Convoy PQ 11

Convoy PQ 11 was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in February 1942 and arrived in Murmansk without loss.

Ships

PQ 11 consisted of 13 merchant ships; eight British, two Soviet, one American, one of Panamanian and one of Honduran registry. The convoy was escorted by two destroyers, Airedale and Middleton, two corvettes and four ASW Trawlers. These were supportd by the cruiser Nigeria. The convoy was joined in the last stage of the voyage by two Soviet destroyers and five Royal Navy minesweepers based at Murmansk.

Voyage

PQ 11 sailed from Kirkness, Iceland on 14 February 1942. The convoy was undetected by German aircraft or U-boats in the continuous darkness of the polar night, and arrived safely at Murmansk, the Soviet Union's only ice-free Arctic port, on 22 February.

Ship list

Ashkabad Barrwhin City of Flint Daldorch Empire Baffin Empire Magpie Hartlebury

Kingswood Lowther Castle Makawao Marylyn North King Stepan Khalturin

References

• Clay Blair : Hitler's U-Boat War Vol I (1996) ISBN 0-304-35260-8
• Paul Kemp : Convoy! Drama in Arctic Waters (1993) ISBN 1-85409-130-1
• Bernard Schofield : (1964) The Russian Convoys BT Batsford ISBN (none)
• PQ 11 at Convoyweb