I Was There on PQ17 the Convoy to Hell: Through the Icy Russian Waters of World War II

By Paul Lund & Harry Ludlam

The story of the Allied Convoy PQ17 is fairly well known. Basically, it was a disaster. Of 31 ships in the convoy, 24 were lost together with their complement of 300 men. The convoy of American, British and Russian ships departed Iceland for Archangel on June 27, 1942. Apart from the appalling weather experienced in the far northern Atlantic, the convoy was inadequately escorted through an area thick with Nazi U-Boats, aircraft and surface ships.

Of course, the inevitable happened. Even the inadequate defence was reduced and a combined natural and naval massacre occurred. The author believe that the Royal Navy was entirely to blame and, most particularly, the First Sea Lord, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound.

A bitter disaster, bitterly described.

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