Convoy PQ 1
Convoy PQ 1 was the second of the Arctic Convoys of World War II by which the Western Allies supplied material aid to the Soviet Union in its fight with Nazi Germany. The convoy sailed from Hvalfiord in Iceland on 29 September 1941 and arrived at Archangelsk on 11 October 1941.
Ships
This Convoy consisted of 11 merchant ships loaded with raw materials, 20 tanks and 193 crated Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft. The code prefix PQ was chosen from the initials of Commander Phillip Quellyn Roberts an operations officer in the Admiralty.[1]
- Cruiser HMS Suffolk (29 September – 11 October)[2]
- Destroyers Antelope (29 September – 2 October) and Anthony (29 September – 4 October)[2]
- Minesweepers HMS Britomart, Gossamer, Leda and Hussar (29 September – 11 October)[2]
- Black Ranger (29 September – 4 October detached to QP 1)[2]
- Destroyer HMS Escapade (2–11 October)[2]
Escorted ships convoy PQ 1 in the coastal waters of the USSR (10–11 Oct 1941)
- Minesweeper HMS Harrier (10–11 October)[2]
- Destroyers Uritski, Valerian Kuybyshev[3]
All ships arrived safely.[2]
List of ships
The following information is taken from Ruegg and Hague Convoys to Russia: Allied Convoys and Naval Surface Operations in Arctic Waters 1941–1945 (1993 rev.) unless indicated.[2]
| Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Antelope (H36) |  Royal Navy |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
| HMS Anthony (H40) | Royal Navy |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
| Atlantic (1939) |  United Kingdom |
5,414 | Commodore's ship |
| RFA Black Ranger (1941) |  United Kingdom |
3,417 | Detached on 4 Oct with HMS Antelope |
| Blairnevis (1930) | United Kingdom |
4,155 | |
| HMS Britomart (J22) | Royal Navy |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
| Capira (1920) |  Panama |
5,625 | |
| Elna Ii (1903) |  Soviet Union |
3,221 | |
| Escapade | Royal Navy |
Escort 1 Oct - 11 Oct | |
| Gemstone (1938) | United Kingdom |
4,986 | |
| Gossamer | Royal Navy |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
| Harmonic (1930) | United Kingdom |
4,558 | |
| HMS Harrier | Royal Navy |
Escort 10 Oct - 11 Oct | |
| HMS Hussar (J82) | Royal Navy |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
| HMS Impulsive (D11) | Royal Navy |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
| HMS Leda (J93) | Royal Navy |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
| Lorca (1931) | United Kingdom |
4,875 | |
| North King (1903) | Panama |
4,934 | Vice-commodore's ship |
| River Afton (1935) | United Kingdom |
5,479 | |
| HMS Suffolk (55) | Royal Navy |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
| Uritski | Soviet Union |
Escort | |
| Valerian Kuybyshev | Soviet Union |
Escort | |
| Ville D'Anvers (1920) | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Belgium |
7,462 | |
Footnotes
- Woodman2004, p. 42.
- Ruegg & Hague 1993, p. 22.
- Kindell nd.
References
- Kindell, D. (nd). "PQ Convoy Series". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
- Ruegg, R.; Hague, A. (1993) [1992]. Convoys to Russia: Allied Convoys and Naval Surface Operations in Arctic Waters 1941–1945 (2nd rev. enl. ed.). Kendal: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-66-5.
- Woodman, Richard (2004) [1994]. Arctic Convoys 1941–1945. London: John Murray. ISBN 978-0-7195-5752-1.