Convoy QP 15
Convoy QP 15 was an Arctic convoy of World War II, consisting of empty merchant ships traveling to the United Kingdom after having delivered their cargo in the Soviet Union. It was the last convoy in the "QP" series. The convoy was scattered by a storm which sunk the Soviet destroyer Sokrushitelny. German U-boats attacked the convoy and sunk two out of the thirty merchant ships.[1]
Voyage
The convoy initially consisted of 31 merchant ships and 12 escorts, though more escorts joined during the course of the voyage.[2] The convoy set out from Archangel on 17 November 1942.[3] On 20 November, a gale sprang up, and grew so fierce that the convoy was scattered.[4] The two Soviet destroyers escorting the convoy were hard hit. Baku was badly damaged, but managed to limp back to port. A large wave hit the other Soviet destroyer, Sokrushitelny, and tore off her stern. Three Soviet destroyers were sent to assist and manage to rescue 187 crewmen from the Sokrushitelny, which sank on 22 November.[4]
Two German submarines attacked the convoy on 23 November. U-625 attacked first, sinking the British freighter Goolistan. Later in the day, U-601 fired a spread of torpedoes at the Soviet Kuznets Lesov, one of which struck and sunk the freighter. There were no survivors from either ship.[3]
