On 1 April "Faulknor" led a force of five other destroyers that were to escort ten Norwegian merchant ships attempting to reach Britain from Sweden via the Skagerrak. The Germans were expecting the breakout and damaged or sank six of them while causing two others to return to Sweden. "Faulknor" sank the burning after her crew had been taken off by another destroyer, despite heavy attacks by the Luftwaffe. As usual, she led the escorts of the distant covering force for Convoys PQ 14 on 11–18 April, PQ 15 on 22 April–5 May and PQ 16 on 23–30 May, and then PQ 17 on 29 June–8 July with little incident other than the usual heavy weather. Five days later "Faulknor" began a refit at a shipyard at Hull that lasted until 27 August.