Order of battle for Convoy PQ 17 - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Convoy PQ 17 was the penultimate of the PQ/QP series of arctic convoys

Arctic convoys of World War II

The Arctic convoys of World War II travelled from the United Kingdom and North America to the northern ports of the Soviet Union—Arkhangelsk and Murmansk. There were 78 convoys between August 1941 and May 1945...

, bound from British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

ports through the Arctic Ocean

Arctic Ocean

The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...

via Reykjavík

Reykjavík

Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...

to the White Sea

White Sea

The White Sea is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the northeast. The whole of the White Sea is under Russian sovereignty and considered to be part of...

ports of the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

, particularly Murmansk

Murmansk

Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...

and Archangel

Arkhangelsk

Arkhangelsk , formerly known as Archangel in English, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina River near its exit into the White Sea in the north of European Russia. The city spreads for over along the banks of the river...

. The convoy was heavily defended, but fearing an imminent attack by substantial German surface forces, the Admiralty

Admiralty

The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...

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

Operation Rösselsprung (Naval)

Rösselsprung was the largest operation of its type mounted by the Kriegsmarine during World War II, and arguably the most successful, resulting as it did in the near destruction of arctic convoy PQ-17...

. These were assisted by the 234 aircraft of Luftflotte 5
Luftflotte 5
Luftflotte 5 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed 12 April 1940 in Hamburg for the invasion of Norway....

.

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

Novaya Zemlya

Novaya Zemlya , also known in Dutch as Nova Zembla and in Norwegian as , is an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean in the north of Russia and the extreme northeast of Europe, the easternmost point of Europe lying at Cape Flissingsky on the northern island...

, landing at Matochkin. The Soviet tanker Azerbaijan had lost her cargo of linseed oil, and much of SS Winston-Salems cargo had also been jettisoned in Novaya Zemlya.

Of the forty-one ships which left Iceland, three were forced to return, and twenty-four were sunk.
Ten merchant ships (one British

United Kingdom

, six American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, one Panama

Panama

Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...

nian and two Russian

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

) and four auxiliaries reached Archangel, and delivered 70,000 tons out of the 200,000 which had started from Iceland

Iceland

Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

. Fourteen American ships in all were sunk.

Merchants

Name	Nationality	Cargo	Tonnage	Fate	Date of attack	Survivors	Dead	American United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	Steel, armour plates, flour, tanks	5,116	Sunk by U-255*	7 July	40	0
Aldersdale	British United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...	Fleet oiler Replenishment Oiler A replenishment oiler or fleet tanker is a naval auxiliary ship with fuel tanks and dry cargo holds, which can replenish other ships while underway in the high seas. Such ships are used by several countries around the world....	8,402	Damaged by aircraft Sunk by U-457*	5 July 7 July	54	0
Azerbaidjan	Soviet Soviet Union The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....		6,114	Damaged; reached port safely
Bellingham	American		5,345	Reached port safely
Benjamin Harrison SS Benjamin Harrison The SS Benjamin Harrison was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Benjamin Harrison, the twenty-third President of the United States....	American		7,191	Reached port safely
Bolton Castle	British		5,203	Sunk by aircraft*	5 July
Carlton	American	Tanks, ammunition, fuel, food	5,127	Sunk by U-88*	5 July	42	3
Christopher Newport	American	War material	7,191	Damaged by aircraft Sunk by U-457*	4 July	47	3
Daniel Morgan	American	Steel, food, explosives, tanks	7,177	Damaged by aircraft Sunk by U-88*	5 July	51	3
Donbass	Soviet		7,925	Reached port safely
Earlston	British	Military stores, vehicles, aircraft, steam launch	7,195	Damaged by aircraft Sunk by U-334*	5 July
El Capitan	Panama Panama Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The... nian	Machinery, food, leather, ammunition, tanks	5,255	Damaged by aircraft Sunk by U-251*	9 July 10 July	67	0
Empire Byron SS Empire Byron Empire Byron was a 6,645 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1941 for the Ministry of War Transport . Completed in January 1942, she had a short service career. Empire Byron was torpedoed and sunk on 5 July 1942 by while a member of Convoy PQ 17....	British	Military stores, vehicles, tanks, aircraft	6,645	Damaged by aircraft Sunk by U-703*	4 July 5 July	63	7
Empire Tide	British	CAM ship CAM ship CAM ships were World War II-era British merchant ships used in convoys as an emergency stop-gap until sufficient escort carriers became available. CAM is an acronym for catapult aircraft merchantman. A CAM ship was equipped with a rocket-propelled catapult launching a single Hawker Sea Hurricane,...	6,978	Reached port safely
Exford	American		4,969	Damaged by ice, turned back
Fairfield City	American		5,686	Sunk by aircraft*	5 July
Gray Ranger	British	Fleet oiler Replenishment Oiler A replenishment oiler or fleet tanker is a naval auxiliary ship with fuel tanks and dry cargo holds, which can replenish other ships while underway in the high seas. Such ships are used by several countries around the world....	3,313	Damaged by ice; reached port safely
Hartlebury	British	Vehicles, tanks, aircraft, military stores	5,082	Sunk by U-355*	7 July	20	38
Honomu	American	Food, steel, ammunition and tanks	6,977	Sunk by U-456*	5 July	28	13
Hoosier	American	Machinery, explosives, tanks	5,060	Damaged by aircraft Sunk by U-376*	9 July 10 July	53	0
Ironclad	American		5,685	Reached port safely
John Witherspoon	American	Ammunition, tanks	7,191	Sunk by U-255*	6 July	49	1
Navarino	British		4,841	Sunk by aircraft*	5 July
Ocean Freedom	British		7,173	Reached port safely
Olopana	American	Explosives, petroleum and trucks	6,069	Sunk by U-255*	8 July	34	7
Pan Atlantic	American		5,411	Sunk by aircraft*	6 July
Pan Kraft	American		5,644	Sunk by aircraft*	7 July
Paulus Potter	Dutch Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...	Goods, ammunition, tanks, aircraft, trucks	7,168	Damaged by aircraft Sunk by U-255*	5 July 13 July	76	0
Peter Kerr	American		6,476	Sunk by aircraft*	5 July
Rathlin	British	Rescue ship Convoy rescue ship During the Second World War purpose built convoy rescue ships accompanied some Atlantic convoys to rescue survivors from ships which had been attacked. Rescue ships were typically small freighters with passenger accommodations. Conversion to rescue service involved enlarging galley and food...	1,600	Reached port safely				arrived Archangel on 9 July
Richard Bland	American		7,191	Ran aground, towed back to port
River Afton SS River Afton The SS River Afton was a steam merchant built in 1935 by Lithgows, of Port Glasgow, Scotland and homeported in Glasgow. She was operated by Campbell Brothers & Co, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. She was named after the River Afton in Ayrshire, Scotland....	British	Military stores, tanks, vehicles, aircraft	5,479	Sunk by U-703*	5 July	38	26	Convoy Commodore Convoy commodore A Convoy Commodore was the title of a civilian put in charge of the good order of the merchant ships in the British convoys used during World War II. Usually the convoy commodore was a retired naval officer or a senior merchant captain drawn from the RNVR... 's ship
Samuel Chase	American		7,191	Reached port safely
Silver Sword	American		4,937	Reached port safely
Troubador	Panamanian		6,428	Reached port safely
Washington	American		5,564	Sunk by aircraft*	5 July
West Gotomska SS West Gotomska SS West Gotomska was a steel–hulled cargo ship built in 1918 as part of the World War I emergency wartime shipbuilding program organized by the United States Shipping Board.West Gotomska was commissioned straight into the U.S...	American		5,728	Developed engine trouble, returned to port
William Hooper	American	military stores, trucks, ammunition, tanks	7,177	Damaged by aircraft Sunk by U-334*	4 July
Winston-Salem	American		6,223	Ran aground, abandoned later recovered				Reached port 28 July
Zaafaran	British	Rescue ship Convoy rescue ship During the Second World War purpose built convoy rescue ships accompanied some Atlantic convoys to rescue survivors from ships which had been attacked. Rescue ships were typically small freighters with passenger accommodations. Conversion to rescue service involved enlarging galley and food...	1,559	Sunk by aircraft*	5 July
Zamalek	British	Rescue ship Convoy rescue ship During the Second World War purpose built convoy rescue ships accompanied some Atlantic convoys to rescue survivors from ships which had been attacked. Rescue ships were typically small freighters with passenger accommodations. Conversion to rescue service involved enlarging galley and food...	1,567	Reached port safely

Escorts

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	HMS Ashanti HMS Ashanti (F51) HMS Ashanti was a Tribal-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. Following the style of her sister ships she was named for an ethnic group, in this case the Ashanti people of the Gold Coast in West Africa. She served in the Second World War and was broken up in 1949...	Tribal class Tribal class destroyer (1936) The Tribal class, or Afridi class, were a class of destroyers built for the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Australian Navy that saw service in World War II... destroyer Destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	1 July	4 July
HMT Ayrshire	ASW trawler Naval trawler A naval trawler is a vessel built along the lines of a fishing trawler but fitted out for naval purposes. Naval trawlers were widely used during the First and Second world wars. Fishing trawlers were particularly suited for many naval requirements because they were robust boats designed to work...	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	27 June	4 July
HMS Blankney	Hunt class destroyer Hunt class destroyer The Hunt class was a class of Destroyer escort of the Royal Navy. The first vessels were ordered early in 1939, and the class saw extensive service in World War II, particularly on the British East Coast and Mediterranean convoys. They were named after British fox hunts...	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	29 June	4 July
HMS Britomart HMS Britomart (J22) HMS Britomart was a of the Royal Navy. She served during the Second World War and was sunk in 1944 in a friendly fire incident.-Construction and commissioning:...	Halcyon class Halcyon class minesweeper The Halcyon class was a class of 21 oil-fired minesweepers built for the British Royal Navy between 1933 and 1939... minesweeper Minesweeper (ship) A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	27 June	4 July
HMS Cumberland HMS Cumberland (57) HMS Cumberland was a County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy that saw action during the Second World War.-Career:Cumberland served on the China Station with the 5th Cruiser Squadron from 1928 until 1938, returning to the UK in March 1935 for a refit...	County class County class cruiser The County class was a class of heavy cruisers built for the British Royal Navy in the years between the First and Second World Wars. They were the first post-war cruiser construction for the Royal Navy and were designed within the limits of the Washington Naval Conference of 1922... heavy cruiser Heavy cruiser The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	29 June	4 July
HMS Dianella	Flower class Flower class corvette The Flower-class corvette was a class of 267 corvettes used during World War II, specifically with the Allied navies as anti-submarine convoy escorts during the Battle of the Atlantic... corvette Corvette A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	30 June	4 July
HMS Duke of York HMS Duke of York (17) HMS Duke of York was a King George V-class battleship of the Royal Navy. Laid down in May 1937, the ship was constructed by John Brown and Company at Clydebank, Scotland, and commissioned into the Royal Navy on 4 November 1941, subsequently seeing service during the Second World War.In...	King George V class King George V class battleship (1939) The King George V-class battleships were the most modern British battleships used during World War II. Five ships of this class were built and commissioned: King George V , Prince of Wales , Duke of York , Howe , and Anson .The Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 limiting all of the number,... battleship Battleship A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	29 June	4 July
HMS Escapade HMS Escapade (H17) HMS Escapade was an E class destroyer of the British Royal Navy in commission from 1934 until 1946, that saw service before and during World War II, seeing service on Russian, Malta and Atlantic convoys.-Construction:...	E class E and F class destroyer The E and F class was a class of 18 destroyers of the Royal Navy that served during the Second World War. Three ships were later transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy, one to the Royal Hellenic Navy and one to the Dominican Navy. Launched in 1934, they served in the Second World War. Nine were lost... destroyer	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	29 June	4 July
HMS Faulknor HMS Faulknor (H62) HMS Faulknor was a F class destroyer flotilla leader of the British Royal Navy in commission from 1934. The ship had a particularly active operational role during World War II, being awarded 11 battle honours, and was known as "The hardest worked destroyer in the Fleet"...	F class E and F class destroyer The E and F class was a class of 18 destroyers of the Royal Navy that served during the Second World War. Three ships were later transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy, one to the Royal Hellenic Navy and one to the Dominican Navy. Launched in 1934, they served in the Second World War. Nine were lost... destroyer	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	29 June	4 July
HMS Fury HMS Fury (H76) HMS Fury was an F class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was ordered from the yards of J. Samuel White, of Cowes, Isle of Wight on 17 March 1933 and was laid down on the 19 May of that year. She was launched on 10 September 1934 and commissioned on 18 May 1935...	F class E and F class destroyer The E and F class was a class of 18 destroyers of the Royal Navy that served during the Second World War. Three ships were later transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy, one to the Royal Hellenic Navy and one to the Dominican Navy. Launched in 1934, they served in the Second World War. Nine were lost... destroyer	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	30 June	4 July
HMS Halcyon HMS Halcyon (J42) HMS Halcyon was a built for the Royal Navy in 1933. She was the lead vessel in the class. Her pennant number was J42.Halcyon was built by John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Ltd., at Clydebank, in Scotland. She was laid down on 27 March 1933 and launched on 20 December of the same year...	Halcyon class minesweeper	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	27 June	4 July
HMS Keppel	Shakespeare class Thornycroft type leader The Thornycroft type leader or Shakespeare class were a class of five destroyer leaders designed by John I. Thornycroft & Company and built by them at Woolston, Southampton for the Royal Navy towards the end of World War I. They were named after historical naval leaders. Only Shakespeare and... destroyer	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	30 June	4 July
HMS La Malouine HMS La Malouine (K46) HMS La Malouine was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Navy, serving during the Second World War.-Origin:La Malouine was one of four Flower-class corvettes ordered by the French Navy . Only two of these were delivered to the Marine Nationale. One of these ships was La Malouine the other La...	Flower class corvette	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	30 June	4 July
HMS Leamington	Town class destroyer Town class destroyer The Town class destroyers were warships transferred from the United States Navy to the Royal Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy in exchange for military bases in the Bahamas and elsewhere, as outlined in the Destroyers for Bases Agreement between Britain and United States, signed on 2 September 1940...	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	30 June	4 July
HMS Ledbury HMS Ledbury (L90) HMS Ledbury was an escort destroyer of the Hunt Type II class. The Royal Navy ordered Ledbury's construction two days after the outbreak of the Second World War and J. I. Thornycroft Ltd laid down her keel at their Southampton yard on 24 January 1940. Air raid damage to the yard delayed her...	Hunt class destroyer	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	30 June	4 July
HMS London HMS London (69) HMS London was a member of the second group of the County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy. She and her sisters; Sussex, Shropshire, and Devonshire differed from the earlier group of Counties, , by having a smaller forward superstructure, which was positioned slightly further aft, and next...	Town class Town class cruiser (1936) The Town-class was a 10-ship class of light cruisers of the Royal Navy. The Towns were designed to the constraints imposed by the London Naval Treaty of 1930.... light cruiser Light cruiser A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	1 July	4 July
HMT Lord Austin	ASW trawler	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	27 June	4 July
HMS Lotus HMS Lotus (K130) HMS Lotus was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Navy.She was built by Henry Robb Limited, of Leith, Scotland and launched on 16 January 1942. Originally named HMS Phlox, she was renamed in April 1942 after the previous HMS Lotus was transferred to the Free French Navy...	Flower class corvette	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	30 June	4 July
HMS Marne HMS Marne (G35) HMS Marne was an M-class destroyer of the Royal Navy commissioned on 2 December 1941. She was built by Vickers-Armstrongs at High Walker Yard, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, and saw service in the Atlantic theatre of World War II....	M class L and M class destroyer The L and M class was a class of sixteen destroyers which served in the British Royal Navy during World War II. The ships of the class were launched between 1939 and 1942.-Design details:... destroyer	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	29 June	4 July
HMS Martin HMS Martin (G44) HMS Martin was an M-class destroyer of the Royal Navy, launched at the Tyneside yard of Vickers-Armstrongs on 12 December 1940. She had a busy but brief wartime career, being sunk by U-431 on 10 November 1942 off Algiers.-Convoy PQ17:...	M class destroyer	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	29 June	4 July
USS Mayrant USS Mayrant (DD-402) The second USS Mayrant was a Benham-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was named for John Mayrant.-History:Mayrant was laid down 15 April 1937 at the Boston Navy Yard, Boston, Massachusetts; launched 14 May 1938; sponsored by Mrs. E. Sheely, a descendant of Capt. John Mayrant; and...	Benham class Benham class destroyer Ten Benham-class destroyers were commissioned into United States Navy during 1938 and 1939. Much of their design is based upon the previous Gridley- and Bagley-class destroyers... destroyer	US Navy	1 July	4 July
HMS Middleton HMS Middleton (L74) HMS Middleton was a Type 2 Hunt class destroyer of the Royal Navy and served in the Second World War. Her rôle was providing support for minelaying operations in the Atlantic and anti-aircraft protection for the North Russian convoys...	Hunt class destroyer	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	27 June	4 July
HMS Nigeria HMS Nigeria (60) HMS Nigeria was a Crown Colony-class light cruiser of the British Royal Navy completed early in World War II and served throughout that conflict. She was named for the British territory of Nigeria.-Home waters:...	Crown Colony class Crown Colony class cruiser The Crown Colony-class light cruisers of the Royal Navy were named after Crown Colonies of the British Empire. The first eight are known as the Fiji class, while the last three to be built are commonly referred to as the Ceylon class and were built to a slightly modified design.-Design:They were... light cruiser	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	29 June	4 July
HMS Norfolk HMS Norfolk (78) HMS Norfolk was a County-class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy; along with her sister ship , she was part of a planned four-ship subclass.She served throughout the Second World War....	County class heavy cruiser	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	1 July	4 July
HMT Northern Gem	ASW trawler	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	27 June	4 July
HMS Offa HMS Offa (G29) HMS Offa was an O-class destroyer of the Royal Navy which entered service in 1941.During November 1941 HMS Offa was part of Convoy PQ-4, the fifth of the Arctic Convoys of World War II. The convoy sailed from Hvalfjord, Iceland on 17 November 1941 and arrived at Arkhangelsk on 28 November 1941.On...	O class O and P class destroyer The O and P class was a class of destroyers of the British Royal Navy. Ordered in 1939, they were the first ships in the War Emergency Programme, also known as the 1st and 2nd Emergency Flotilla, respectively... destroyer	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	30 June	4 July
HMS Onslaught	O class destroyer	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	29 June	4 July
HMS Onslow HMS Onslow (G17) HMS Onslow was an O-class destroyer flotilla leader of the Royal Navy She was ordered from John Brown & Company at Clydebank, Glasgow on 3 September 1939. The ship was laid down on 1 July 1940 and launched on 31 March 1941. She was completed on 8 October 1941 at a cost of £416,942.Attached to the...	O class destroyer	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	1 July	4 July
HMS P614	P611 class Oruç Reis class submarine The Oruç Reis class submarines were ordered by the Turkish Navy from the British company Vickers in 1939. They were similar to the British S class submarines, but slightly smaller. They had the S class machinery but only four bow torpedo tubes... submarine Submarine A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	30 June	4 July
HMS P615	P611 class submarine	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	27 June	4 July
HMS Palomares HMS Palomares HMS Palomares was originally MV Palomares, built by William Doxford & Sons, Sunderland yard in 1937 and sailed as a merchant fruit carrier ship for service on the MacAndrews Line in January 1938 with their Spanish service....	Anti-aircraft ship	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	27 June	4 July
HMS Poppy	Flower class corvette	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	30 June	4 July
HMS Pozarica	Anti-aircraft ship	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	27 June	4 July
USS Rhind USS Rhind (DD-404) USS Rhind was a Benham-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was named for Alexander Colden Rhind.Rhind was laid down 22 September 1937 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard; launched 28 July 1938; sponsored by Mrs. Frederick S. Camp; and commissioned 10 November 1939, Commander G. R...	Benham class destroyer	US Navy	1 July	4 July
USS Rowan USS Rowan (DD-405) The third USS Rowan was a Benham-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was named for Stephen C. Rowan.-History:Rowan was laid down on 25 June 1937 by the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia; launched 5 May 1938; sponsored by Miss Elizabeth H...	Benham class destroyer	US Navy	1 July	4 July
HMS Salamander	Halcyon class minesweeper	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	27 June	4 July
USS Tuscaloosa USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37) USS Tuscaloosa was a United States Navy New Orleans-class heavy cruiser.She was laid down on 3 September 1931 at Camden, New Jersey, by the New York Shipbuilding Co., launched on 15 November 1933, sponsored by Mrs. Thomas Lee McCann, the wife of Lieutenant Thomas L...	New Orleans class heavy cruiser	US Navy	1 July	4 July
HMS Victorious HMS Victorious (R38) HMS Victorious was the second Illustrious-class aircraft carrier ordered under the 1936 Naval Programme. She was laid down at the Vickers-Armstrong shipyard at Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in 1937 and launched two years later in 1939...	Illustrious class Illustrious class aircraft carrier The Illustrious class was a class of aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy that were some of the most important British warships in World War II... aircraft carrier Aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	29 June	4 July
USS Wainwright USS Wainwright (DD-419) USS Wainwright was a World War II-era Sims-class destroyer in the service of the United States Navy. The ship was named to honor Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright, his son, Master Jonathan Wainwright, Jr., his cousin, Commander Richard Wainwright, and also Rear Admiral Richard WainwrightWainwright was...	Sims class Sims class destroyer The Sims-class consisted of 12 destroyers in the United States Navy, built in seven various shipyards, and commissioned in 1939 and 1940. It was the last United States destroyer class completed prior to World War II. All Sims-class ships saw action in World War II, and seven survived the war... destroyer	US Navy	1 July	4 July
USS Washington USS Washington (BB-56) USS Washington , the second of two battleships in the North Carolina class, was the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 42nd state. Her keel was laid down on 14 June 1938 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Launched on 1 June 1940, Washington went through fitting-out before...	North Carolina class North Carolina class battleship The North Carolina class was a group of two fast battleships, North Carolina and Washington, built for the United States Navy in the late 1930s and early 1940s... battleship	US Navy	29 June	4 July
HMS Wheatland	Hunt class destroyer	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	29 June	4 July
USS Wichita USS Wichita (CA-45) USS Wichita was a heavy cruiser of the United States Navy. The lead ship and only member of her class, she was the first ship named after the city of Wichita, Kansas...	Wichita class Wichita class cruiser The Wichita class cruiser was a class of heavy cruiser used by the United States Navy. The single ship of the class was the .-Class history:What was to become the Wichita class cruiser was conceived as another... heavy cruiser	US Navy	1 July	4 July
HMS Wilton	Hunt class destroyer	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...	30 June	4 July

U-boats

Name	Commander	Ships sunk	Ships damaged	2	0
U-251	Heinrich Timm Heinrich Timm Heinrich Timm was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross....	1	0
U-255	Reinhart Reche Reinhart Reche Reinhart Reche was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.-Awards:* Iron Cross ** 2nd Class...	4	0
U-334	Hilmar Siemon	2	0
U-355	Günter La Baume	1	0
U-376	Friedrich-Karl Marks	1	0
U-456	Max-Martin Teichert Max-Martin Teichert Max-Martin Teichert was a German U-boat commander in World War II and posthumous recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.-Career:Teichert joined the Kriegsmarine...	1	0
U-457	Karl Brandenburg	2	0
U-703	Heinz Bielfeld	2	0

Surface ships

Name	Class	1st departure	Fate	2nd departure	Tirpitz German battleship Tirpitz Tirpitz was the second of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the architect of the Imperial Navy, the ship was laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven in November 1936 and launched two and a half years later in April...	Bismarck class battleship Bismarck class battleship The Bismarck class was a pair of battleships built by the German Kriegsmarine shortly before the outbreak of World War II. The ships were the largest warships built by the German Navy and the heaviest capital ships ever completed in Europe...	2 July 1942	5 July 1942
	Admiral Hipper class cruiser Admiral Hipper class cruiser The Admiral Hipper-class was a group of five heavy cruisers built by the German Kriegsmarine in the mid 1930s. The class comprised Admiral Hipper, the lead ship, Blücher, Prinz Eugen, Seydlitz, and Lützow. Only the first three ships of the class were completed to see action during World War II...	2 July 1942		5 July 1942
Freidrich Ihn	Type 1934A Destroyer	2 July 1942		5 July 1942
Hans Lody	Type 1934A Destroyer	2 July 1942	ran aground	N/A
Karl Galster	Type 1936 Destroyer	2 July 1942	ran aground	N/A
Theodore Reidel	Type 1934A Destroyer	2 July 1942	ran aground	N/A
Richard Beitzen	Type 1934 Destroyer	?		5 July 1942	joined later
T7	Type 35 Torpedoboat	2 July 1942		5 July 1942
T15	Type 37 Torpedoboat	2 July 1942		5 July 1942
Lützow German pocket battleship Deutschland Deutschland was the lead ship of her class of heavy cruisers which served with the Kriegsmarine of Nazi Germany during World War II. Ordered by the Weimar government for the Reichsmarine, she was laid down at the Deutsche Werke shipyard in Kiel in February 1929 and completed by April 1933...	Deutschland class cruiser Deutschland class cruiser The Deutschland class was a series of three panzerschiffe , a form of heavily armed cruiser, built by the Reichsmarine officially in accordance with restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles...	3 July 1942	ran aground	N/A
Scheer German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer Admiral Scheer was a Deutschland-class heavy cruiser which served with the Kriegsmarine of Nazi Germany during World War II. The vessel was named after Admiral Reinhard Scheer, German commander in the Battle of Jutland. She was laid down at the Reichsmarinewerft shipyard in Wilhelmshaven in June...	Deutschland class cruiser	3 July		5 July 1942
Z24	Type 1936A Destroyer Narvik class destroyer The Zerstörer 1936A-class destroyers, or Narvik-class destroyers as they were known to the Allies, were a class of German destroyers of the Second World War...	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 Replenishment Oiler A replenishment oiler or fleet tanker is a naval auxiliary ship with fuel tanks and dry cargo holds, which can replenish other ships while underway in the high seas. Such ships are used by several countries around the world....	3 July 1942		N/A

External links

U.S. Naval Historical Center account of PQ-17
Description of Rösselsprung
The Requiem on Convoy PQ-17, Russian novel by Valentin Pikul
Valentin Pikul
Valentin Savvich Pikul was a popular and prolific Soviet historical novelist of Ukrainian-Russian heritage. He lived and worked in Riga....
Memoirs of Chief Steward Horace Carswell DSM, MM, BEM during Convoy PQ.17
Coxswain Sid Kerslake of armed trawler "Northern Gem" in PQ.17
Convoy PQ.17, a primary source diary and supporting material by Jack Bowman, ERA aboard HMS La Malouine.
PQ 17 at Convoyweb
PQ 17 at uboatnet
PQ-17 The Greatest Convoy Disaster at uboatnet

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Merchants

Escorts

U-boats

Surface ships

See also

External links