Convoy QP 1

Convoy QP 1 was an Arctic convoy of the PQ/QP series which ran during the Second World War. It was one of a series of convoys run to return Allied ships from Soviet northern ports to home ports in Britain. It sailed in late September 1941, reaching Allied ports in mid-October. All ships arrived safely.

Background

In August 1941 Britain had run a convoy of military supplies to Archangel in Northern Russia to support the Soviets in resisting the German invasion of June 1941. This operation, codenamed Dervish, had been a success, leading to the inauguration of a monthly convoy cycle of supply ships; the PQ convoys taking supplies and war materiel to Russia, and the simultaneous QP convoys returning the empty ships. PQ 1, comprising 10 ships, left Iceland on 28 September, while QP 1, made up of the seven Dervish ships, and seven Soviet freighters, left Archangel the same day.[1][2]

Ships

QP 1 comprised 14 merchant ships: These were the seven vessels (one Dutch and six British merchants that made up the Dervish convoy, now unloaded and sailing in ballast, and seven Soviet ships carrying trade goods (mainly timber) for the western allies. The Convoy Commodore was, as before, Capt. John Dowding RNR in Llanstephan Castle. The ocean escort comprised the destroyer Electra and the three ASW trawlers which had escorted the Dervish ships; these were accompanied by the cruiser London and destroyer Active, which had arrived the previous day with a British and an American diplomatic mission, and RAF personnel. Local escort was provided by three Royal Navy minesweepers that had escorted Dervish, and were now stationed in North Russia for this purpose.[1][2]

Distant cover was provided by units of the Home Fleet, which were engaged in Operation EJ, a series of air strikes on targets in occupied Norway.[3]

Voyage

QP 1 departed Archangel on 28 September 1941, accompanied by the local escort, which returned to Archangel after two days. On 2 October London detached for a fast independent transit to Scapa Flow, and was replaced by the cruiser Shropshire. On 4 October the oiler Black Ranger joined the convoy, escorted by the destroyer Anthony. On 5 October the trawler Ophelia developed mechanical problems and was towed by Active to Iceland. Two Soviet freighters (one of which, Sukhona, was over 20 years old and referred to by Electra's crew as 'Smokey Joe'[4]) were unable to keep up and dropped out of the convoy; both arrived safely after an independent voyage.

On 8 October aircraft from the carrier Victorious attacked shipping and other targets along the coast of Vestfjord. Several ships were hit, and in the absence of any response from the Luftwaffe, all aircraft returned safely.[3]

There was no interference by German forces and QP 1 arrived in Scapa Flow without harm on 10 October.[1][2]

Ships involved

QP sailed from Archangel on 28 September and arrived at Scapa Flow on 10 October. It comprised 14 merchant ships and 11 escorts, though not all were present at one time.[2]

Merchant ships
Name Flag Tonnage (GRT) Notes
Black Ranger Royal Fleet Auxiliary8,402Replenishment oiler; joined 4 October from PQ 1
Alchiba Netherlands4,427 
Alma Ata Soviet Union3,611 
Budenni Soviet Union2,482 
Esneh United Kingdom1,931 
Lancastrian Prince United Kingdom1,914 
Llanstephan Castle United Kingdom11,348Convoy Commodore
Mossovet  Soviet Union2,981Straggler; arrived safely
New Westminster City United Kingdom4,747 
Rodina Soviet Union4,441 
Sevzaples Soviet Union3,974 
Stary Bolshevik Soviet Union3,974 
Sukhona Soviet Union3,124Straggler; arrived safely
Trehata United Kingdom4,817 
Escorts
Name Flag Ship Type Notes
Active Royal NavyDestroyerOcean escort, 28 September–5 October
Anthony Royal NavyDestroyerOcean escort, 4 October–9 October
Electra Royal NavyDestroyerOcean escort, 28 September–5 October
Halcyon Royal NavyMinesweeperLocal escort, 28–30 September
Hamlet Royal NavyASW TrawlerOcean escort, 28 September–10 October
Harrier Royal NavyMinesweeperLocal escort, 28–30 September
London Royal NavyCruiserCruiser cover, 28 September–2 October
Macbeth Royal NavyASW TrawlerOcean escort, 28 September–10 October
Ophelia Royal NavyASW TrawlerOcean escort, 28 September–5 October
Salamander Royal NavyMinesweeperLocal escort, 28–30 September
Shropshire Royal NavyCruiserCruiser cover, 2 October–10 October

Notes
  1. Kemp p23
  2. Ruegg, Hague p21
  3. Roskill p494
  4. Cain, Sellwood p

References
  • TJ Cain, A Sellwood: HMS Electra (1976) ISBN 978-0-86007-330-7
  • Paul Kemp : Convoy! Drama in Arctic Waters (1993) ISBN 1-85409-130-1
  • Bob Ruegg, Arnold Hague : Convoys to Russia (1992) ISBN 0-905617-66-5
  • Stephen Roskill, The War at Sea 1939-1945 Vol I (1954) HMSO (ISBN none)
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