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) | ![]() |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
HMS Anthony (H40) | ![]() |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
Atlantic (1939) | ![]() |
5,414 | Commodore's ship |
RFA Black Ranger (1941) | ![]() |
3,417 | Detached on 4 Oct with HMS Antelope |
Blairnevis (1930) | ![]() |
4,155 | |
HMS Britomart (J22) | ![]() |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
Capira (1920) | ![]() |
5,625 | |
Elna Ii (1903) | ![]() |
3,221 | |
Escapade | ![]() |
Escort 1 Oct - 11 Oct | |
Gemstone (1938) | ![]() |
4,986 | |
Gossamer | ![]() |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
Harmonic (1930) | ![]() |
4,558 | |
HMS Harrier | ![]() |
Escort 10 Oct - 11 Oct | |
HMS Hussar (J82) | ![]() |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
HMS Impulsive (D11) | ![]() |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
HMS Leda (J93) | ![]() |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
Lorca (1931) | ![]() |
4,875 | |
North King (1903) | ![]() |
4,934 | Vice-commodore's ship |
River Afton (1935) | ![]() |
5,479 | |
HMS Suffolk (55) | ![]() |
Escort 29 Sept - 11 Oct | |
Uritski | ![]() |
Escort | |
Valerian Kuybyshev | ![]() |
Escort | |
Ville D'Anvers (1920) | ![]() |
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.