About the Author

  Author’s photograph: Courtesy of the author’s son, Saul Sebag-Montefiore, taken near the U-boat exhibited at the Deutsches Schififahrtsmuseum (German Maritime Museum), in Bremerhaven, Germany.

  HUGH SEBAG-MONTEFIORE was a barrister before becoming a journalist and historian. He has written for The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, The Observer, Independent on Sunday, and The Mail on Sunday. He is the author of three bestselling history books, two about World War II (Enigma: The Battle for the Code and Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man), and one about World War I (Somme: Into the Breach). He also wrote Kings on the Catwalk: The Louis Vuitton and Moët-Hennessy Affair.

  Notes

  Chapter 1

  1. PQ17’s formation before any of the convoy’s ships were attacked is specified in the PQ17 formation diagram in NA London ADM 199/757 (‘PQ17’s Formation Diagram’), which is reproduced in this book’s Appendix A.

  2. Sound of the planes: River Afton’s Captain Harold Charlton’s undated account, supplied by Richard Woodman, author of WOODMAN’S BOOK; time planes appeared: p. 70 of undated account by Douglas Fairbanks junior (‘Fairbanks’ Account’), National Maritime Museum MS 82/066; and 6 July 1942 ‘Report of operations with Commander Cruiser Squadron One, Cruiser Covering Force of PQ17’ by American Destroyer Squadron Eight’s Captain Don Moon in USS Wainwright (‘Wainwright’s Report’), David Irving’s Papers.

  3. Group of merchant ships present during the big attack: all those in Appendix A, except for Gray Ranger which had previously departed, and Christopher Newport (previously sunk); ship sunk before big attack, and direction of travel: 8 July 1942 report by destroyer Keppel’s Commander Jack Broome (‘Keppel’s Report’), Churchill Archives Centre BRME 8/1.

  4. The 5 July 1942 entry in the KTB DER SKL TEIL A refers to 23 aircraft, as does the 5 July 1942 morning report in Luftflotte 5’s Daily Reports.

  5. Appendix I to the 6 July 1942 report by Rear Admiral Louis Hamilton, commander of the First Cruiser Squadron (‘Hamilton’s 6 July 1942 Report’), who flew his flag in the cruiser HMS London, BRME 8/1 Churchill Archives Centre, states the main attack by German aircraft on 4 July 1942 took place at 75°43’ N 27°45’ E.

  6. Keppel’s Report.

  7. Concerning the German aircraft shot down during the 2 July 1942 attack referred to in this chapter’s main text, Keppel’s Report states: ‘Unless this aircraft died from fright, I think it should be credited to (the destroyer) U.S.S. Rowan who was seen at this time putting up a fine display of A.A. fire while approaching the convoy to fuel.’ The same report concerning the destroyer USS Wainwright’s performance at and after ca. 6.50 p.m. 4 July 1942 in response to the second of the three main attacks by German aircraft that day stated: ‘I was most impressed and grateful for the way she sped round the convoy worrying the circling aircraft, and it was largely due to her Fourth of July enthusiasm that the attack completely failed.’

  8. 27 July 1942 report by Captain S. D. N. Lawford, commander of the anti-aircraft ship Pozarica, Churchill Archives Centre BRME 8/1, refers to six Heinkel 115 seaplanes.

  9. Keppel’s Report confirms the torpedoed ship was Christopher Newport.

  10. Ibid.

  11. PQ17’s Formation Diagram.

  12. CARRAWAY’S DIARY.

  13. Hauptmann Eicke’s account (‘Eicke’s Report’) on p.138 of Rudi Schmidt, Achtung – Torpedos los! (‘Schmidt’s Achtung’), brought to my attention by Christer Bergström, one of the co-authors of Black Cross Red Star: Air War Over the Eastern Front vol. 3.

  14. 8 October 1942 report by Navarino’s Captain A. Kelso, NA London ADM 199/2141.

  15. Ibid.

  16. Carraway’s Diary.

  17. Robert Henderson’s diary, courtesy of his wife Lyndell and daughter Sue.

  18. The chapter ‘De mannen van de Paulus Potter’ (The Men of Paulus Potter) in Anthony Van Kampen, ed., Scheepsverklaring p.190. It was brought to my attention by Jos Odijk.

  19. Carraway’s Diary.

  20. For example 7 October 1942 ‘Report Of An Interview With The Master, Captain J. Pascoe: s.s. “Bolton Castle” ’, NA London ADM 199/2141; and report by M.I. Pavlov, skipper of Donbass, GAOPDiFAO, Archive Section 296, Inventory 1, Book 1210.

  21. Keppel’s Report.

  22. Report by captain of Azerbaijan, in GAOPDiFAO, Archive Section 296, Inventory 1, Book 1210.

  23. Eicke’s Report on pp.138–9 of Schmidt’s Achtung.

  24. Roger Hill, Destroyer Captain (‘Hill’s Book’) p. 49.

  25. Fairbanks’ Account, pp. 71–2.

  26. Leutnant Georg Kanmayer’s account in Schmidt’s Achtung pp. 140–1; Hill’s Book pp. 40–50; Keppel’s Report; and Wainwright’s Report.

  27. Schmidt’s Achtung p. 142.

  28. Ibid p. 137.

  29. Keppel’s Report specifies PQ17’s course. Hamilton’s 6 July 1942 Report states PQ17 was scattered at 75°50’ N 28°30’ E.

  30. Hill’s Book p.51. What is written in Jack Broome, Convoy Is To Scatter (‘Broome’s Book’) p.187 implies that it might have been a single flag raised by Keppel’s signalman which puzzled Hill rather than, as specified in Hill’s account, the string of flags raised by the signalman in River Afton, the Commodore’s ship.

  31. Broome’s Book p. 191.

  32. Hill’s Book p. 51.

  33. Broome’s Book p. 194.

  34. Ibid. pp. 194–5.

  35. Ibid. p. 195.

  36. Ibid. pp. 189 and 200.

  37. Fairbanks’ Account pp. 73–4.

  38. Carraway’s Diary.

  39. S. A. Kerslake, Coxswain In The Northern Convoys pp. 75–6.

  40. Head of the Political Department of the Northern Sea Fleet Koltiakov to the head of the Political Department Commissar of the USSR Comrade Belakov on 17 August 1942, GAOPDiFAO Section 296, Inventory 1, Book 1210.

  Chapter 2

  1. WOODMAN’S BOOK pp. 36–7; and BRITISH NAVAL AVIATION HISTORY p. 176.

  2. British Naval Aviation History p. 176.

  3. Hubert Griffith, R.A.F. In Russia (‘Griffith’s Book’) p. 5.

  4. Ibid. p. 22.

  5. Ibid. p. 21.

  6. Morris O. Mills, PQ13: Unlucky For Some p. 35.

  7. British Naval Aviation History pp. 176–7.

  8. Ibid. p.176; and Griffith’s Book pp. 44–88.

  9. 22 June 1941 entry Gabriel Gorodetsky, ed., The Maisky Diaries: Red Ambassador to the Court of St James’s 1932–1943 (‘Maisky Diaries’) p. 366.

  10. CHURCHILL’S BOOK vol. 3 pp. 331–2.

  11. Robert Hugh Jones, The Roads To Russia (‘Jones’ Book’) p. 35.

  12. Churchill’s Book vol. 3 p. 340.

  13. REYNOLDS AND PECHATNOV p. 28.

  14. Ibid. p. 30.

  15. Robert E. Sherwood, The White House Papers of Harry L. Hopkins (Hopkins’ Book’) pp. 317–8.

  16. Jones’ Book p.34; Joan Beaumont, Comrades In Arms: British Aid to Russia 1941–1945 pp. 26–8.

  17. Martin Gilbert, ed., The Churchill Documents 1941 (‘Churchill Documents’) p. 991.

  18. Ivan Maisky, Memoirs of a Soviet Ambassador: The War 1939–43 (‘Maisky’s Memoirs’) pp. 180–1.

  19. Hopkins’ Book pp. 325–8.

  20. Quote from The American Magazine (date not specified) in ibid. pp. 344–5. Dates of Hopkins’ meetings with Stalin, ibid. pp. 330 and 332.

  21. Ibid. 341.

  22. Ibid. p. 344.

  23. Churchill’s Book vol. 3 p. 381.

  24. Hopkins’ Book pp. 385–396 and 399.

  25. Churchill Documents. pp. 1065–6.

  26. Reynolds and Pechatnov pp. 40–1; British guilt at not complying with second front request, and Moscow informed: Maisky Memoirs pp. 185–7.

  27. 4 September 1941 entry in Maisky Diaries p. 386; and Maisky’s Memoirs pp. 190–1.

  28. Reynolds and Pechatnov pp. 43–4.

  29. W. Averell Harriman and Elie Abel, Special Envoy to Churchill and Stalin 1941–1946 (‘Harriman’s Book’) p. 87.

  30. Tanks for Russia Week, referred to in the 22 September 1941 entry in Maisky Diaries p. 391.

  31. Harriman’s Book pp. 87 and 89.

  32. Antony Beevor, Stalingrad (‘Stalingrad Book’) pp. 28–9 and 33.

  33. Harriman’s Book p. 89.

  34. Ibid. p. 87.

  35. Ibid. pp. 90–1.

  36. Stalingrad Book pp. 33–4.

  37. Harriman’s Book p. 97.

  38. Ibid. pp. 87–8.

  39. Ibid.; and Soviet Supply Protocols, a publication by the US Department of State, pp. 1–12.

  40. Anne Chisholm and Michael Davie, Beaverbrook: A Life p. 417; and Woodman’s Book p. 42. Convoys in the first series of east-going Arctic convoys were all given the prefix PQ after Paul Quellyn-Roberts, the Admiralty officer who in 1941 was responsible for their administration. Convoys in the first series of west-going Arctic convoys were given the prefix QP, the reversal of the letters to show that the convoys were travelling in the opposite direction. This has been confirmed by Paul Quellyn-Roberts’ son Paul Junior, who was introduced to me by Sir James Vernon.

  41. Churchill’s Book vol. 3 pp. 418–19.

  42. Distance from American east coast to Murmansk: 8 May 1942 report by Dunboyne’s Armed Guard commanding officer Ensign Rufus Brinn, US ARMED GUARD REPORTS. Stalin’s objection to routes: Hopkins’ Book pp. 330 and 340.

  43. 27 June 1942 Agreement and 16 August 1941 Agreement, in both cases between Britain and the Soviet Union, a copy of which are in Appendix 2 and 3 respectively of the ‘Report On Fulfilment Of The Moscow Protocol October 1941-June 1942’, NA London PREM 3 401/7. Concerning non-military aid supplied by Britain, 40 per cent of its value had to be paid in cash, and 60 per cent in five equal annual instalments, the first to be paid 3 years after the purchase and the last 7 years after the purchase.

  44. Jones’ Book p. 261 describes how President Harry Truman’s administration after the war sought to extract payment for a proportion of $2.6 billion, the latter figure being what the Americans believed to be the value of civilian-type supplies that remained in Soviet custody. The above figure was in its turn a proportion of the $10.8 billion worth of aid which the Americans believed they had supplied under lend-lease.

  45. P. M. H. Bell, John Bull and the Bear (‘Public Opinion Book’) p. 59.

  46. Minutes of 20 October 1941 Defence Committee meeting, NA London CAB 69/8 and 19 October 1941 Memorandum, NA London CAB 69/3.

  47. Public Opinion Book p. 64, referring to the 20 October to 3 November 1941 reports produced by the Home Intelligence Division of the Ministry of Information.

  48. Ibid.

  Chapter 3

  1. WOODMAN’S BOOK pp. 36–54.

  2. Undated note headed ‘Final Figures Of Arrivals And Losses For Each Convoy Up To And Including P.Q.16’ with 29 July 1942 letter from the Offices of the War Cabinet’s G. Fitch to N. Gifford, Commercial Secretary, Kuibyshev, NA London CAB 111/109; and report by Anastas Mikoyan, People’s Commissar for Foreign Trade, following a 9 January 1942 conference in Moscow (‘Mikoyan’s Arrears Report’), quoted in Alexander Hill, The Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union, 1941–1945: A documentary reader pp. 171–2. Hill credits G. N. Sevost’ianov, Sovetsko-amerikanskie otnsoheniia, 1939–1945 p. 192.

  3. 24 January 1942 letter headed ‘General Ismay’ and attached table, NA London CAB 111/108.

  4. Mikoyan’s Arrears Report.

  5. Antony Beevor, Stalingrad p. 41.

  6. 13 January 1942 Ivan Maisky to Eden letter, NA London CAB 111/108.

  7. The sources relied on for the description of the types of men in the Merchant Navy and US Merchant Marine include: British: Merchantmen At War: The Official Story of the Merchant Navy: 1939–1944 pp.14–16; and Morris O. Mills, PQ13: Unlucky For Some pp. 54–94; American: Robert Carse, A Cold Corner Of Hell pp. 27–8 and 33–4.

  8. William A. Carter, Why Me Lord? pp. 104–5.

  9. Dalton Leslie Munn, Diary of Squandered Valor: First Convoy to Murmansk p. 2.

  10. Ibid. p. 8.

  11. Ibid. p. 40.

  12. Ibid. pp. 9 and 16.

  13. Ibid. p. 18.

  14. 15 June 1942 sworn statement signed by Silver Sword’s C.W. Calbeth; and 31 October 1942 letter from a representative of Sword Line Inc. to the United States Coast Guard, US MERCHANT VESSELS SINKING REPORTS. Entry P-2 Box 45.

  15. Woodman’s Book p.53.

  16. 22 January 1942 report by Trinidad’s Captain Leslie Saunders (‘Trinidad’s PQ8 Report’), NA London ADM 199/72.

  17. ROHWER’S HUMMELCHEN’S AND WEIS’S CHRONOLOGY p. 134.

  18. 11 November 1942 ‘Report of an Interview with the Master – Captain R.W. Brundle. S.S. Harmatris. P.Q.8.’ (‘Harmatris’ Report’), NA London ADM 199/1709.

  19. 3 February 1942 report by Captain Donald Bain, Captain (D) Sixth Destroyer Flotilla, HMS Somali with header ‘Attack On Convoy P.Q.8 On January 17/18th. 1942’ (‘Somali’s PQ8 Report’), NA London ADM 199/72.

  20. 17 January 1942 entry in KTB U-454.

  21. Harmatris’ Report.

  22. Testimony of Captain Donald Bain, Lieutenant Commander John Cooke and Lieutenant William Whitworth, Minutes of Proceedings, 11-12 March 1942 Board of Inquiry into Matabele sinking (‘Matabele Inquiry’), NA London ADM 1/11951; Somali’s PQ8 Report; and 8 February 1942 report by Captain Donald Bain commander of HMS Somali with header ‘Torpedoing And Sinking of H.M.S. Matabele’ (‘Somali Matabele Report’), NA London ADM 199/72.

  23. Testimony of survivor Ernest Higgins, Appendix 1 to Somali Matabele Report (‘Matabele Survivors’ Report’).

  24. Admiralty’s 1909A 17 January 1942 signal, Trinidad’s PQ8 Report; and Extract of Somali Log in Appendix 3 to Somali’s PQ8 Report.

  25. Trinidad’s PQ8 Report.

  26. Testimony of Ernest Higgins, Matabele Survivors’ Report.

  27. Ibid.; and Matabele Inquiry.

  28. Ibid.

  29. 19 January 1942 report by Commander Eric Hinton commanding officer of HMS Harrier to Captain (D) 6th Destroyer Flotilla, HMS Somali, NA London ADM 199/72.

  30. Ibid.

  31. Matabele Survivors’ Report.

  32. William Burras, Matabele Inquiry.

  33. Document entitled ‘R.N. Casualties In N. Russia Convoys’ sent with undated note, written after the 31 December 1942 Battle of the Barents Sea, from the office of the Director of Naval Intelligence, NA London ADM 199/604.

  34. 17 January 1942 entry in KTB U-454.

  Chapter 4

  1. 4 January 1942 letter from Tovey to Admiralty Secretary which appears to be a draft of the final letter which was dated 29 January 1942, both in NA London ADM 199/757.

  2. Jak Mallmann Showell ed., Fuehrer Conferences On Naval Affairs 1939–1945 pp. 246–7 and 259; and NA London AIR 20/1332.

  3. BRITISH WAR AT SEA OFFICIAL HISTORY vol. 2 p. 119.

  4. TIRPITZ OFFICIAL HISTORY.

  5. 25 February 1942 letter from Tovey to the Admiralty, NA London ADM 199/347.

  6. PQ12’s merchant ships: undated summary of sailing and arrival dates in Russian ports, NA London ADM 237/163. QP8 merchant ships: 1 March 1942 SBNO North Russia telegram, NA London ADM 199/347.

  7. 27 February and 3 March 1942 messages from Tovey to Vice Admiral Curteis, NA London ADM 199/347.

  8. I March 1942 message from SBNO North Russia to the Admiralty, NA London ADM 199/347.

  9. WOODMAN’S BOOK p. 72.

  10. 5 March 1942 entry in KTB DES ADMIRAL NORDMEER.

  11. Ibid.

  12. 6 March 1942 entry in KTB DER SKL TEIL A.

  13. Account by Dick Raikes, IWM Documents 6349.

  14. 12.50 a.m. 7 March 1942 message from the Admiralty to Tovey (specified sending time being 2350A 6 March) referring to Seawolf’s signal, NA London ADM 199/347; and BRITISH ARCTIC CONVOYS HISTORY p. 8.

  15. Account by Charles Friend (‘Friend’s Account’), IWM Documents 86/37/1.

  16. 7 March 1942 entry in ‘832 Squadron’s War Diary’, NA London ADM 207/28.

  17. Report by Admiral Sir Jack Tovey headed ‘Operations In Support Of Convoys PQ12 & QP8’, enclosed with 13 March 1942 letter (‘Tovey’s 2nd PQ12 Report’), NA London ADM 199/347.

  18. Dalton Leslie ‘Dal’ Munn, Diary of Squandered Valor: First Convoy to Murmansk pp. 48–51, diary entries for 4–6 March 1942.

  19. ‘Summary of Captain Denny’s Report of Proceedings (Kenya’s 0355/A of 14.iii.42)’ (‘Kenya’s Report’) in NHB.

  20. Ibid.; and British Arctic Convoys History p. 9.

  21. 7 March 1942 message from the Admiralty to PQ12 escorts, timed 1519A (4.19 p.m., GMT + 2), which according to Kenya’s Report appears to have been received in Kenya at 5 p.m. (GMT + 2) 7 March 1942.

  22. 7 March 1942 entry in KTB der 5 Zerstörerflottille, Militärarchiv Freiburg RM 58/23; 6 March 1942 entry KTB der Skl Teil A; and Anlage 1 to the KTB DES BEFEHLSHABERS DER SCHLACHTSCHIFFE for 1–15 March 1942.

  23. The 5 March 1942 entry in the KTB des Admiral Nordmeer covering 1–12 March 1942 refers to the sighting of PQ12 by the German aircraft; and that KTB’s Anlage 18a states the sighting took place at the position referred to as AA 9918 on the German grid map (approximately 69°39’ N 09°30’ W); whereas Kenya’s Report states that the aircraft approached the convoy at 70°05’ N 06°09’ W. The latter location is around 90 miles to the north-east of the location reported by the German aircraft crew.

  24. 7 March 1942 entries in: KTB DES ZERSTÖRERS FRIEDRICH IHN; KTB DES ZERSTÖRERS Z 25; and in KTB der 5 Zerstörerflottille, Militärarchiv Freiburg RM 94/84, RM 94/110 and RM 58/23 respectively.

  25. Kenya’s Report; Onslow message to Tovey timed ‘1632’ (1732: GMT + 2) 7 March, NA London ADM 199/347; Tovey’s 2nd PQ12 Report.