British ports through the Arctic Ocean via Reykjavík to the White Sea ports of the Soviet Union, particularly Murmansk and Archangel. The convoy was heavily defended, but fearing an imminent attack by substantial German surface forces, the Admiralty made the decision to disperse the convoy.

The convoy comprised 35 merchant ships and 6 naval auxiliaries (41 in all) and was defended by a close escort and two distant escort forces, 43 warships in total. It was opposed by a U-boat group, Eisteufel, of first 6, then 8 U-boats, and a surface attack force of 16 warships, in two battle groups. This operation was code-named Rösselsprung. These were assisted by the 234 aircraft of Luftflotte 5.

Before the convoy dispersed, three ships had been lost. After it scattered each ship began its individual journey to the Russian ports. Some ships took refuge along the frozen coast of Novaya Zemlya, landing at Matochkin.[1] The Soviet tanker Azerbaijan had lost her cargo of linseed oil, and much of SS Winston-Salem's cargo had also been jettisoned in Novaya Zemlya.[2]

Of the forty-one ships which left Iceland, three were forced to return, and twenty-four were sunk.[3] Ten merchant ships (one British, six American, one Panamanian and two Russian) and four auxiliaries reached Archangel, and delivered 70,000 tons out of the 200,000 which had started from Iceland. Fourteen American ships in all were sunk.[4]

Allied forces[edit]

Merchants[edit]

  This along with the * indicates that the ship was sunk

Name Nationality Cargo Tonnage Fate Date of attack Survivors Dead Notes
Alcoa Ranger  United States Steel, armour plates,
flour, tanks		 5,116 Sunk by U-255* 7 July 40 0
Aldersdale  Royal Navy Fleet oiler 8,402 Damaged by aircraft
Sunk by U-457*		 5 July
7 July		 54 0
Azerbaidjan  Soviet Union 6,114 Damaged; reached port safely
Bellingham  United States 5,345 Reached port safely
Benjamin Harrison  United States 7,191 Reached port safely
Bolton Castle  United Kingdom 5,203 Sunk by aircraft* 5 July
Carlton  United States Tanks, ammunition, fuel, food 5,127 Sunk by U-88* 5 July 42 3
Christopher Newport  United States War material 7,191 Damaged by aircraft
Sunk by U-457*		 4 July 47 3
Daniel Morgan  United States Steel, food, explosives,
tanks		 7,177 Damaged by aircraft
Sunk by U-88*		 5 July 51 3
Donbass  Soviet Union 7,925 Reached port safely
Earlston  United Kingdom Military stores, vehicles,
aircraft, steam launch		 7,195 Damaged by aircraft
Sunk by U-334*		 5 July
El Capitan  Panama Machinery, food, leather,
ammunition, tanks		 5,255 Damaged by aircraft
Sunk by U-251*		 9 July
10 July		 67 0
Empire Byron  United Kingdom Military stores, vehicles,
tanks, aircraft		 6,645 Damaged by aircraft
Sunk by U-703*		 4 July
5 July		 63 7
Empire Tide  United Kingdom CAM ship 6,978 Reached port safely
Exford  United States 4,969 Damaged by ice, turned back
Fairfield City  United States 5,686 Sunk by aircraft* 5 July
Grey Ranger  Royal Navy Fleet oiler 3,313 Damaged by ice; reached port safely
Hartlebury  United Kingdom Vehicles, tanks,
aircraft, military stores		 5,082 Sunk by U-355* 7 July 20 38
Honomu  United States Food, steel, ammunition and tanks 6,977 Sunk by U-456* 5 July 28 13
Hoosier  United States Machinery, explosives, tanks 5,060 Damaged by aircraft
Sunk by U-376*		 9 July
10 July		 53 0
Ironclad  United States 5,685 Reached port safely
John Witherspoon  United States Ammunition, tanks 7,191 Sunk by U-255* 6 July 49 1
Navarino  United Kingdom 4,841 Sunk by aircraft* 5 July
Ocean Freedom  United Kingdom 7,173 Reached port safely
Olopana  United States Explosives, petroleum and trucks 6,069 Sunk by U-255* 8 July 34 7
Pan Atlantic  United States 5,411 Sunk by aircraft* 6 July
Pan Kraft  United States 5,644 Sunk by aircraft* 7 July
Paulus Potter  Netherlands Goods, ammunition,
tanks, aircraft, trucks		 7,168 Damaged by aircraft
Sunk by U-255*		 5 July
13 July		 76 0
Peter Kerr  United States 6,476 Sunk by aircraft* 5 July
Rathlin  United Kingdom Rescue ship 1,600 Reached port safely Arrived Archangel on 9 July
Richard Bland  United States 7,191 Ran aground, towed back to port
River Afton  United Kingdom Military stores, tanks,
vehicles, aircraft		 5,479 Sunk by U-703* 5 July 38 26 Convoy Commodore's ship
Samuel Chase  United States 7,191 Reached port safely
Silver Sword  United States 4,937 Reached port safely
Troubador  Panama 6,428 Reached port safely
Washington  United States 5,564 Sunk by aircraft* 5 July
West Gotomska  United States 5,728 Developed engine trouble,
returned to port
William Hooper  United States military stores, trucks,
ammunition, tanks		 7,177 Damaged by aircraft
Sunk by U-334*		 4 July
Winston-Salem  United States 6,223 Ran aground, abandoned
later recovered		 Reached port 28 July
Zaafaran  United Kingdom Rescue ship 1,559 Sunk by aircraft* 5 July
Zamalek  United Kingdom Rescue ship 1,567 Reached port safely

Escorts[edit]

Convoy Close Escort
Commander Broome, RN

Name Class Navy Date joined Date departed Notes
HMT Ayrshire ASW trawler  Royal Navy 27 June 4 July
HMS Britomart Halcyon-class minesweeper  Royal Navy 27 June 4 July
HMS Dianella Flower-class corvette  Royal Navy 30 June 4 July
HMS Escapade E-class destroyer  Royal Navy 29 June 4 July
HMS Fury F-class destroyer  Royal Navy 30 June 4 July
HMS Halcyon Halcyon-class minesweeper  Royal Navy 27 June 4 July
HMS Keppel Shakespeare-class destroyer leader  Royal Navy 30 June 4 July
HMS La Malouine Flower-class corvette  Royal Navy 30 June 4 July
HMS Leamington Town-class destroyer  Royal Navy 30 June 4 July
HMS Ledbury Hunt-class destroyer  Royal Navy 30 June 4 July
HMT Lord Austin ASW trawler  Royal Navy 27 June 4 July
HMS Lord Middleton ASW trawler  Royal Navy 27 June 4 July
HMS Lotus Flower-class corvette  Royal Navy 30 June 4 July
HMT Northern Gem ASW trawler  Royal Navy 27 June 4 July
HMS Offa O-class destroyer  Royal Navy 30 June 4 July
HMS P614 P611-class submarine  Royal Navy 30 June 4 July
HMS P615 P611-class submarine  Royal Navy 27 June 4 July
HMS Palomares Anti-aircraft ship  Royal Navy 27 June 4 July
HMS Poppy Flower-class corvette  Royal Navy 30 June 4 July
HMS Pozarica Anti-aircraft ship  Royal Navy 27 June 4 July
HMS Salamander Halcyon-class minesweeper  Royal Navy 27 June 4 July
HMS Wilton Hunt-class destroyer  Royal Navy 30 June 4 July

Covering Force - Cruiser Squadron 1 (CS1)
Rear Admiral Hamilton, RN

Name Class Navy Date joined Date departed Notes
HMS London County-class heavy cruiser  Royal Navy 1 July 4 July
HMS Norfolk County-class heavy cruiser  Royal Navy 1 July 4 July
USS Rowan Benham-class destroyer  United States 1 July 4 July
HMS Somali Tribal-class destroyer  Royal Navy 1 July 4 July
USS Tuscaloosa New Orleans-class heavy cruiser  United States 1 July 4 July
USS Wainwright Sims-class destroyer  United States 1 July 4 July
USS Wichita Wichita-class heavy cruiser  United States 1 July 4 July

Distant Force - Home Fleet
Admiral Tovey, RN

Name Class Navy Date joined Date departed Notes
HMS Ashanti Tribal-class destroyer  Royal Navy 1 July 4 July
HMS Blankney Hunt-class destroyer  Royal Navy 29 June 4 July
HMS Cumberland County-class heavy cruiser  Royal Navy 29 June 4 July
HMS Duke of York King George V-class battleship  Royal Navy 29 June 4 July
HMS Escapade E-class destroyer  Royal Navy 29 June 4 July
HMS Faulknor F-class destroyer  Royal Navy 29 June 4 July
HMS Marne M-class destroyer  Royal Navy 29 June 4 July
HMS Martin M-class destroyer  Royal Navy 29 June 4 July
USS Mayrant Benham-class destroyer  United States 1 July 4 July
HMS Middleton Hunt-class destroyer  Royal Navy 27 June 4 July
HMS Nigeria Fiji-class light cruiser  Royal Navy 29 June 4 July
HMS Onslaught O-class destroyer  Royal Navy 29 June 4 July
HMS Onslow O-class destroyer  Royal Navy 1 July 4 July
USS Rhind Benham-class destroyer  United States 1 July 4 July
HMS Victorious Illustrious-class aircraft carrier  Royal Navy 29 June 4 July
USS Washington North Carolina-class battleship  United States 29 June 4 July
HMS Wheatland Hunt-class destroyer  Royal Navy 29 June 4 July

Axis forces[edit]

U-boats[edit]

Name Type Ships sunk Ships damaged Notes
U-88 VIIC Carlton, Daniel Morgan[5] 0
U-251 VIIC El Capitan[5] 0
U-255 VIIC John Witherspoon, Alcoa Ranger,
Olopana, Paulus Potter[5]		 0
U-334 VIIC William Hooper,[5] Earlston,[5] 0
U-355 VIIC Hartlebury 0
U-376 VIIC Hoosier[5] 0
U-456 VIIC Honomu 0
U-457 VIIC Christopher Newport,[5] Aldersdale[5] 0
U-703 VIIC Empire Byron,[5] River Afton 0

Surface ships[edit]

Name Class 1st
departure		 Fate 2nd
departure		 Notes
Tirpitz Bismarck-class battleship 2 July 1942 5 July 1942
Admiral Hipper Admiral Hipper-class cruiser 2 July 1942 5 July 1942
Z14 Friedrich Ihn Type 1934A destroyer 2 July 1942 5 July 1942
Z10 Hans Lody Type 1934A destroyer 2 July 1942 ran aground N/A
Z20 Karl Galster Type 1936 destroyer 2 July 1942 ran aground N/A
Z06Z6 Theodor Riedel Type 1934A destroyer 2 July 1942 ran aground N/A
Z04Z4 Richard Beitzen Type 1934 destroyer ? 5 July 1942 joined later
T07T7 Type 35 torpedo boat 2 July 1942 5 July 1942
T15 Type 37 torpedo boat 2 July 1942 5 July 1942
Lützow Deutschland-class cruiser 3 July 1942 ran aground N/A
Admiral Scheer Deutschland-class cruiser 3 July 1942 5 July 1942
Z24 Type 1936A destroyer 3 July 1942 5 July 1942
Z27 Type 1936A destroyer 3 July 1942 5 July 1942
Z28 Type 1936A destroyer 3 July 1942 5 July 1942
Z29 Type 1936A destroyer 3 July 1942 5 July 1942
Z30 Type 1936A destroyer 3 July 1942 5 July 1942
Dithmarschen Oiler 3 July 1942 N/A

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Riesenberg, Sea War, Part 773., p. 320
  2. ^ Morison, History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, p. 187
  3. ^ Helgason, Gudmundur, "PQ-17 The Greatest Convoy Disaster", German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net, retrieved 16 April 2009
  4. ^ Churchill, The Second World War, Volume IV, p. 237
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Disabled by aircraft, sunk later by U-boat

References[edit]

  • Churchill, Winston S. (1951), The Second World War: Volume IV, The Hinge of Fate, Cassell & Co. Ltd.
  • Connell, G. G. (1982), Arctic destroyers: the 17th Flotilla, W. Kimber, ISBN 978-0-7183-0428-7
  • Hill, Roger P. (1986), Destroyer Captain, Periscope Publishing Ltd, ISBN 1-904381-25-1
  • Hinsley F.H., Francis; Eastaway Thomas, Edward (1990), British intelligence in the Second World War: its influence on strategy and operations, vol. II, H.M.S.O, ISBN 978-0-11-630934-1
  • Langer, John D. (1979), "The Harriman-Beaverbrook Mission and the Debate over Unconditional Aid for the Soviet Union, 1941", Journal of Contemporary History, 14 (3): 463–482, doi:10.1177/002200947901400306, ISSN 0022-0094, S2CID 159474803
  • Moore, Arthur R. (1984), "A careless word-- a needless sinking": a history of the staggering losses suffered by the U.S. Merchant Marine, both in ships and personnel during World War II, American Merchant Marine Museum
  • Morison, Samuel E. (2001), History of United States Naval Operations in World War II: The Battle of the Atlantic, September 1939-May 1943, Volume 1 of History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, University of Illinois Press, ISBN 978-0-252-06963-5
  • Riesenberg, Felix (1956), Sea War, Part 773, Rinehart
  • Schofield, Bernard (1964) The Russian Convoys BT Batsford. OCLC 923314731
  • The Bookseller (1971), Issues 3394-3405, Authors Publishers' Association, Booksellers Association of Great Britain and Ireland, ISBN 978-0-340-12512-0
  • The London Gazette, Issue 39041 (17 October 1950), Supplement To The London Gazette: Convoys to North Russia:1942{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  • Frayn Turner, John (2002), Fight for the sea: naval adventures from World War II, Naval Institute Press, ISBN 978-1-55750-884-3
  • Winton, John (1988), Ultra at sea, Leo Cooper, ISBN 0-85052-883-6
  • Wynn, Kenneth G. (1997), U-boat Operations of the Second World War: Career histories, U1-U510, Chatham, ISBN 978-1-55750-860-7

External links[edit]

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