Convoy QP 11
The convoy QP 11 was an allied northern sea convoy that was put together in April 1942 in the Soviet Murmansk and drove largely unloaded to Reykjavík in Iceland . He lost a freighter (2847 GRT) and the cruiser HMS Edinburgh . The Germans lost the destroyer Hermann Schoemann .
Composition and securing
The convoy QP 11 consisted of 13 cargo ships. On April 28, 1942, they left Soviet Murmansk ( Lage ) in the direction of Reykjavík ( Lage ). Until April 29, the Eastern Local Escort with the Soviet destroyers Kuibyshev and Sokruschitelny as well as the British mine sweepers HMS Gossamer , HMS Harrier , HMS Hussar and HMS Niger took over the close protection of the convoy. From April 28th to May 7th, the Ocean Escort also took over with the destroyers HMS Bulldog , HMS Amazon , HMS Beagle , HMS Beverley , the corvettes HMS Campanula , HMS Oxlip , HMS Saxifrage , HMS Snowflake and the UJ trawler HMS Lord Middleton the backup to Reykjavík. The cruiser HMS Edinburgh and the destroyers HMS Foresight and HMS Forester took over the local security . The allied submarines P.43 / Unison (British), Minerve (French), Uredd (Norwegian), Jastrzab (Polish) and the Soviet D-3 , K-2 , K-22 and K-23 related to the Approach routes of German surface forces.
| Surname | Type | flag | Measurement in GRT | Whereabouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atheltemplar | freighter |
 United Kingdom
|
8992 | |
| Ballot | freighter |
 Panama
|
6131 | |
| Briarwood | freighter |
United Kingdom
|
4019 | |
| Dan Y Byn | freighter |
United Kingdom
|
5117 | |
| Dynboyne | freighter |
 United States
|
3515 | |
| El Estero | freighter |
Panama
|
4219 | |
| Eldena | freighter |
United States
|
6900 | |
| Gallant Fox | freighter |
Panama
|
5473 | |
| Mormacmar | freighter |
United States
|
5453 | |
| Stone Street | freighter |
Panama
|
6131 | |
| Trehata | freighter |
United Kingdom
|
4817 | |
| Ziolkowski | freighter |
 Soviet Union
|
2847 | sunk on April 30th by Z 7 Hermann Schoemann , Z 24 and Z 25 ( location ) |
| West Cheswald | freighter |
United States
|
5711 |
course
When the German aerial reconnaissance got in contact with the convoy on April 29, the German submarines U 88 , U 251 , U 405 , U 436 , U 456 , U 589 and U 703 were within range. On the afternoon of April 30, U 456 hit the cruiser HMS Edinburgh with two torpedoes , but the cruiser was able to continue. At the same time, the 6th Z Flotilla with the destroyers Z 7 Hermann Schoemann , Z 24 and Z 25 reached the convoy, sank the freighter Ziolkowski (2847 GRT) and damaged the destroyer HMS Amazon . After that, the German destroyers turned to the heavily damaged HMS Edinburgh . On May 1, they managed to get close enough to get another torpedo hit. However, the destroyer Z 7 Hermann Schoemann ( Lage ) was badly hit by the Edinburgh artillery . The destroyers Z 24 and Z 25 brought further hits to the British destroyers HMS Forester and HMS Foresight . In the meantime the Edinburgh ( location ) had capsized so far that it was abandoned. The Foresight sank them with a torpedo. Also Z 7 Hermann Schoeman was beyond saving. Z 24 and Z 25 took over most of the crew. Further attacks by submarines and aircraft remained unsuccessful. The QP 11 reached Reykjavík in Iceland on May 7, 1942. He lost a freighter (2847 GRT) and the cruiser HMS Edinburgh , which had 465 gold bars on board. The Soviet Union wanted to use these to pay for the Allied weapons it had received.
Individual evidence
- ^ A b c Jürgen Rohwer , Gerhard Hümmelchen : Chronik des Maritime War 1939–1945, April 1942. Retrieved on January 9, 2017 .
- ^ Arnold Hague: Arnold Hague Convoy Database, QP Convoy Series. Retrieved January 12, 2017 .
Map with all coordinates: