Convoy PQ 18 was the last 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...

 during World War II, bound from US and British ports via Reykjavik

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 sailed on 2 September 1942 and arrived three weeks later on 21 September 1942.
It was opposed by German

Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...

 sea and air forces based in occupied Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

.

The convoy comprised 40 merchant ships and 4 naval auxiliaries, plus contingents to and from Iceland (48 in all) and was defended by a close escort and a “Fighting Destroyer Escort”, as well as local escort forces, and two distant escort forces (74 warships in total).
These were supported by aircraft of the RAF based in 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....

.

The German forces comprised a U-boat

U-boat

U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...

 group, code-named "Ice Palace", of 12 U-Boats, and a surface attack force of 8 warships, though in the event these were not engaged.
These were assisted by the 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....

.

Merchant ships

Main body (Loch Ewe to Archangel)

Name	Nationality	Cargo	Tonnage	Fate	Casualties	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		5,441	Sunk in air attack
MV Atheltemplar MV Atheltemplar The MV Atheltemplar was a motor tanker built by Lithgows, Port Glasgow. Launched on 15 April 1930, she was initially operated by the United Molasses Co Ltd of London but homeported in Liverpool, and was officially transferred to Athel Lines on 1 January 1940.-Early wartime career:Atheltemplar’s...	British		8,992	damaged by U-457 sunk by U-408	16
SS Beauregard	American		5,976	engine trouble		returned to Loch Ewe Loch Ewe Loch Ewe is a sea loch in the region of in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. The shores are inhabited by a traditionally Gàidhlig speaking people living in or sustained by crofting villages, the most notable of which, situated on the north-eastern shore, is the Aultbea settlement...
SS Black 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....	3,417
SS Campfire	American		5,671
SS Charles R. McCormick	American		6,027
SS Copeland	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...	1,526
SS Dan-Y-Bryn	British		5.117
	British		6,978
	British		7,044	Sunk in air attack
	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,...	7,092
	British		6,327
	British		6,209	Sunk in air attack
	British		7,167
SS Esek Hopkins	American		7,191
SS Goolistan	British		5,851
SS Gray Ranger	British	Oiler	3,313
SS Hollywood	American		5,498
SS John Penn	American		7,177	Sunk in air attack
SS Kentucky	American		5,446	Sunk in air attack
SS Lafayette	American		5,887
SS Macbeth	Panamanian		4,941	Sunk in air attack
	American		5,049	Sunk in air attack
SS Meanticut	American		6,061
SS Nathanael Greene	American		7,177
SS Ocean Faith	British		7,174			flagship Comm Commodore (Royal Navy) Commodore is a rank of the Royal Navy above Captain and below Rear Admiral. It has a NATO ranking code of OF-6. The rank is equivalent to Brigadier in the British Army and Royal Marines and to Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force.-Insignia:...  EK Boddam-Whetham
SS Oligarch	British	Oiler	6,894			joined from Spitzbergen group
SS Oliver Ellsworth SS Oliver Ellsworth The SS Oliver Ellsworth was a 7,191 ton American liberty ship in World War II. She was built by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards Inc, of Baltimore, Maryland in 1942 and operated by Agwilines Inc, New York...	American		7,191	Sunk by U-408	1
SS Oregonian	American		4,862	Sunk in air attack
SS Patrick Henry SS Patrick Henry The SS Patrick Henry was the first Liberty ship launched.The ships initially had a poor public image and to try to assuage public opinion, 27 September 1941 was designated Liberty Fleet Day, and the first 14 "Emergency" vessels were launched that day. The first of these was Patrick Henry,...	American		7,191
SS Sahale	American		5,028
SS Schoharie	American		4,971
SS St. Olaf	American		7,191
SS Temple Arch	British		5,138
SS Virginia Dare	American		7,177
SS Wacosta	American		5,432	Sunk in air attack
SS White Clover	Panamanian		5,462
SS William Moultrie	American		7,177

Loch Ewe to Reykjavik group

Name	Nationality	Cargo	Tonnage	Fate	Casualties
SS San Zotico	British		5,582			"

Reykjavik to Archangel group

Name	Nationality	Cargo	Tonnage	Fate	Casualties
SS Komiles	Soviet		3,966			"
SS Petrovski	Soviet		3,771			"
SS Richard Bassett	American		7,191	engine trouble		joined from, returned to, Reykjavik
SS Stalingrad SS Stalingrad The SS Stalingrad was a steamship of the Soviet Union, named after the Soviet city of Stalingrad, itself named after Joseph Stalin. She was built at Zavod No 189 in Leningrad and operated by Glavnoe Upravlenie Severnogo Morskogo Puti , who homeported her in Vladivostok...	Soviet		3,559	Sunk by U-408	21	joined from Reykjavik
SS Sukhona	Soviet		3,124	Sunk in air attack		"
SS Tbilisi	Soviet		7,169			"

Escorts

First stage Local escort group

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	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...	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42	joined Heavy Cover Force
	destroyer	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42
	destroyer	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42
	destroyer	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42	joined Heavy Cover Force
	destroyer	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42	joined Heavy Cover Force
	destroyer	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42
	destroyer	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42
	A/S Anti-submarine warfare Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....  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...	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42	to Reykjavik as escort
	trawler	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42
	trawler	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42
	trawler	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42
	trawler	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42

Second stage Close escort group

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	HMS Malcolm HMS Malcolm (D19) HMS Malcolm was one of eight Admiralty-type destroyer leaders built for the Royal Navy during World War I. She was the first of only two Royal Navy ships to carry the name Malcolm, although HMS Valkyrie was originally planned to bear the name...	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...	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42	Cdr AB Russell SOE
HMS Achates HMS Achates (H12) HMS Achates was an A-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy launched on 4 October 1929 and commissioned on 27 March 1930. She was sunk on 31 December 1942 in the Battle of the Barents Sea.-Battle of the Denmark Strait:...	destroyer	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMS Amazon HMS Amazon (D39) HMS Amazon was a prototype design of destroyer ordered for the Royal Navy in 1924. She was designed and built by Thornycroft in response to an admiralty request for a new design of destroyer incorporating the lessons and technological advances of the First World War...	destroyer	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
	anti-aircraft "gunships"	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
	anti-aircraft "gunships"	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMS Bergamot HMS Bergamot (K189) HMS Bergamot was a that served in the Royal Navy.-Construction:She was laid down at Harland and Wolff in Belfast on 15 October 1940 and launched on 15 February 1941. Her commissioning followed on 12 May of the same year...	Flower class corvette 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...	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMS Bryony HMS Bryony (K192) HMS Bryony was a that served in the Royal Navy.-Construction and damage:She was launched from the yards of Harland and Wolff, Belfast, Northern Ireland on 16 November 1940, having been laid down there on 8 April of that year. During her construction, an air raid on Belfast had damaged Harland and...	Flower class corvette	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMS Bluebell HMS Bluebell (K80) HMS Bluebell was a that served in the Royal Navy during World War II. Ordered from Fleming & Ferguson at Paisley on 27 July 1939, she was launched on 24 April 1940 and commissioned in July 1940. She served in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Arctic, escorting several convoys to Russia, and also...	Flower class corvette	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMS Camellia HMS Camellia (K31) HMS Camellia was a that served in the Royal Navy.She was laid down on 14 November 1939, launched on 4 May 1940, and commissioned on 18 June 1940...	Flower class corvette	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
	A/S Anti-submarine warfare Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....  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...	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
	A/S trawler	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
	A/S trawler	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
	A/S trawler	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
	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:...	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
	minesweeper	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
	minesweeper	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42

Second stage Carrier group

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	HMS Avenger HMS Avenger (D14) HMS Avenger was a Royal Navy escort aircraft carrier during the Second World War. In 1939 she was laid down as the merchant ship Rio-Hudson at the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company yard in Chester, Pennsylvania. Launched on 27 November 1940, she was converted to an escort carrier and transferred...	Escort carrier	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...	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
	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...	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
	Hunt class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42

Second stage Fighting Destroyer Escort group

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	HMS Scylla HMS Scylla (98) HMS Scylla was a Dido-class cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company , with the keel being laid down on 19 April 1939...	Dido class cruiser Dido class cruiser The Dido class was a class of sixteen light cruisers built for the Royal Navy. The design was influenced by the Arethusa class light cruisers. The first group of three ships was commissioned in 1940, the second group and third group were commissioned in 1941–1942...	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...	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42	flagship R Adm. "Bob" Burnett Robert Burnett Admiral Sir Robert Lindsay Burnett, GBE, KCB, CStJ, DSO was an officer in the Royal Navy.-Naval career:Educated at Bedford School, Burnett joined the Royal Navy in 1902. He served on the China Station from 1904 and then with the Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets from 1908...
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 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...	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Onslaught	O class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Opportune HMS Opportune (G80) HMS Opportune was an O-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was ordered from John I. Thornycroft & Company, Woolston on 3 September 1939 for the 1st Emergency Flotilla. She was commissioned on 14 August 1942...	O class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
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 destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
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 destroyer 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...	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Eskimo HMS Eskimo (F75) HMS Eskimo was a Tribal-class destroyer, laid down by the High Walker Yard of Vickers Armstrong at Newcastle-on-Tyne on 5 August 1936...	Tribal class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Somali HMS Somali (F33) HMS Somali was a Tribal-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service in World War II.-History:She was built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear....	Tribal class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Tartar HMS Tartar (F43) HMS Tartar was a Tribal-class destroyer of the Royal Navy that saw service in most of the naval theatres of World War II. She had an eventful career, eventually receiving the nickname 'Lucky Tartar' due to her numerous escapes from dangerous situations...	Tribal class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Milne HMS Milne (G14) HMS Milne was a M-class destroyer of the Royal Navy which served during World War II.She was built by Scotts, of Greenock, laid down 24 January 1940, launched 30 December 1941 and completed 6 August 1942....	M class destroyer 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:...	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
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 destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
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	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Meteor HMS Meteor (G74) HMS Meteor was a M-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during World War II.-External links:...	M class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
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 destroyer 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...	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
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 destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Impulsive HMS Impulsive (D11) HMS Impulsive was an I-class destroyer that served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. She has been the only ship of the Navy to bear this name....	I class destroyer I class destroyer The I class was a class of eight destroyers plus a flotilla leader of the British Royal Navy ordered under the 1935 naval programme, laid down in 1936 and completed in 1937 and 1938...	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Intrepid HMS Intrepid (D10) HMS Intrepid was an I-class destroyer that served with Royal Navy during World War II.In World War II, Intrepid attacked and sank the German submarine U-45 south-west of Ireland on 14 October 1939 in company with the destroyers and...	I class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42

Second stage Eastern local escort group

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	Gnevny class destroyer Gnevny class destroyer The Gnevny class were a group of destroyers built for the Soviet Navy in the late 1930s - early 1940s. They are sometimes known as the Gremyashchiy class destroyer and the Official Soviet Designation was Project 7...	Soviet Northern Fleet	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
	Orfey class destroyer Orfey class destroyer The Orfey-class destroyers were built for the Baltic Fleet of the Imperial Russian Navy. They were modified versions of the Novik and the Derzky-class destroyers. These ships were larger, had triple torpedo tubes and an extra gun. Fourteen ships were completed in 1914 - 1917 and fought in World...	Soviet Northern Fleet	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
	Grevny class destroyer	Soviet Northern Fleet	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
	Orfey class destroyer	Soviet Northern Fleet	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
	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...	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
	Minesweeper	Royal Navy	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
	Minesweeper	Royal Navy	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
	Minesweeper	Royal Navy	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42

Second stage Cruiser Cover Force

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	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 cruiser 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...	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...	14 Sep 42	22 Sep 42	flagship V Adm. Vice Admiral (Royal Navy) Vice admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 and is immediately superior to rear admiral and is subordinate to the full admiral rank.The Royal Navy has had vice admirals since at least the 16th century...  S Bonham-Carter Stuart Bonham Carter Vice Admiral Sir Stuart Sumner Bonham Carter, KCB, CVO, DSO was an officer in the Royal Navy who had a distinguished record in both world wars.-Naval career:...
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...	County class cruiser	RN	14 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
HMS Suffolk HMS Suffolk (55) HMS Suffolk was a County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy, and part of the Kent subclass. She was built by Portsmouth Dockyard, Portsmouth, UK), with the keel being laid down on 15 November 1924...	County class cruiser	RN	14 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
HMS Bulldog	B class destroyer B class destroyer The B class was a class of nine destroyers of the British Royal Navy, ordered as part of the 1928 Naval Estimates, launched in 1930 and that commissioned in 1931. The class was similar to the preceding A class, with minor modifications...	RN	14 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
HMS Venomous	Admiralty modified W class destroyer V and W class destroyer The V and W class was an amalgam of six similar classes of destroyer built for the Royal Navy under the War Emergency Programme of the First World War and generally treated as one class...	RN	14 Sep 42	22 Sep 42

Second stage Heavy Cover Force

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	HMS Anson HMS Anson (1940) HMS Anson was a King George V-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named after Admiral George Anson. She was built by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Shipyard and launched on 24 February 1940, being completed on 22 June 1942. Her completion was delayed because of the inclusion of fire-control...	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...	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42	flagship V Adm. Vice Admiral (Royal Navy) Vice admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 and is immediately superior to rear admiral and is subordinate to the full admiral rank.The Royal Navy has had vice admirals since at least the 16th century...  B Fraser Bruce Fraser, 1st Baron Fraser of North Cape Admiral of the Fleet Bruce Austin Fraser, 1st Baron Fraser of North Cape GCB, KBE was a senior British admiral during World War II.-Early naval career:Fraser joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet on 15 January 1904...
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...	battleship	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42
HMS Jamaica	cruiser 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...	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42
	destroyer	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42	Cdr JE Broome Jack Broome Captain John Egerton "Jack" Broome DSC, RN, was a Royal Navy officer who served in both World Wars. He commanded the escort group of the ill-fated Arctic Convoy PQ-17 in 1942...
	destroyer	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42	joined from local escort group
	destroyer	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42	joined from local escort group
	destroyer	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42	joined from local escort group
	destroyer	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42
	destroyer	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42

Support forces

Second stage Spitzbergen re-fueling group

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	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....	Royal Fleet Auxiliary Royal Fleet Auxiliary The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the British Ministry of Defence. The RFA enables ships of the United Kingdom Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world. Its primary role is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel, ammunition and supplies, normally by replenishment...	10 Sep 42	10 Sep 42
	Oiler	Royal Fleet Auxiliary	10 Sep 42	10 Sep 42
	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...	10 Sep 42	10 Sep 42
	Hunt class destroyer	RN	10 Sep 42	10 Sep 42
	V and W class destroyer V and W class destroyer The V and W class was an amalgam of six similar classes of destroyer built for the Royal Navy under the War Emergency Programme of the First World War and generally treated as one class...	RN	10 Sep 42	10 Sep 42
	V and W class destroyer	RN	10 Sep 42	10 Sep 42

Second stage Spitzbergen re-inforcement group

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	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...	14 Sep 42	14 Sep 42
HMS Sheffield HMS Sheffield (C24) HMS Sheffield was one of the Southampton sub class of the Town-class cruisers of the Royal Navy during the Second World War. She took part in actions against several major German warships. Unlike most Royal Navy ships of her time, her fittings were constructed from stainless steel instead of the...	Town class cruiser 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....	RN	14 Sep 42	14 Sep 42
HMS Eclipse HMS Eclipse (H08) HMS Eclipse was an E class destroyer of the Royal Navy that saw service in the Atlantic, Arctic, and Mediterranean theatres during World War II, until sunk by a mine in the Aegean Sea on 24 October 1943.-Service history:...	E class destroyer 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...	RN	14 Sep 42	14 Sep 42

Submarine patrol group

Name	Class	Navy	commence patrol	end patrol	HMS Shakespeare HMS Shakespeare (P221) HMS Shakespeare was an S class submarine of the Royal Navy, and part of the Third Group built of that class. She was built by Vickers-Armstrongs and launched on 8 December 1941....	S class submarine British S class submarine (1931) The S-class submarines of the Royal Navy were originally designed and built during the modernisation of the submarine force in the early 1930s to meet the need for smaller boats to patrol the restricted waters of the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea replacing the British H class submarines...	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...	7 Sep 42	1 Oct 42
HMS Unrivalled HMS Unrivalled (P45) HMS Unrivalled was a U-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War II. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name Unrivalled. Completed in 1942, the boat spent most of the war in the Mediterranean. She sank a number of small merchant ships and naval...	U class submarine British U class submarine The British U class submarines were a class of 49 small submarines built just before and during the Second World War...	RN	7 Sep 42	1 Oct 42
HMS Unique HMS Unique (N95) HMS Unique was a British U class submarine, of the second group of that class, built by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 30 October 1939 and was commissioned on 27 September 1940.- Career :...	U class submarine	RN	7 Sep 42	1 Oct 42
HMS Tribune HMS Tribune (N76) HMS Tribune was a British T class submarine built by Scotts, Greenock. She was laid down on 3 March 1937 and was commissioned on 17 October 1939. HMS Tribune was part of the first group of T class submarines.-Career:...	T class submarine British T class submarine The Royal Navy's T class of diesel-electric submarines was designed in the 1930s to replace the O, P and R classes. Fifty-three members of the class were built just before and during the Second World War, where they played a major role in the Royal Navy's submarine operations...	RN	2 Sep 42	1 Oct 42
HMS Tigris HMS Tigris (N63) HMS Tigris was a T-class submarine of the Royal Navy. She was laid down at Chatham Dockyard and launched in October 1939.-Career:Tigris had a relatively active career, serving in the North Sea and the Mediterranean.-Home waters:...	T class submarine	RN	2 Sep 42	1 Oct 42
HMS Sturgeon HMS Sturgeon (73S) HMS Sturgeon was a British S class submarine built by HM Dockyard, Chatham. She was laid down on 1 January 1931 and was commissioned on 15 December 1932. She was one of the four submarines that formed the First Group of the S class, and the only one of these to survive the war.-Career:Sturgeon...	S class submarine	RN	2 Sep 42	6 Sep 42	returned to port; mechanical defect
HMS Unshaken HMS Unshaken (P54) HMS Unshaken was a Royal Navy U-class submarine built by Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow-in-Furness. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name Unshaken.-Career:...	U class submarine	RN	2 Sep 42	1 Oct 42
HNoMS Uredd HNoMS Uredd (P-41) HMS P41 was a Royal Navy U-class submarine built by Vickers-Armstrong. She was transferred to the exiled Royal Norwegian Navy before completion and renamed HNoMS Uredd. She has so far been the only Norwegian submarine ever lost.-Career:...	U class submarine	Royal Norwegian Navy Royal Norwegian Navy The Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 5 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support...	2 Sep 42	1 Oct 42
Rubis	Saphir class submarine	Free French

U-boats

Name	Type	Navy	Success	Fate	Type VIIC German Type VII submarine Type VII U-boats were the most common type of German World War II U-boat. The Type VII was based on earlier German submarine designs going back to the World War I Type UB III, designed through the Dutch dummy company Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw den Haag which was set up by Germany after...	Kriegsmarine Kriegsmarine The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...		sunk by Faulknor
U-255	VIIC	KM
U-377 German submarine U-377 German submarine U-377 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 8 April 1940 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Kiel, launched on 15 August 1941, and commissioned on 2 October 1941 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Otto Köhler.U-377 was...	VIIC	KM
U-378	VIIC	KM
U-403	VIIC	KM
U-405	VIIC	KM
U-408	VIIC	KM	sank
U-435	VIIC	KM
U-457	VIIC	KM	damaged	sunk by
U-589	VIIC	KM	sank	Sunk by
U-592	VIIC	KM
U-703	VIIC	KM

Surface ships

Name	Type	Navy	Sortie/1st sailing	Fate/2nd sailing	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	Kriegsmarine Kriegsmarine The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...	9 Sep 42	cancelled	flagship V Adm. Vice Admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...  O Kummetz Oskar Kummetz Oskar Kummetz was a Generaladmiral with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He also served in the Kaiserliche Marine during World War I. Kummetz was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his actions in the Battle of Drøbak Sound, during which his command, the was sunk by Norwegian...
Admiral Hipper German cruiser Admiral Hipper Admiral Hipper, the first of five ships of her class, was the lead ship of the Admiral Hipper–class of heavy cruisers which served with the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1935 and launched February 1937; Admiral Hipper...	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...	KM	9 Sep 42	"
Koln German cruiser Köln Köln was a German light cruiser prior to and during World War II, one of three K-Class cruisers named after cities starting with the letter K. This ship was named after the city of Köln . The others in her class were the Königsberg and the Karlsruhe...	K class cruiser German K class cruiser The Königsberg class was a class of light cruisers of the German Reichsmarine and Kriegsmarine, consisting of three ships named after German cities: Königsberg, Karlsruhe, Köln...	KM	9 Sep 42	"
Z4 Richard Beitzen German destroyer Z4 Richard Beitzen The German destroyer Z4 Richard Beitzen was a Type 1934 destroyer in the German Kriegsmarine, named after Richard Beitzen who commanded the 14th Torpedo boat flotilla in World War I and was killed in action in March 1918....	Type 1934 Destroyer	KM	9 Sep 42	"
Z23	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...	KM	9 Sep 42	"
Z27	Type 1936A Destroyer	KM	9 Sep 42	"	flag Capt Ponitz 8th Des Flot
Z29	Type 1936A Destroyer	KM	9 Sep 42	"
Z30	Type 1936A Destroyer	KM	9 Sep 42	"