Convoy PQ 12
Convoy PQ 12 was an Arctic convoys of [World War II|Arctic convoy] sent from Reykjavík in Iceland by the Allies to aid the Soviet Union during the Second World War. It sailed 1 March 1942, reaching Murmansk on 12 March 1942 for no loss, despite a sortie against it by the.
Ships
Convoy PQ 12 consisted of 16 ships under the command of the Convoy Commodore, Hubert Hudson. The Close Escort comprised the minesweeper and five whalers. These were joined on 5 March by the Ocean Escort of the destroyers and joined by the cruiser. Distant cover was provided by two Heavy Cover Forces; one comprising the battleship , the battlecruiser and six destroyers, sailing from Reykjavík and another led by Admiral John Tovey comprising the battleship, the carrier, the cruiser and six destroyers, sailing from Scapa Flow.Voyage
Convoy PQ 12 sailed from Reykjavík on 1 March 1942 with its Close Escort. It was joined on 5 March by the Ocean Escort and on 6 March by the cruiser Kenya. Also at sea were the Heavy Cover Forces, Curteis from Reykjavík sailing on 3 March and Tovey from Scapa Flow on 4 March. On 5 March the convoy was sighted by a German reconnaissance aircraft and on 6 March, after obtaining permission from Hitler, Tirpitz sortied from Trondheim with three destroyers as escort in Operation Sportpalast to destroy Convoy PQ 12 and its reciprocal, Convoy QP 8, which had also sailedShortly after sailing Tirpitz was sighted by the patrolling submarine and the Heavy Cover Forces, now joined, sought to bring Tirpitz to action. Over the next two days the groups of ships manoeuvred around each other without coming into contact, though on two occasions they were apart. Tirpitz had no success, though her destroyers encountered and sank the freighter Ijora a straggler from Convoy QP 8. O–n 9 March as Tirpitz headed for home, she was sighted by aircraft from Victorious and attacked, though also without success.
Convoy PQ 12 arrived at Murmansk on 12 March. No ships were lost, though the escort suffered the loss of a whaler, Shera, capsized by ice buildup and Oribi, damaged by pack ice. On 24 March, Lancaster Castle was dive-bombed while at the quay in Murmansk and ten men were killed. It was towed out and moored in the river, the crew remaining on board. A few days later it was dive-bombed again and received five hits. There were no casualties but the crew moved to shore. Convoy PQ 12 provided valuable military equipment and other materials for the Soviet war effort. The distribution of equipment and supplies delivered with the convoy was the subject of a Soviet State Defence Committee decree.
Allied order of battle
Merchant ships
| Name | Year | Flag | GRT | No. | Notes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1920 |  PanamaSS|Ballot||2Close cover
Murmansk escort
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