Convoy QP 11 was an Arctic Convoy of World War II, made up of merchant ships returning from the Soviet Union to Britain after delivering their cargo to the Soviet Union. The convoy consisted of 13 merchant ships, escorted by 18 warships. The convoy was attacked by German destroyers and submarines, suffering the loss of one merchant ship as well as the light cruiserHMS Edinburgh. The German forces lost the destroyer Z7 Hermann Schoemann.
QP 11 consisted of 13 merchant ships, mostly British or American, including five ships that had been a part of Convoy PQ 13.[1] The convoy sailed from the Soviet port of Murmansk on 28 April 1942. The convoy was escorted by the light cruiser HMS Edinburgh, the destroyersHMS Amazon, Beagle, Beverley, Bulldog, Foresight and Forester, the corvettesCampanula, Oxlip, Saxifrage and Snowflake, with the armed trawlerLord Middleton.[1]Edinburgh was not only serving as an escort, but was also carrying $20 million in gold, a payment from the Soviet Union to the United States.[1]
Voyage
On 29 April, the convoy was spotted by a German Ju 88 reconnaissance plane as well as by German U-boats.[2] Two days after leaving Murmansk, the convoy was attacked by several U-boats. On 30 May U-88 and U-436 both made unsuccessful attacks on the convoy.[3] Later that day, however, U-456 fired torpedoes at Edinburgh and scored two hits. One torpedo hit the cruiser's forward boiler room while the other hit the cruiser's stern, destroying its rudder and two of its four propellers.[1]Edinburgh was badly damaged, but still afloat. Edinburgh left the convoy and headed back towards Murmansk, escorted by Foresight and Forester. Several ships were sent from Murmansk to assist Edinburgh, among them the British minesweepersGossamer, Harrier, Hussar, and Niger, the Soviet destroyers Gremyashchy and Sokrushitelny, the Soviet guard shipRubin, and a tug.[3]
1 May
The German command sent the three destroyers of Zerstörergruppe "Arktis", Z7 Hermann Schoemann, Z24 and Z25 under the command of Kapitän zur SeeAlfred Schulze-Hinrichs, to attack QP 11 and then sink HMS Edinburgh.[4] The German ships reached the convoy in the afternoon on 1 May. The weather was cold, and intermittent snow and rain limited visibility.[4]Hermann Schoemann opened fire at 14:05. The four British destroyers formed up between the German destroyers and the convoy, and engaged them at a range of about 10,000 yd (9,100 m).[4]Amazon was hit twice and severely damaged. At 14:30 a German torpedo salvo hit and sunk the Soviet freighter Tsiolkovski.[4] At 17:50 the German destroyers retired and turned to go after Edinburgh.[4]
2 May
The German forces found Edinburgh 250 nmi (460 km; 290 mi) east of the convoy at 06:17 on 2 May. The cruiser was moving at only two knots.[2] The Edinburgh was being escorted by Foresight, Forester, the four British minesweepers and Rubin (Gremyaschi and Sokrushitelny having returned to Murmansk due to a lack of fuel).[1] The three German destroyers engaged the British ships. Due to the damage caused by U-456, Edinburgh was unable to maneuver and could only steam in circles.[4] A snow shower separated Herman Schoemann from the other German destroyers, so it attacked the British ships alone.[4]Edinburgh's targeting systems had been destroyed by the torpedo explosions but its gunners managed to hit and cripple Hermann Schoemann.[2] At 18:45, Z24 and Z25 arrived. Z25 hit and disabled Forester and then badly damaged Foresight.[4] At 18:52 a salvo of torpedoes from one of the German destroyers missed Foresight and Forester. One of the torpedoes from this salvo kept going and struck Edinburgh in the middle of its left side, opposite the hole made by U-456's torpedo.[2] Shortly thereafter the German ships withdrew, possibly because they overestimated the strength of the British minesweepers.[4] At 08:15, Z24 rescued most of the crew of Hermann Schoemann who were still on the deck and then scuttled it.[4] More survivors from Hermann Schoemann who were in life rafts were later rescued by U-88.[1] The minesweepers Harrier and Gossamer took survivors off of Edinburgh, which was later sunk by a torpedo from Foresight.[1]
Aftermath
The rest of QP 11's voyage saw unsuccessful attacks on the convoy by the submarines U-589 and U-251. The twelve remaining merchant ships of the convoy arrived in Iceland on 7 May.[3]
^ abcdefgEdwards, Bernard (2002). The Road to Russia: Arctic Convoys 1942. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 95–98. ISBN1-59114-732-8.
^ abcdJessop, Keith; Hanson, Neil (2002). Goldfinder. Danvers, MA: John Wiley and Sons. pp. 258–266. ISBN0-471-40733-X.
^ abcRohwer, Jurgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea, 1939-1945: The Naval History of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. p. 162. ISBN1-59114-119-2.
^ abcdefghijO'Hara, Vincent P. (2011). Tucker, Spencer C. (ed.). World War II at Sea: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, LLC. pp. 188–190. ISBN978-1-59884-457-3.
^Hague, Arnold. "Convoy QP.11". Convoyweb. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
January 07, 2023
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Convoy QP 11 was an Arctic Convoy of World War II made up of merchant ships returning from the Soviet Union to Britain after delivering their cargo to the Soviet Union The convoy consisted of 13 merchant ships escorted by 18 warships The convoy was attacked by German destroyers and submarines suffering the loss of one merchant ship as well as the light cruiser HMS Edinburgh The German forces lost the destroyer Z7 Hermann Schoemann Convoy QP 11 naval battlePart of World War IIHMS Edinburgh showing the damage to its stern after the attack by U 456Date1 2 May 1942LocationArctic OceanResultIndecisive Edinburgh sunk but most of convoy saved BelligerentsGermanyUnited Kingdom Soviet UnionCommanders and leadersAlfred Schulze HinrichsStrength3 destroyers2 U boats1 cruiser6 destroyers4 minesweeper1 guard shipCasualties and losses1 destroyer sunk1 cruiser sunk 3 destroyer damaged 1 Soviet freighter sunk Contents 1 Ships 2 Voyage 2 1 1 May 2 2 2 May 3 Aftermath 4 Ship List 5 ReferencesShips EditQP 11 consisted of 13 merchant ships mostly British or American including five ships that had been a part of Convoy PQ 13 1 The convoy sailed from the Soviet port of Murmansk on 28 April 1942 The convoy was escorted by the light cruiser HMS Edinburgh the destroyers HMS Amazon Beagle Beverley Bulldog Foresight and Forester the corvettes Campanula Oxlip Saxifrage and Snowflake with the armed trawler Lord Middleton 1 Edinburghwas not only serving as an escort but was also carrying 20 million in gold a payment from the Soviet Union to the United States 1 Voyage EditOn 29 April the convoy was spotted by a German Ju 88 reconnaissance plane as well as by German U boats 2 Two days after leaving Murmansk the convoy was attacked by several U boats On 30 May U 88 and U 436 both made unsuccessful attacks on the convoy 3 Later that day however U 456 fired torpedoes at Edinburgh and scored two hits One torpedo hit the cruiser s forward boiler room while the other hit the cruiser s stern destroying its rudder and two of its four propellers 1 Edinburgh was badly damaged but still afloat Edinburgh left the convoy and headed back towards Murmansk escorted by Foresightand Forester Several ships were sent from Murmansk to assist Edinburgh among them the British minesweepers Gossamer Harrier Hussar and Niger the Soviet destroyers Gremyashchy and Sokrushitelny the Soviet guard ship Rubin and a tug 3 1 May Edit The German command sent the three destroyers of Zerstorergruppe Arktis Z7 Hermann Schoemann Z24 and Z25 under the command of Kapitan zur See Alfred Schulze Hinrichs to attack QP 11 and then sink HMS Edinburgh 4 The German ships reached the convoy in the afternoon on 1 May The weather was cold and intermittent snow and rain limited visibility 4 Hermann Schoemann opened fire at 14 05 The four British destroyers formed up between the German destroyers and the convoy and engaged them at a range of about 10 000 yd 9 100 m 4 Amazon was hit twice and severely damaged At 14 30 a German torpedo salvo hit and sunk the Soviet freighter Tsiolkovski 4 At 17 50 the German destroyers retired and turned to go after Edinburgh 4 2 May Edit The German forces found Edinburgh 250 nmi 460 km 290 mi east of the convoy at 06 17 on 2 May The cruiser was moving at only two knots 2 The Edinburgh was being escorted by Foresight Forester the four British minesweepers and Rubin Gremyaschi and Sokrushitelny having returned to Murmansk due to a lack of fuel 1 The three German destroyers engaged the British ships Due to the damage caused by U 456 Edinburgh was unable to maneuver and could only steam in circles 4 A snow shower separated Herman Schoemann from the other German destroyers so it attacked the British ships alone 4 Edinburgh s targeting systems had been destroyed by the torpedo explosions but its gunners managed to hit and cripple Hermann Schoemann 2 At 18 45 Z24and Z25 arrived Z25 hit and disabled Forester and then badly damaged Foresight 4 At 18 52 a salvo of torpedoes from one of the German destroyers missed Foresight and Forester One of the torpedoes from this salvo kept going and struck Edinburgh in the middle of its left side opposite the hole made by U 456 s torpedo 2 Shortly thereafter the German ships withdrew possibly because they overestimated the strength of the British minesweepers 4 At 08 15 Z24 rescued most of the crew of Hermann Schoemann who were still on the deck and then scuttled it 4 More survivors from Hermann Schoemann who were in life rafts were later rescued by U 88 1 The minesweepers Harrier and Gossamer took survivors off of Edinburgh which was later sunk by a torpedo from Foresight 1 Aftermath EditThe rest of QP 11 s voyage saw unsuccessful attacks on the convoy by the submarines U 589 and U 251 The twelve remaining merchant ships of the convoy arrived in Iceland on 7 May 3 Ship List EditMerchant ships in Convoy QP 11 5 Ship Tonnage Flag NotesSS Atheltemplar 8 992 SS Ballot 6 131 SS Briarwood 4 019 Convoy Commodore s shipSS Dan Y Bryn 5 117 Vice Commodore s shipSS Dunboyne 3 515 SS El Estero 4 219 SS Eldena 6 900 SS Gallant Fox 5 473 SS Mormacmar 5 453 SS Stone Street 6 131 SS Trehata 4 817 Damaged by iceSS Tsiolkovsky 2 847 SunkSS West Cheswald 5 711 References Edit a b c d e f g Edwards Bernard 2002 The Road to Russia Arctic Convoys 1942 Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press pp 95 98 ISBN 1 59114 732 8 a b c d Jessop Keith Hanson Neil 2002 Goldfinder Danvers MA John Wiley and Sons pp 258 266 ISBN 0 471 40733 X a b c Rohwer Jurgen 2005 Chronology of the War at Sea 1939 1945 The Naval History of World War Two Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press p 162 ISBN 1 59114 119 2 a b c d e f g h i j O Hara Vincent P 2011 Tucker Spencer C ed World War II at Sea An Encyclopedia Santa Barbara California ABC CLIO LLC pp 188 190 ISBN 978 1 59884 457 3 Hague Arnold Convoy QP 11 Convoyweb Retrieved 15 August 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Convoy QP 11 amp oldid 1115203993, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
