Convoy battles

PQ-18

Iceland - Russia (Arctic Ocean)

12 Sep 1942 - 18 Sep 1942

The Convoy45 ships
First sightingOn 12 Sep 1942
Escorts

Destroyers Achates, Malcolm
AA ships Alynbank, Ulster Queen
two submarines, four corvettes, three minesweepers and four trawlers.

Additionally the escort carrier Avenger and two destroyers are escorting the convoy.

Close support escorts include Scylla, destroyers Onslow, Onslaught, Opportune, Offa, Ashanti, Eskimo, Somali, Tartar, Milne, Marne, Martin, Meteor, Faulknor, Intrepid, Impulsive and Fury. Covering force of the heavy cruisers Norfolk, London and Suffolk with the battleships Anson and Duke of York on stand by close by.


U-boats

U-88, U-405, U-408, U-457, U-589 (some boats may be missing from this list).


The battle

Among the ships were 3 minesweepers, two fleet tankers, one rescue ship (Copeland) and a tanker. The convoy is spotted by a German recon aircraft on the 12th.

The Luftwaffe sinks in several attacks 7 ships.

Ships hit from convoy PQ-18


Date U-boat Commander Name of ship Tons Nat.Map
13 Sep 1942U-408Reinhard von Hymmen Oliver Ellsworth7,191amA
13 Sep 1942U-408Reinhard von Hymmen Stalingrad3,559sjB
14 Sep 1942U-408Reinhard von Hymmen Atheltemplar8,939brC
14 Sep 1942U-457Karl Brandenburg Atheltemplar (d.)8,939brD
 28,628

3 ships sunk (19,689 tons) and 1 ship damaged (8,939 tons).

Legend
We have a picture of this vessel.
(d.) means the ship was damaged.


8 convoys on route PQ were hit by U-boats in the war. Read more about them.


Media links


Arctic Victory

Smith, Peter Charles

Return to convoy information - convoy battles page.



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