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Convoy PQ 4

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Convoy PQ 4
Part of Arctic Convoys of the Second World War

The Norwegian and the Barents seas, site of the Arctic convoys
Date17−28 November 1941
Location
Arctic Ocean
Result British victory
Belligerents

Convoy PQ 4 was the fifth of the Arctic Convoys of World War II by which the Western Allies supplied material aid to the Soviet Union in its fight with Nazi Germany. The Convoy sailed from Hvalfjord, Iceland on 17 November 1941 and arrived at Arkhangelsk on 28 November 1941.

Ships

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Example of a Halcyon-class minesweeper (HMS Salamander in 1943)

The convoy consisted of eight merchant ships (four British and four Soviet) all of which arrived safely. The escort consisted of the cruiser HMS Berwick, the destroyers HMS Offa and Onslow and the armed trawlers HMT Bute and HMT Stella Capella. The Halcyon-class minesweepers HMS Gossamer, HMS Seagull and HMS Speedy sortied from Murmansk on 27 November to guide the convoy into the Kola Inlet.[1]

Allied order of battle

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Convoyed ships

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Merchant ships[1]
Name Year Flag GRT Notes
SS Alma Ata 1920  Soviet Union 3,611
SS Budenni 1923  Soviet Union 2,482
SS Dan-Y-Bryn 1940 United Kingdom 5,117 Convoy commodore embarked
SS Empire Meteor 1940 United Kingdom 7,457
SS Eulima 1937 United Kingdom 6,207
SS Mossovet 1935  Soviet Union 2,981
SS Rodina 1922  Soviet Union 4,441
SS Sukhona 1918 Soviet Union 3,124

Oceanic escorts

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Oceanic escorts[1]
Name Flag Type Notes
HMS Berwick  Royal Navy County-class cruiser Escort 25–27 November
HMS Offa  Royal Navy O-class destroyer Escort 25–27 November
HMS Onslow  Royal Navy O-class destroyer Escort 25–27 November
HMT Bute  Royal Navy Isles-class trawler Escort 17–27 November
HMT Stella Capella  Royal Navy ASW Trawler Escort 17–27 November

Murmansk escorts

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Local escorts from Murmansk, 27−28 November[1]
Name Flag Type Notes
HMS Gossamer  Royal Navy Halcyon-class minesweeper Met convoy, 27 November, escorted to Murmansk, 28 November
HMS Seagull  Royal Navy Halcyon-class minesweeper Met convoy, 27 November, escorted to Murmansk, 28 November
HMS Speedy  Royal Navy Halcyon-class minesweeper Met convoy, 27 November, escorted to Murmansk, 28 November

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Ruegg & Hague 1993, p. 23.

Bibliography

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  • Ruegg, R.; Hague, A. (1993) [1992]. Convoys to Russia: Allied Convoys and Naval Surface Operations in Arctic Waters 1941–1945 (2nd rev. enl. ed.). Kendal: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-66-5.

Further reading

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  • Rohwer, Jürgen; Hümmelchen, Gerhard (2005) [1972]. Chronology of the War at Sea, 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (3rd rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 1-86176-257-7.
  • Woodman, Richard (1994). Arctic Convoys 1941–1945 (hbk. ed.). London: John Murray. ISBN 0-7195-5079-3.
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