Convoy PQ-17

Antecedents

Feb 22, 1942

4 months before the beginning of the German invasion of the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union's foreign minister took steps to request reinforcements of war material from the Allied forces. The Allies agreed.

Allies assemble 35 merchant ships in a small Icelandic village

Period: Jun 6, 1942 to Jun 27, 1942

Its purpose was to transfer armaments to the Russian port of Murmansk.

Disembarkation of convoy PQ 17

Jun 27, 1942

The convoy carried 297 unarmed aircraft of various types, 594 medium tanks, 4200 vehicles, 156 tons of military aid of various types.

Two merchant ships have problems with ice and have to turn back

Jun 29, 1942

Nazi reconnaissance planes detect the convoy

Jul 1, 1942

Convoy enters fog and is tracked by submarines

Jul 2, 1942

Convoy approaches the island of Oslo

Jul 3, 1942

They entered the Nazi attack radius. The Nazis launched an offensive that, due to excessive speed, ran aground.

Allied forces disperse the convoys and withdraw the escort

Jul 4, 1942

Allied forces sighted a large Nazi fleet and believed it to be an attack, so they dispersed the convoys and withdrew the escort.

Nazis take the opportunity to attack

Jul 5, 1942

the Nazis deployed strike force A which caused the loss of 12 ships on the same day.

Final phase

Jul 6, 1942

Losses increase to 23 ships and only 10 reach Arkangel port as Murmansk was under shelling