Two Ju87s shot down by Convoy PQ4 22/11/41?

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by BrianC

Any further thoughts?
Brian

On the offchance that the diarist confused his dates, you could check out the sailing and arrival dates at convoyweb. Then go through the Admiralty War Diaries (at www.fold3.com — and elsewhere online, I think) for those days: an air attack on the convoy would almost certainly be mentioned. Similarly, it might be mentioned in the German naval war diaries — the US-English translations are here: https://archive.org/search?query=sub...s%2C+German%22

[BrianC]

Hi guys

Thanks for the leads, Nick.

Searching through my library, I came across the following in Michael G. Walling's "Forgotten Sacrifice" (Osprey 2012):

PQ4 was attacked by a small group of Ju88s in an area to the south of Jan Mayen Island. Single planes continued to attack the convoy until it reached the White Sea. However, the attacks were not driven home.

The mystery deepens!

Cheers
Brian

[igorrB]

Bet he takes this from same memoirs. There is no reports about attacks north from Faroer islands and in Barents/White sea during 17-28.11.41

[edwest2]

From another site:

(For details of all Russian Convoys see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by R A Ruegg, CONVOY! by P Kemp. THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield and ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman.)

Also see, Arnold Hague’s “The Allied Convoy System.”

[edwest2]

It may also be helpful to look at accounts from other ships that sailed with PQ 4. The following is part of an exhaustive account related to a group of medals and original documents being sold by DCM Medals.

17th – Deployed with escort for Russian Convoy PQ4 with HM Destroyers OFFA and ONSLOW.
Convoy PQ 4 was the fifth of the Arctic Convoys of World War II by which the Western Allies supplied material aid to the Soviet Union in its fight with Nazi Germany. The Convoy sailed from Hvalfjord, Iceland on 17 November 1941 and arrived at Archangelsk on 28 November 1941. (with H.M.S. Berwick from 25 Nov. – 27 Nov.).

27th – At Murmansk after arrival of PQ4.

The site in question:

https://www.dcmmedals.co.uk/product/...nal-documents/

[igorrB]

I think NA Kew contains lot of documents that much more reliable and extensive than any book.