Convoy JW 56A Convoy JW 56A was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II . It sailed in January 1944 , reaching the Soviet northern ports at the end of the month . Twelve ships arrived safely . During the voyage JW 56A was attacked by a German U - boat force ; three ships were sunk and one of the escorts damaged in the operation . Ships . The convoy consisted of 20 merchant ships which departed from Loch Ewe on 12 January 1944 . Close escort was provided by a force led by " Inconstant " and two corvettes , with two more destroyers joining later . There was also an Ocean escort , comprising the destroyer " Hardy " ( Capt . WGA Robson commanding ) and five other destroyers . The convoy was also accompanied initially by a local escort group from Britain , and was also joined later by a local escort group from Murmansk . A cruiser cover force comprising " Kent " ( R . Adm AFE Palliser ) , " Berwick " and " Bermuda " also followed the convoy , to guard against attack by surface units . JW 56A was opposed by a U - boat force of 10 boats in a patrol line , code - named " Isengrim " , in the Norwegian Sea . Action . JW 56A departed Loch Ewe on 12 January 1944 , accompanied by its local escort , of two minesweepers and two corvettes , and a close escort of three destroyers and two corvettes . Three days out from Loch Ewe , on 15 January , JW 56A ran into a storm , forcing the convoy to shelter at Akureyri in Iceland , which it reached on 18 January . After another three days the storm abated and on 21 January JW 56A was able to depart , though five ships were forced to drop out with storm damage . The convoy was joined on 21 January by " Hardy " and her group , but the following day the local escort departed , leaving an escort force of ten warships to see the convoy through . Despite search patrols by German aircraft the convoy was not found in the prevailing gloom of the polar night , but on 25 January JW 56A passed the northernmost U - boat of the patrol line , , which broadcast an alert and commenced shadowing . Later on 25 January the attack started , continuing throughout the day and following night . The seven boats in contact made a total of seventeen attacks over a twelve hour period . The first success was a hit by on the destroyer " Obdurate " , which was forced to retire with damage . Later " U - 278 " hit " Penelope Barker " , which sank . Just after midnight " U - 360 " hit " Fort Bellingham " , which was crippled , and hit " Andrew G Curtin " , which sank . Later , at around 5am , under the command of Gerhard Schaar also hit " Fort Bellingham " , which was sunk . All other attacks were beaten off , and during 26 January the convoy was able to shake off further pursuit . On 27 January JW 56A was met by the local escort , three Soviet destroyers from Murmansk , and the ocean escort detached , to head back through the " Isengrim " patrol area to meet and re - inforce the following convoy JW 56B . Meanwhile JW 56A arrived at Kola without further losses on 28 January 1944 . Conclusion . Despite the loss of three ships , and the return of five others , twelve ships had arrived safely , making JW 56A a qualified success . Convoy JW 56A was followed into Murmansk five days later by JW 56B .