Convoy QP 14

HMS Somali sunk

Convoy QP.14

Date	13–26 September 1942
Location	Arctic Ocean

Belligerents

Germany

United Kingdom

Commanders and leaders

Admiral Karl Dönitz

Capt J C K Dowding CBE DSO Rd RNR (Commodore)

Strength

7 U-boats

17 merchant ships
65 escorts

Casualties and losses

6 ships sunk

Arctic naval operations of World War II

Weserübung Norwegian Campaign Convoys Claymore Gauntlet PQ 7 PQ 8 PQ 12 Sportpalast PQ 13 PQ 14 QP 10 PQ 15 QP 11 PQ 16 PQ 17 Rösselsprung QP 13 Wunderland PQ 18 QP 14 Doppelschlag QP 15 JW 51A JW 51B Regenbogen Barents Sea JW 55B Ostfront North Cape JW 56A JW 56B JW 57 JW 58

QP.14 was an Arctic convoy of the QP series which ran during World War II from Archangel to Loch Ewe.

The convoy consisted of 17 merchant vessels and sixty-five escorts. While en route, it was attacked by seven U-boats,which sunk six of the vessels.

Escorts

The convoy was protected by the following:

2 Battleships

HMS Anson and HMS Duke of York

1 Aircraft carrier

HMS Avenger

4 Heavy Cruisers

HMS Cumberland, HMS London, HMS Norfolk, HMS Suffolk

3 Cruisers

HMS Jamaica, HMS Scylla, HMS Sheffield

4 Corvettes

HMS Dianella, HMS La Malouine, HMS Lotus, HMS Poppy

33 Destroyers

6 Minesweepers

HMS Britomart, HMS Halcyon, HMS Hazard, HMS Leda, HMS Salamander, HMS Seagull

4 ASW Trawlers

HMS Ayrshire, HMS Lord Austin, HMT Lord Middleton and HMT Northern Gem

2 Submarines

HMS P614 and HMS P615

2 Anti-aircraft ships

HMS Alynbank, HMS Palomares, then HMS Pozarica introduced to replace Alynbank

3 Convoy oilers

RFA Black Ranger, RFA Grey Ranger and RFA Oligarch

2 Convoy rescue ships

SS Rathlin and SS Zamalek

U-boats

The convoy was attacked by seven U-boats, namely:

U-251 – Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Timm^[1]
U-255 – Kapitänleutnant Reinhart Reche^[2]
U-403 – Kapitänleutnant Heinz-Ehlert Clausen^[3]
U-408 – Kapitänleutnant Reinhard von Hymmen^[4]
U-435 – Kapitänleutnant Siegfried Strelow^[5]
U-592 – Kapitänleutnant Carl Borm^[6]
U-703 – Kapitänleutnant Heinz Bielfeld^[7]

Ships in the convoy^[8]

Name	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Notes
Alcoa Banner (1919)	United States	5,035
HMS Alynbank	Royal Navy		Escort 17 Sep. Anti-aircraft ship
HMS Amazon (D39)	Royal Navy		Escort 15 – 22 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Anson (79)	Royal Navy		Escort 19 – 22 Sep. Battleship
HMS Ashanti (F51)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 21 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Avenger (D14)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 20 Sep. Escort aircraft carrier
HMS Ayrshire (FY225)	Royal Navy		Escort 13 – 25 Sep. ASW trawler
Bellingham (1920)	United States	5,345	Sunk by U-435^[9] on 22 Sep W of Jan Mayen Island. No dead. Survivors picked up by Rathlin
Benjamin Harrison (1942)	United States	2,191
RFA Black Ranger	Royal Fleet Auxiliary	3,417	Escort Oiler
HMS Blankney (L30)	Royal Navy		Escort 13 – 25 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Bramble (J11)	Royal Navy		Escort 13 – 25 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Bramham (L51)	Royal Navy		Escort 23 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Britomart (J22)	Royal Navy		Escort 13 Sep. Minesweeper
HMS Bulldog (H91)	Royal Navy		Escort 14 – 22 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Cowdray (L52)	Royal Navy		Escort – 20 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Cumberland (57)	Royal Navy		Escort 14 – 22 Sep. Heavy cruiser
Deer Lodge (1919)	United States	6,187
HMS Dianella (K07)	Royal Navy		Escort 13 – 26 Sep. Corvette
HMS Duke of York (17)	Royal Navy		Escort 19 – 22 Sep. Battleship
HMS Echo (H23)	Royal Navy		Escort 14 – 22 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Eclipse (H08)	Royal Navy		Escort 14 – 22 Sep. Destroyer
Empire Tide (1941)	United Kingdom	6,978	CAM ship. 23 Passengers
HMS Eskimo (F75)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 21 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Faulknor (H62)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 25 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Fury (H76)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 20 Sep. Destroyer
RFA Grey Ranger (1941)	Royal Fleet Auxiliary	3,313	Replenishment oiler. Sunk by U-435^[10] on 22 Sep W of Jan Mayen Island. 6 dead. Survivors picked up by Rathlin
HMS Halcyon (J42)	Royal Navy		Escort 13 Sep. Minesweeper
Harmatris (1932)	United Kingdom	5,395
HMS Hazard	Royal Navy		Escort 13 Sep. Minesweeper
HMS Impulsive (D11)	Royal Navy		Escort – 25 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Intrepid (D10)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 21 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Jamaica (44)	Royal Navy		Escort 19 – 22 Sep. Cruiser
HMS Keppel (D84)	Royal Navy		Escort 19 – 22 Sep. Destroyer leader
HMS La Malouine (K46)	Royal Navy		Escort 13 – 26 Sep. Corvette
HMS Leda* (J93)*	Royal Navy		Escort 13 – 20 Sep. Minesweeper. Sunk by U-435^[11] on 20 Sep SW of Spitzbergen. Survivors picked up by Rathlin and Zamalek. Cdr A H Wynne-Edwards RN
HMS London (69)	Royal Navy		Escort 14 – 22 Sep. Heavy cruiser
HMS Lord Austin (FY220)	Royal Navy		Escort 13 – 25 Sep. ASW trawler
HMT Lord Middleton (FY219)	Royal Navy		Escort 13 – 25 Sep. ASW trawler
HMS Lotus (K130)	Royal Navy		Escort 13 – 26 Sep. Corvette
HMS Mackay	Royal Navy		Escort 19 – 22 Sep. Destroyer leader
HMS Marne (G35)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 25 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Meteor (G73)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 25 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Middleton (L74)	Royal Navy		Escort 13 – 25 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Milne (G14)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 22 Sep. Destroyer
Minotaur (1918)	United States	4,554
HMS Montrose (D01)	Royal Navy		Escort 19 – 22 Sep. WW1-era destroyer
HMS Norfolk (78)	Royal Navy		Escort 14 – 22 Sep. Heavy cruiser
HMT Northern Gem (FY194)	Royal Navy		Escort 13 – 25 Sep. ASW trawler
HMS Oakley (L98)	Royal Navy		Escort – 20 Sep. Destroyer
Ocean Freedom (1942)	United Kingdom	7,173	8 Passengers. Ship's Master is vice-commodore
Ocean Voice (1941)	United Kingdom	7,174	5 Naval staff officers. 25 Soviet passengers. Sunk by U-435^[12] on 22 Sep. No dead. Survivors picked up by both HMS Seagull (J85), and landed at Scapa Flow, and Zamalek, and landed at Glasgow. Capt J C K Dowding CBE DSO Rd RNR (Commodore)
HMS Offa (G29)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 25 Sep. Destroyer
RFA Oligarch (1918)	Royal Fleet Auxiliary	6,894	Replenishment oiler
HMS Onslaught (G04)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 25 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Onslow (G17)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 25 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Opportune (G80)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 21 Sep. Destroyer
HMS P614	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 21 Sep. Submarine
HMS P615	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 21 Sep. Submarine
HMS Palomares	Royal Navy		Escort 13 – 26 Sep. Anti-aircraft artillery ship
HMS Poppy (K213)	Royal Navy		Escort 13 – 26 Sep. Corvette
HMS Pozarica	Royal Navy		Escort 23 – 26 Sep. Anti-aircraft ship
Rathlin (1936)	United Kingdom	1,600	Rescue ship. Routed via Seidisfjord 23 Sep for stores
HMS Salamander (J86)	Royal Navy		Escort 13 Sep. Minesweeper
Samuel Chase (1942)	United States	7,191
HMS Scylla (98)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 20 Sep. Cruiser
HMS Seagull (J85)	Royal Navy		Escort 13 – 25 Sep. Minesweeper
HMS Sheffield (C24)	Royal Navy		Escort 14 – 22 Sep. Cruiser
Silver Sword (1919)	United States	4,937	Sunk by U-255^[13] on 20 Sep. 1 dead. Survivors picked up by Rathlin and Zamalek and landed at Glasgow.
HMS Somali (F33)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 20 Sep. Destroyer. Torpedoed by U-703^[14] on 20 Sep. Crippled, the majority of the crew were rescued by HMS Lord Middleton (FY219), leaving a skeleton crew aboard. HMS Ashanti (G51) took the vessel in tow, but the line parted, she folded in half, capsized and sank. Only 35 of the skeleton crew survived.
HMS Suffolk (55)	Royal Navy		Escort 14 – 22 Sep. Heavy cruiser
HMS Tartar (F43)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 25 Sep. Destroyer
Tobruk (1942)	Poland	7,048
Troubador (1920)	Panama	6,428
HMS Venomous (D75)	Royal Navy		Escort 14 – 22 Sep. Destroyer
West Nilus (1920)	United States	5,495
HMS Wheatland	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 20 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Wilton (L128)	Royal Navy		Escort 17 – 20 Sep. Destroyer
HMS Windsor (D42)	Royal Navy		Escort – 20 Sep. World War I-era destroyer
Winston-Salem (1920)	United States	6,223	Position Unknown, Lloyd's Confirm Slg
HMS Worcester (D96)	Royal Navy		Escort - 25 Sep. Destroyer
Zamalek (1921)	United Kingdom	1,567	Rescue Ship, 61 Survivors, 4 Passengers

References

↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Heinrich Timm". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Reinhart Reche". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Heinz-Ehlert Clausen". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Reinhard von Hymmen". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Siegfried Strelow". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Carl Borm". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Heinz Bielfeld". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
↑ "Convoy QP.14". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Bellingham - American steam merchant". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Grey Ranger - British fleet oiler". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Leda (J93) - British fleet minesweeper". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ocean Voice - British steam merchant". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Silver Sword - American steam merchant". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Somali (F33) - British Destroyer". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2013.

Bibliography

Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939-1945. ISBN 1-86176-147-3.

External links

QP.14 at convoyweb

Arctic convoys of World War II

1941

Outbound	Dervish PQ 1 PQ 2 PQ 3 PQ 4 PQ 5 PQ 6

Homebound	QP 1 QP 2 QP 3

1942

Outbound	PQ 7a PQ 7b PQ 8 PQ 9 PQ 10 PQ 11 PQ 12 PQ 13 PQ 14 PQ 15 PQ 16 PQ 17 PQ 18 Operation FB JW 51A JW 51B

Homebound	QP 4 QP 5 QP 6 QP 7 QP 8 QP 9 QP 10 QP 11 QP 12 QP 13 QP 14 QP 15 RA 51

1943

Outbound	JW 52 JW 53 JW 54A JW 54B JW 55A JW 55B

Homebound	RA 52 RA 53 RA 54A RA 54B RA 55A RA 55B

1944

Outbound	JW 56A JW 56B JW 57 JW 58 JW 59 JW 60 JW 61 JW 61A JW 62 JW 63

Homebound	RA 56 RA 57 RA 58 RA 59 RA 59A RA 60 RA 61 RA 61A RA 62 RA 63

1945

Outbound	JW 64 JW 65 JW 66 JW 67

Homebound	RA 64 RA 65 RA 66 RA 67

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