Convoy PQ 9/10 (1–10 February 1942) was an Arctic convoy of the Second World War, sent from Britain via Iceland by the Western Allies to deliver supplies to the Soviet Union. It was formed by the merger of two planned convoys—PQ 9 and PQ 10—after delays caused by intelligence reports of a sortie by the German battleship Tirpitz.
Background
Following the German invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa) in June 1941, the UK and USSR signed an agreement to render mutual assistance. The first Lend-Lease protocol, drawn up in October 1941, committed the Western Allies to deliver substantial quantities of military equipment, raw materials, and food to the Soviet Union. Arctic convoys were routed from British ports to Hvalfjörður in Iceland, then north about the Norwegian coast to the Soviet ports of Murmansk (on the Kola Inlet) and Arkhangelsk (on the White Sea). The route was extremely hazardous, subject to severe weather, polar ice, perpetual darkness in winter, and the threat of attack by German surface ships, U-boats, and aircraft based in Norway.
Formation
The departure of Convoy PQ 9, originally scheduled for 17 January 1942, was delayed after the Admiralty received reports that the German battleship Tirpitz might sortie from her base in Norway. Convoy PQ 10 was also beset by delays and assembly problems. Rather than wait for PQ 10 to form independently, the freighter Trevorian—the sole ship that had been able to sail for PQ 10—was directed to join PQ 9. The combined group was redesignated Convoy PQ 9/10.
Ships
The convoy comprised ten merchant vessels:
- Three British: SS Atlantic, SS Empire Selwyn, SS Trevorian (the sole ship from PQ 10)
- Four Soviet: SS Friedrich Engels, SS Ijora, SS Revolutsioner, SS Tbilisi
- One American: SS West Nohno
- One Norwegian: SS Noreg (a tanker)
- One Panamanian: SS El Lago
Escort
The convoy was protected by a series of escort vessels that joined in relays:
- From Iceland (1–5 February): Three anti-submarine warfare trawlers (Royal Navy)
- Ocean escort (5–8 February): The light cruiser HMS Nigeria (Fiji-class)
- Destroyer escort (5–10 February): HMS Faulknor (F-class) and HMS Intrepid (I-class)
- Close escort (1–10 February): The Norwegian armed whalers HNoMS Hav and HNoMS Shika
- Reinforcement from Kola (7–10 February): The Royal Navy minesweepers HMS Britomart and HMS Sharpshooter
Voyage
Convoy PQ 9/10 sailed from Reykjavik, Iceland, on 1 February 1942. The convoy transited the Arctic Ocean during the continuous darkness of the polar night, which helped it evade detection by German aircraft and U-boats. No attacks occurred during the passage. The convoy arrived safely at Murmansk on 10 February 1942, having suffered no losses.
Result
The convoy is recorded as a British victory. All ten merchant ships and all escort vessels reached their destination without damage or casualties. The successful passage of PQ 9/10 was one of the few uneventful Arctic convoy voyages during the war, as later convoys (notably PQ 17) would suffer devastating losses to German air and submarine attacks.
