Convoy PQ 7

Convoy PQ-7 was the eighth of the Arctic Convoys of the Second World War by which the Western Allies supplied material aid to the Soviet Union in its fight with Nazi Germany. The Convoy was in two parts: PQ 7a sailed from Hvalfjörður, Iceland on 26 December 1941 and arrived at Murmansk on 12 January 1942. PQ7b sailed from Hvalfjord, Iceland on 31 December 1941 and arrived in Murmansk on 11 January 1942.

Ships

PQ 7a

PQ 7a consisted of two merchant ships; SS Cold Harbor (Panama) and SS Waziristan (UK), and was escorted by two armed trawlers. SS Waziristan was sunk by the German submarine U-134 on 2 January 1942.

Complete List of Ships of PQ.7a

Name	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Notes
Cold Harbor (1920)	Panama	5,010
HMT Hugh Walpole	Royal Navy		Escort 26 Dec - 27 Dec Anti-submarine trawler
HMT Ophelia	Royal Navy		Escort 26 Dec - 27 Dec Anti-submarine trawler
Waziristan (1924)	United Kingdom	5,135	Stranded in ice & attacked by both aircraft & U-134 and sunk Commodore’s Ship

PQ 7b

PQ 7b comprised nine merchant vessels (two Panamanian, one Russian and seven British). The escort consisted of the destroyers HMS Icarus, HMS Tartar and two armed trawlers.

All ships arrived safely.

Ships in Convoy PQ 7b

Name	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Notes
Aneroid (1917)	Panama	5,074
Botavon (1912)	United Kingdom	5,848
HMT Cape Argona	Royal Navy		Escort 31 Dec - 04 Jan
Chernyshevski (1919)	Soviet Union	3,588
Empire Activity (1919)	United Kingdom	5,335
Empire Halley (1941)	United Kingdom	7,168
Empire Howard (1941)	United Kingdom	6,985
Empire Redshank (1919)	United Kingdom	6,615
HMS Icarus (D03)	Royal Navy		Escort 04 Jan - 11 Jan
Jutland (1928)	United Kingdom	6,153
Reigh Count (1907)	Panama	4,657
HMS Tartar (F43)	Royal Navy		Escort 04 Jan - 11 Jan
HMS Wastwater	Royal Navy		Escort 31 Dec - 04 Jan Anti-submarine whaler

References

• Richard Woodman, Arctic Convoys 1941-1945, 1994, ISBN 0-7195-5752-6
• Convoy web