Order of battle for Convoy PQ 18

Convoy PQ 18 was the last of the PQ/QP series of arctic convoys during World War II, bound from US and British ports via Reykjavík to the Barents Sea and White Sea ports of the Soviet Union, particularly Murmansk and Archangel. The convoy sailed on 2 September 1942 and arrived three weeks later on 21 September 1942. It was opposed by German sea and air forces based in occupied Norway.

The convoy comprised 40 merchant ships and 4 naval auxiliaries, plus contingents to and from Iceland (48 in all) and was defended by a close escort and a “Fighting Destroyer Escort”, as well as local escort forces, and two distant escort forces (74 warships in total). These were supported by aircraft of the RAF based in the Soviet Union.

The German forces comprised a U-boat group, code-named "Ice Palace", of 12 U-Boats, and a surface attack force of 8 warships, though in the event these were not engaged. These were assisted by the aircraft of Luftflotte 5.

Allied forces

Merchant ships

Main body (Loch Ewe to Archangel)

Name	Flag	Cargo	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate	Casualties	Notes
SS Africander	Panama		5,441	Sunk in air attack
MV Atheltemplar	United Kingdom		8,992	Damaged by U-457 Sunk by U-408	16
SS Beauregard	United States		5,976	Engine trouble[1]		Returned to Loch Ewe
RFA Black Ranger (A163)	Royal Fleet Auxiliary	Fleet oiler	3,417
SS Campfire	United States		5,671
SS Charles R. McCormick	United States		6,027
SS Copeland	United Kingdom	Rescue ship	1,526
SS Dan-y-Bryn	United Kingdom		5,117
SS Empire Baffin	United Kingdom		6,978
SS Empire Beaumont	United Kingdom		7,044	Sunk in air attack
SS Empire Morn	United Kingdom	CAM ship	7,092
SS Empire Snow	United Kingdom		6,327
SS Empire Stevenson	United Kingdom		6,209	Sunk in air attack
SS Empire Tristram	United Kingdom		7,167
SS Esek Hopkins	United States		7,191
SS Goolistan	United Kingdom		5,851
RFA Gray Ranger	Royal Fleet Auxiliary	Replenishment oiler	3,313
SS Hollywood	United States		5,498
SS John Penn	United States		7,177	Sunk in air attack
SS Kentucky	United States		5,446	Sunk in air attack
SS Lafayette	United States		5,887
SS Macbeth	Panama		4,941	Sunk in air attack
SS Mary Luckenbach	United States		5,049	Sunk in air attack
SS Meanticut	United States		6,061
SS Nathanael Greene	United States		7,177
SS Ocean Faith	United Kingdom		7,174			Flagship Comm EK Boddam-Whetham
RFA Oligarch	Royal Fleet Auxiliary	Replenishment oiler	6,894			Joined from Spitzbergen[2] group
SS Oliver Ellsworth	United States		7,191	Sunk by U-408	1
SS Oregonian	United States		4,862	Sunk in air attack
SS Patrick Henry	United States		7,191
SS Sahale	United States		5,028
SS Schoharie	United States		4,971
SS St. Olaf	United States		7,191
SS Temple Arch	United Kingdom		5,138
SS Virginia Dare	United States		7,177
SS Wacosta	United States		5,432	Sunk in air attack
SS White Clover	Panama		5,462
SS William Moultrie	United States		7,177

Loch Ewe to Reykjavík group

Name	Flag	Cargo	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate	Casualties	Notes
SS Gateway City	United States		5,432			Loch Ewe to Reykjavík only
SS Oremar	United States		6,854
SS San Zotico	United Kingdom		5,582

Reykjavík to Archangel group

Name	Flag	Cargo	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate	Casualties	Notes
SS Andre Marti	Soviet Union		2,352			Joined from Reykjavík
SS Exford	United States		4,969
SS Komiles	Soviet Union		3,966
SS Petrovski	Soviet Union		3,771
SS Richard Bassett	United States		7,191	Engine trouble[3]		Joined from, returned to, Reykjavík
SS Stalingrad	Soviet Union		3,559	Sunk by U-408	21	joined from Reykjavík
SS Sukhona	Soviet Union		3,124	Sunk in air attack
SS Tbilisi	Soviet Union		7,169

Escorts

First stage Local escort group

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	Notes
HMS Campbell	destroyer	Royal Navy	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42	Joined Heavy Cover Force
HMS Eskdale	destroyer	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42
HMS Farndale	destroyer	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42
HMS Mackay	destroyer	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42	Joined Heavy Cover Force
HMS Montrose	destroyer	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42	Joined Heavy Cover Force
HMS Echo	destroyer	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42
HMS Walpole	destroyer	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42
HMT Arab	A/S trawler	Royal Navy	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42	To Reykjavík as escort
HMT Duncton	trawler	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42
HMT Hugh Walpole	trawler	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42
HMT King Sol	trawler	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42
HMT Paynter	trawler	RN	2 Sep 42	8 Sep 42

Second stage Close escort group

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	Notes
HMS Malcolm	destroyer	Royal Navy	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42	Cdr AB Russell SOE
HMS Achates	destroyer	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMS Amazon	destroyer	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMS Alynbank	anti-aircraft ship	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMS Ulster Queen	anti-aircraft ship	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMS Bergamot	Flower-class corvette	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMS Bryony	Flower-class corvette	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMS Bluebell	Flower-class corvette	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMS Camellia	Flower-class corvette	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMT Cape Argona	A/S trawler	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMT Cape Mariato	A/S trawler	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMT Daneman	A/S trawler	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMT St Kenan	A/S trawler	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMS Harrier	minesweeper	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMS Gleaner	minesweeper	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42
HMS Sharpshooter	minesweeper	RN	7 Sept 42	21 Sep 42

Second stage Carrier group

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	Notes
HMS Avenger	Escort carrier	Royal Navy	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Wheatland	Hunt-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Wilton	Hunt-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42

Second stage Fighting Destroyer Escort group

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	Notes
HMS Scylla	Dido-class cruiser	Royal Navy	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42	Flagship R Adm. "Bob" Burnett
HMS Onslow	O-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Onslaught	O-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Opportune	O-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Offa	O-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Ashanti	Tribal-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Eskimo	Tribal-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Somali	Tribal-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Tartar	Tribal-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Milne	M-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Marne	M-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Martin	M-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Meteor	M-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Faulknor	F-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Fury	F-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Impulsive	I-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42
HMS Intrepid	I-class destroyer	RN	9 Sept 42	17 Sep 42

Second stage Eastern local escort group

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	Notes
Gremyashchi	Gnevny-class destroyer	Soviet Northern Fleet	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
Kuibishev	Orfey-class destroyer	Soviet Northern Fleet	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
Sokrushitelney	Gnevny-class destroyer	Soviet Northern Fleet	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
Uritski	Orfey-class destroyer	Soviet Northern Fleet	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
HMS Halcyon	Minesweeper	Royal Navy	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
HMS Hazard	Minesweeper	Royal Navy	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
HMS Salamander	Minesweeper	Royal Navy	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
HMS Britomart	Minesweeper	Royal Navy	17 Sep 42	22 Sep 42

Second stage Cruiser Cover Force

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	Notes
HMS Norfolk	County-class cruiser	Royal Navy	14 Sep 42	22 Sep 42	Flagship V Adm. S Bonham-Carter
HMS London	County-class cruiser	RN	14 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
HMS Suffolk	County-class cruiser	RN	14 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
HMS Bulldog	B-class destroyer	RN	14 Sep 42	22 Sep 42
HMS Venomous	Admiralty modified W-class destroyer	RN	14 Sep 42	22 Sep 42

Second stage Heavy Cover Force

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	Notes
HMS Anson	battleship	Royal Navy	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42	Flagship V Adm. B Fraser
HMS Duke of York	battleship	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42
HMS Jamaica	Crown Colony-class cruiser	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42
HMS Keppel	destroyer	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42	Cdr JE Broome
HMS Montrose	destroyer	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42	Joined from local escort group
HMS Campbell	destroyer	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42	Joined from local escort group
HMS Mackay	destroyer	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42	Joined from local escort group
HMS Bramham	destroyer	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42
HMS Broke	destroyer	RN	11 Sep 42	14 Sep 42

Support forces

Second stage Spitzbergen re-fueling group^[4]

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	Notes
RFA Blue Ranger	Oiler	Royal Fleet Auxiliary	10 Sep 42	10 Sep 42
RFA Oligarch	Oiler	Royal Fleet Auxiliary	10 Sep 42	10 Sep 42
HMS Oakley	Hunt-class destroyer	Royal Navy	10 Sep 42	10 Sep 42
HMS Cowdray	Hunt-class destroyer	RN	10 Sep 42	10 Sep 42
HMS Worcester	W-class destroyer	RN	10 Sep 42	10 Sep 42
HMS Windsor	W-class destroyer	RN	10 Sep 42	10 Sep 42

Second stage Spitzbergen re-inforcement group^[5]

Name	Class	Navy	Date joined	Date departed	Notes
HMS Cumberland	County-class heavy cruiser	Royal Navy	14 Sep 42	14 Sep 42
HMS Sheffield	Town-class cruiser	RN	14 Sep 42	14 Sep 42
HMS Eclipse	E-class destroyer	RN	14 Sep 42	14 Sep 42

Submarine patrol group

Name	Class	Navy	commence patrol	end patrol	Notes
HMS Shakespeare	S-class submarine	Royal Navy	7 Sep 42	23 Sep 42
HMS Unrivalled	U-class submarine	RN	7 Sep 42	1 Oct 42
HMS Unique	U-class submarine	RN	7 Sep 42	1 Oct 42
HMS Tribune	T-class submarine	RN	2 Sep 42	1 Oct 42
HMS Tigris	T-class submarine	RN	2 Sep 42	1 Oct 42
HMS Sturgeon	S-class submarine	RN	2 Sep 42	6 Sep 42	Returned to port; mechanical defect
HMS Unshaken	U-class submarine	RN	2 Sep 42	1 Oct 42
HNoMS Uredd	U-class submarine	Royal Norwegian Navy	2 Sep 42	1 Oct 42
French submarine Rubis	Saphir-class submarine	Free French

Axis forces

U-boats

Name	Type	Navy	Success	Fate	Notes
U-88	Type VIIC	Kriegsmarine		Sunk by Faulknor[6]
U-255	VIIC	KM
U-377	VIIC	KM
U-378	VIIC	KM
U-403	VIIC	KM
U-405	VIIC	KM
U-408	VIIC	KM	Sank Stalingrad[7]
U-435	VIIC	KM
U-457	VIIC	KM	Damaged Atheltemplar[8]	Sunk by Impulsive[9]
U-589	VIIC	KM	Sank Oliver Ellsworth[10]	Sunk by Onslow[11]
U-592	VIIC	KM
U-703	VIIC	KM

Surface ships

Name	Type	Navy	Sortie/1st sailing	Fate/2nd sailing	Notes
Admiral Scheer	Deutschland-class cruiser	Kriegsmarine	9 Sep 42	Cancelled	Flagship V Adm. O Kummetz
Admiral Hipper	Admiral Hipper-class cruiser	KM	9 Sep 42	"
Köln	Königsberg-class cruiser	KM	9 Sep 42	"
Z4 Richard Beitzen	Type 1934 destroyer	KM	9 Sep 42	"
Z23	Type 1936A destroyer	KM	9 Sep 42	"
Z27	Type 1936A destroyer	KM	9 Sep 42	"	Flag Capt Ponitz 8th Des Flot
Z29	Type 1936A destroyer	KM	9 Sep 42	"
Z30	Type 1936A destroyer	KM	9 Sep 42	"

Notes

1. Smith p32
2. sic: see Hague
3. Smith p37
4. Spelled as it was originally named; Smith p213
5. Spelled as it was originally named; Smith p213
6. Smith p50
7. Blair p20
8. Blair p20
9. Smith p150-151
10. Blair p20
11. Smith p132-134

References

• Clay Blair : Hitler's U-Boat War [Volume 2]: The Hunted 1942-1945 (1998) ISBN 0-304-35261-6 (2000 UK paperback ed.)
• Bob Ruegg, Arnold Hague : Convoys to Russia (1992) ISBN 0-905617-66-5
• Peter Smith Arctic Victory: The Story of Convoy PQ 18 (1975) ISBN 0-7183-0074-2
• Arnold Hague: PQ 18 at convoyweb