Convoy PQ 12

Convoy PQ 12 was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in March 1942, reaching Murmansk despite a sortie against it by the German battleship ''Tirpitz''.
All ships arrived safely.

Ships

PQ 12 consisted of 16 ships under the command of Commodore HT Hudson.
The Close Escort comprised the minesweeper ''Gossamer'' and five whalers. These were joined on 5 March by the Ocean Escort of two destroyers, ''Oribi'', commanded by Cdr. JEH McBeath who took over as SOE, and ''Offa'', supported by the cruiser ''Kenya''.

Distant cover was provided by two Heavy Cover Forces; one comprising
the battleship ''Duke of York'' (V. Adm. ATB Curteis commanding), the battlecruiser ''Renown'', and six destroyers, sailing from Reykjavik, and another led by Adm. J Tovey comprising the battleship ''King George V'', the carrier , the cruiser ''Berwick'' and six destroyers, sailing from Scapa Flow.

Action

PQ 12 sailed from Reykjavik on 1 March 1942 with its Close Escort. It was joined on 5 March by the Ocean Escort, and on 6 March by the cruiser ''Kenya''. Also at sea were the Heavy Cover Forces, V.Adm. Curteis from Reykjavik sailing on 3 March and Adm. Tovey from Scapa Flow on the 4th.

On 5 March the convoy was sighted by a German reconnaissance aircraft, and on 6 March, after obtaining permission from Hitler to do so, ''Tirpitz'' sortied from Trondheim with three destroyers as escort. This was Operation Sportpalast, and was intended to find and destroy both PQ 12 and its reciprocal, QP 8, which was also at sea.

Shortly after sailing ''Tirpitz'' was sighted by the patrolling submarine ''Seawolf'', and the Heavy Cover Forces, now joined together, sought to bring ''Tirpitz'' to action.

Over the next two days these groups of ships manoeuvered around each other, without coming into contact, though on two occasions they were just 60 miles apart. ''Tirpitz'' had no success, though her destroyers encountered one straggler from QP 8, the freighter ''Ijora'', and sank her. Finally on 9 March as ''Tirpitz'' headed for home, she was sighted by aircraft from ''Victorious'' and attacked, though also without success.

PQ 12 arrived at Murmansk on 12 March. No ships were lost, though the escort suffered one whaler lost, ''Shera'', capsized by ice buildup, and one destroyer, ''Oribi'', damaged by pack ice. On 24 March the ''Lancaster Castle'' was dive bombed alongside the quay in Murmansk. Eight men were killed. It was towed out and moored in the river. The crew continued to live on board. A few days later it was dive bombed again and received five direct hits. There were no casualties but the crew moved to shore.

PQ 12 provided valuable military equipment and other materials for the Soviet war effort. The distribution of equipment and supplies delivered with PQ 12 was the subject of a Soviet State Defence Committee decree.

Ships in the convoy

Allied merchant ships

The ships of the convoy arrived at Reykjavik on 27 February.

Convoy escorts

A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey.

Notes

References

* Clay Blair : ''Hitler's U-Boat War Vol I'' (1996)
* Paul Kemp : ''Convoy! Drama in Arctic Waters'' (1993)
* Bernard Schofield : (1964) ''The Russian Convoys'' BT Batsford ISBN (none)

PQ 12 at Convoyweb

{{Arctic convoys

PQ 12
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