Convoy QP 1
Convoy QP 1 was an Arctic convoy of the PQ/QP series which ran during the Second World War. It was one of a series of convoys run to return Allied ships from Soviet northern ports to home ports in Britain. It sailed in late September 1941, reaching Allied ports in mid-October. All ships arrived safely. Background In August 1941 Britain had run a convoy of military supplies to Archangel in Northern Russia to support the Soviets in resisting the German invasion of June 1941. This operation, codenamed Dervish, had been a success, leading to the inauguration of a monthly convoy cycle of supply ships; the PQ convoys taking supplies and war materiel to Russia, and the simultaneous QP convoys returning the empty ships. PQ 1, comprising 10 ships, left Iceland on 28 September, while QP 1, made up of the seven Dervish ships, and seven Soviet freighters, left Archangel the same day. Ships QP 1 comprised 14 merchant ships: These were the seven vessels (one Dutch and six British merchants that made up the Dervish convoy, now unloaded and sailing in ballast, and seven Soviet ships carrying trade goods (mainly timber) for the western allies. The Convoy Commodore was, as