# HMS Lady Madeleine (FY 283)

### ASW Trawler

**Navy**|  The Royal Navy  
---|---  
**Type**| ASW Trawler  
**Class**| [No specific class]  
**Pennant**|  FY 283   
**Built by**|  Cook, Welton & Gemmill (Beverley, U.K.)   
**Ordered**  
**Laid down**  
**Launched**|  14 Sep 1939   
**Commissioned**|  Apr 1940   
**End service**  
**History**|  Completed on 30 November 1939.  
Taken over by the Admiralty on 24 January 1940.  
Displacement: 581 tons. Returned to her owner in February 1946.  
Renamed Kingston Diamond in 1946.  
Scrapped at Glasson Dock, UK on 8 April 1965.  
  
### Commands listed for HMS Lady Madeleine (FY 283)

Please note that we're still working on this section.

**Commander**| **From**| **To**  
---|---|---  
1| Lt.Cdr. _Thomas George_ Hill, RNR| 24 Apr 1940| 14 Aug 1940  
2| T/Lt. _Philip Hastings_ Potter, RNR| 14 Aug 1940| 27 Feb 1941  
3| T/Lt. _William Graeme_ Ogden, RNVR| 27 Feb 1941| Feb 1943  
4| T/A/Lt.Cdr. _Nigel Stuart_ Heriot, DSC, RNVR| Feb 1943| 27 Jul 1943  
5| T/Lt. _Roger Crawford_ Heron, RNVR| 27 Jul 1943| 6 Sep 1944  
6| T/Lt. _John David Walter_ Lewis, RNVR| 6 Sep 1944  
  
### Notable events involving Lady Madeleine include:

  


**29 Jan 1941**  
HMS Lady Madeleine (T/Lt. P.H. Potter, RNR) picks up 20 survivors from the British merchant King Robert that was torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-94 south of Rockall in position 56°00'N, 15°23'W.

**22 May 1941**  
HrMs O 10 (Lt. J.H. Geijs, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMCS Eyebright (T/Lt. E. Randell, RCNR), HMS Carnation (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Houchen, OBE, RNR) and HMS Lady Madeleine (T/Lt. W.G. Ogden, RNVR). (1)

**21 May 1942**  


### Convoy operation to and from northern Russia, convoy's PQ 16 and QP 12.

**Convoy PQ 16 from Reykjavik to the Kola Inlet and convoy QP 12 from the Kola Inlet to Reykjavik.**

Timespan: 21 May 1942 to 1 June 1942. 

**21 May 1942.**

On this day convoy PQ 16 of 35 merchant vessels departed Reykjavik for northern Russia. The convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels. _**Alamar**_ (American, 5689 GRT, built 1916), _**Alcoa Banner**_ (American, 5035 GRT, built 1919), _**American Press**_ (American, 5131 GRT, built 1920), _**American Robin**_ (American, 5172 GRT, built 1919), _**Arcos**_ (Russian, 2343 GRT, built 1918), _**Atlantic**_ (British, 5414 GRT, built 1939), _**Carlton**_ (American, 5127 GRT, built 1920), _**Chernyshevski**_ (Russian, 3588 GRT, built 1919), _**City of Joliet**_ (American, 6167 GRT, built 1920), _**City of Omaha**_ (American, 6124 GRT, built 1920), _**Empire Baffin**_ (British, 6978 GRT, built 1941), _**Empire Elgar**_ (British, 2847 GRT, built 1942), _**Empire Lawrence**_ (British, 7457 GRT, built 1941), _**Empire Purcell**_ (British, 7049 GRT, built 1942), _**Empire Selwyn**_ (British, 7167 GRT, built 1941), _**Exterminator**_ (Panamanian, 6115 GRT, built 1924), _**Heffron**_ (American, 7611 GRT, built 1919), _**Hybert**_ (American, 6120 GRT, built 1920), _**John Randolph**_ (American, 7191 GRT, built 1941), _**Lowther Castle**_ (British, 5171 GRT, built 1937), _**Massmar**_ (American, 5828 GRT, built 1920), _**Mauna Kea**_ (American, 6064 GRT, built 1920), _**Michigan**_ (Panamanian, 6419 GRT, built 1920), _**Minotaur**_ (American, 4554 GRT, built 1918), _**Mormacsul**_ (American, 5481 GRT, built 1920), _**Nemaha**_ (American, 6501 GRT, built 1920), _**Ocean Voice**_ (British, 7174 GRT, built 1941), _**Pieter de Hoogh**_ (Dutch, 7168 GRT, built 1941), _**Revolutsioner**_ (Russian, 2900 GRT, built 1936), _**Richard Henry Lee**_ (American, 7191 GRT, built 1941), _**Shchors**_ (Russian, 3770 GRT, built 1921), _**Stary Bolshevik**_ (Russian, 3974 GRT, built 1933), _**Steel Worker**_ (American, 5685 GRT, built 1920), _**Syros**_ (American, 6191 GRT, built 1920) and _**West Nilus**_ (American, 5495 GRT, built 1920). 

Close escort was initially provided by the western escort which was made up of the British minesweeper _HMS Hazard_ (Lt.Cdr. J.R.A. Seymour, RN) and the A/S trawlers _St. Elstan_ (Lt. R.M. Roberts, RNR), _Lady Madeleine_ (T/Lt. W.G.Ogden, RNVR), _HMS Northern Spray_ (T/Lt. G.T. Gilbert, RNVR) and (until 23 May) _Retriever_ (Free French). 

Also on this day convoy QP 12 of 15 merchant vessels departed northern Russia for Reykjavik. The convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels. _**Alcoa Rambler**_ (American, 5500 GRT, built 1919), _**Bayou Chico**_ (American, 5401 GRT, built 1920), _**Cape Race**_ (British, 3807 GRT, built 1930), _**Empire Morn**_ (British, 7092 GRT, built 1941), _**Expositor**_ (American, 4959 GRT, built 1919), _**Francis Scott Key**_ (American, 7191 GRT, built 1941), _**Hegira**_ (American, 7588 GRT, built 1919), _**Ilmen**_ (Russian, 2369 GRT, built 1923), _**Kuzbass**_ (Russian, 3109 GRT, built 1914), _**Paul Luckenbach**_ (American, 6606 GRT, built 1913), _**Scotish American**_ (British, 6999 GRT, built 1920), _**Seattle Spirit**_ (American, 5627 GRT, built 1919), _**Southgate**_ (British, 4862 GRT, built 1926), _**Texas**_ (American, 5638 GRT, built 1919) and Topa Topa (American, 5356 GRT, built 1920). 

Close escort was provided by the destroyers _HMS Inglefield_ (Capt. P. Todd, DSO, RN), _HMS Escapade_ (Lt.Cdr. E.N.V. Currey, DSC, RN), _HMS Boadicea_ (Lt.Cdr. F.C. Brodrick, RN), _HMS Venomous_ (Cdr. H.W. Falcon-Steward, RN), _HNoMS St. Albans_ (Lt.Cdr. S.V. Storheill, RNorN), escort destroyer _HMS Badsworth_ (Lt. G.T.S. Gray, DSC, RN), AA-ship _HMS Ulster Queen_ (A/Capt. D.S. McGrath, RN), minesweeper _HMS Harrier_ (Cdr. E.P. Hinton, DSO, RN) and the A/S trawlers _HMS Cape Palliser_ (Lt. B.T. Wortley, RNR), _HMS Northern Pride_ (T/Lt. A.R. Cornish, RNR), _HMS Northern Wave_ (T/Lt. W.G. Pardoe-Matthews, RNR) and _HMS Vizalma_ (T/Lt. J.R. Anglebeck, RNVR). 

Furthermore a eastern local escort escorted the convoy as far as 30°E. This was made up of the Russian destroyers _Grozniy_ , _Sokrushitelny_ and the British minesweepers _HMS Bramble_ (Capt. J.H.F. Crombie, RN), _HMS Leda_ (Cdr. A.D.H. Jay, DSC, RN), _HMS Seagull_ (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Pollock, RN), and _HMS Gossamer_ (Lt.Cdr. T.C. Crease, RN). 

**22 May 1942.**

The British heavy cruisers _HMS Norfolk_ (Capt. E.G.H. Bellars, RN), _HMS Kent_ (Capt. A.E.M.B. Cunninghame-Graham, RN) and light cruiser _HMS Liverpool_ (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) left Hvalfiord to make rendez-vous with Rear Admiral Commanding, Tenth Cruiser Squadron in position 66°00'N, 13°00'E the next day and then form the cruiser covering force for convoy's PQ 16 and QP 12. 

The US destroyers _USS Wainwright_ (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Gibbs, USN), _USS Mayrant_ (Cdr. C.C. Hartman, USN), _USS Rhind_ (Lt.Cdr. H.T. Read, USN), and USS Rowan (Lt.Cdr. B.R. Harrison, Jr., USN) left Hvalfiord for Seidisfiord to fuel before joining the battlefleet at sea. 

Force Q; RFA tanker **_Black Ranger_** (3417 GRT, built 1941) and her escort, the escort destroyer _HMS Ledbury_ (Lt.Cdr. R.P. Hill, RN) as well as the close escort for convoy PQ 16 the AA ship _HMS Alynbank_ (A/Capt.(rtd.) H.F. Nash, RN), corvettes _HMS Honeysuckle_ (Lt. H.H.D. MacKillican, DSC, RNR), _FFS Roselys_ , _HMS Starwort_ (Lt.Cdr. N.W. Duck, RD, RNR), _HMS Hyderabad_ (Lt. S.C.B. Hickman, RN)and the submarines _HMS Seawolf_ (Lt. R.P. Raikes, RN)and _HMS Trident_ (Lt. A.R. Hezlet, DSC, RN) left Seidisfiord to join convoy PQ 16 at sea. 

**23 May 1942.**

The battlefleet, made up of the battleships _HMS Duke of York_ (Capt. C.H.J. Harcourt, CBE, RN, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral J.C. Tovey, KCB, KBE, DSO, RN, C-in-C Home Fleet), _USS Washington_ (Capt. H.H.J. Benson, USN, with Rear-Admiral R.C. Griffen, USN on board), aircraft carrier _HMS Victorious_ (Capt. H.C. Bovell, CBE, RN), heavy cruiers _USS Wichita_ (Capt. H.W. Hill, USN), _HMS London_ (Capt. R.M. Servaes, CBE, RN), destroyers _HMS Faulknor_ (Capt. A.K. Scott-Moncrieff, RN), _HMS Intrepid_ (Cdr. C.A. de W. Kitcat, RN), _HMS Icarus_ (Lt.Cdr. C.D. Maud, DSC and Bar, RN), _HMS Eclipse_ (Lt.Cdr. E. Mack, DSC, RN), _HMS Fury_ (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Campbell, DSC and Bar, RN) and the escort destroyers _HMS Blankney_ (Lt.Cdr. P.F. Powlett, RN), _HMS Lamerton_ (Lt.Cdr. C.R. Purse, DSC, RN), _HMS Middleton_ (Lt.Cdr. D.C. Kinloch, RN), and _HMS Wheatland_ (Lt.Cdr. R.de.L Brooke, RN) left Hvalfiord to provide distant cover for convoy's PQ 16 and QP 12. 

Light cruiser _HMS Nigeria_ (Capt. S.H. Paton, RN, flying the flag of the Rear-Admiral 10th C.S., Sir H.M. Burrough, CB, DSO, RN) and the destroyers _HMS Onslow_ (Capt. H.T. Armstong, DSC and Bar, RN), _HMS Oribi_ (Lt.Cdr. J.E.H. McBeath, DSO, DSC, RN), _HMS Ashanti_ (Cdr. R.G. Onslow, RN), _HMS Achates_ (Lt.Cdr. A.A. Tait, DSO, RN), _HMS Martin_ (Cdr. C.R.P. Thomson, RN), _HMS Marne_ (Lt.Cdr. H.N.A. Richardson, DSC, RN), _HMS Volunteer_ (Lt. A.S. Pomeroy, RN), and _ORP Garland_ (Lt.Cdr. H. Eibel, ORP) left Seidisfiord and joined the escort of PQ 16 P.M. heaving made rendez-vous with _HMS Norfolk_ , _HMS Kent_ and _HMS Liverpool_ before joining the convoy. 

Force Q (_RFA Black Ranger_ and _HMS Ledbury_ and the close escort _HMS Alynbank_ , _HMS Honeysuckle_ , _FFS Roselys_ , _HMS Starwort_ , _HMS Hyderabad_ , _HMS Seawolf_ and _HMS Trident_ also joined convoy PQ 16 P.M. 

The US destroyers _USS Wainwright_ , _USS Mayrant_ , _USS Rhind_ and _USS Rowan_ arrived at Seidisfiord to fuel before joining the battlefleet at sea sailing P.M. 

**24 May 1942.**

The US destroyers _USS Wainwright_ , _USS Mayrant_ , _USS Rhind_ and _USS Rowan_ joined the battlefleet in position 65°50'N, 13°01'E. 

British destroyers _HMS Faulknor_ , _HMS Fury_ , _HMS Eclipse_ , _HMS Intrepid_ and _HMS Icarus_ were detached from the battlefleet to fuel at Seidisfiord, arriving A.M. and rejoining the battlefleet at sea P.M. _HMS Middleton_ , _HMS Lamerton_ , _HMS Wheatland_ and _HMS Blankney_ were then detached from the Battlefleet to fuel at Seidisfiord, arriving P.M. 

One merchant vessel of convoy QP 12 had to return with engine defects, this was the American _Hegira_. 

**25 May 1942.**

Both convoy's were reported by enemy aircraft this day. 

Also several German U-boats from the 'Greif-wolfpack' were able to make contact with convoy PQ 16 during the day. 

First one was _U-209_ at 0620 hours (All times of the U-boats are Berlin time). She was however driven off with gunfire from _HMS Martin_ a little over an hour later. She again made contact briefly around 1750 hours. 

Then at 0645 hours, _U-436_ also made contact. She however lost contact around 0800 hours. 

At 0655 hours, _U-703_ briefly made contact but was driven off. 

At 0751 hours _U-591_ briefly made contact. 

At 1200 hours _U-703_ again made contact but lost contact soon afterwards. 

At 1500 hours _U-591_ was detected and engaged with gunfire by _HMS Martin_. She dived and was then depth charged but sustained no damage. 

_U-436_ again made contact at 1522 hours but lost contact again soon afterwards. 

At 1615 hours, _U-586_ made contact also to loose contact soon afterwards. 

At 2005 hours _U-591_ briefly made contact with the convoy but lost it soon afterwards. 

PQ 16 was also attacked by torpedo and dive bombers, many near misses were obtained, The American merchant ship _Carlton_ had a fractured a steam pipe and proceeded to Seidisfiord in tow of the A/S trawler _HMS Northern Spray_. 

**26 May 1942.**

Shortly before 0300 hours _U-703_ attacked convoy PQ 16 and managed to torpedo and sink the American merchant _Syros_ in position 72°35'N, 05°30'E. 

During the remainder of day enemy aircraft were in contact and were homing in U-boats. 

At 0400 hours (All U-boat times are Berlin time) _U-209_ briefly made contact. 

At the same time _U-436_ was also in contact and fired one torpedo which missed. 

At 0427 hours _U-436_ fired two torpedoes at the A/S trawler _HMS Lady Madeleine_. Both missed and _Lady Madeleine_ then counter attacked with depth charges causing damage to the German submarine forcing her to break off her patrol. 

At 0846 hours _U-591_ attacked _HMS Achates_ with three torpedoes which missed. _Achates_ then counter attacked but the depth charges fell way off. 

At 0930 hours _U-586_ was driven off with gunfire by _HMS Martin_. 

At 1400 hours _U-703_ briefly made contact. 

At 2212 hours _U-703_ was detected by HMS Martin and engaged with gunfire. On diving she was depth charged but sustained no damage. 

**27 May 1942.**

During the day convoy PQ 16 was attacked many times by emeny aircraft. Three of the merchant vessels were sunk by bombs; _Empire Lawrence_ , _Empire Purcell_ and _Mormacsul_. The _Alamar_ was heavily damaged by bombs and was scuttled by _HMS Trident_. Also the merchant vessel _Lowther Castle_ was sunk by enemy torpedo aircraft. 

The merchant vessels _Stary Bolshevik_ , _Ocean Voice_ (with the Convoi-Commodore Capt. Gale on board), _Empire Baffin_ and _City of Joliet_ were damaged during the air attacks. 

The destroyer _ORP Garland_ was also damaged and detached to Murmansk. It is possible the destroyer was damaged by her own depth charges while attacking _U-703_ shortly before noon. 

The already damaged merchant vessel _Carlton_ , in tow of _HMS Northern Spray_ towards Seidisfiord is also attacked by enemy aircraft but no hits were obtained on her. 

Also on this day Russian destroyers from the eastern local escort sailed from Murmansk to join convoy PQ 16. It was made up _Grozniy_ , _Sokrushitelny_ , _Valerian Kyubishev_. Also four British minesweepers sailed to join the escort as well, these were _HMS Bramble_ , _HMS Leda_ , _HMS Seagull_ and _HMS Gossamer_. They all joined the convoy escort the next day. 

Force Q (RFA tanker _Black Ranger_ escorted by _HMS Ledbury_ is detached to Scapa Flow. 

_HMS Middleton_ , _HMS Lamerton_ , _HMS Wheatland_ and _HMS Blankney_ departed Seidisfiord to make rendez-vous with the battlefleet in position 66°50'N, 11°25'W. 

The merchant vessels _Cape Race_ , _Empire Morn_ and _Southgate_ split off from convoy QP 12 and set course for the Clyde escorted by _HMS Ulster Queen_ , _HMS Venomous_ and _HMS Badsworth_. 

**28 May 1942.**

_HMS Victorious_ was detached from the battlefleet to Hvalfiord escorted by _HMS Faulknor_ , _HMS Fury_ and _HMS Eclipse_. 

_HMS Middleton_ , _HMS Lamerton_ , _HMS Wheatland_ and _HMS Blankney_ joined the battlefleet at sea. 

_HMS Kent_ detached from the cruiser cover force and set course for Hvalfiord. 

The damaged American merchant vessel _City of Joliet_ had to be abandoned and was scuttled. 

**29 May 1942.**

_HMS Intrepid_ and _HMS Icarus_ left the battlefleet for Skaalefiord to fuel, arriving A.M. and after fuelling sailed independently for Scapa Flow. 

_HMS Victorious_ end her escort _HMS Faulknor_ , _HMS Fury_ and _HMS Eclipse_ arrived at Hvalfiord. 

Force Q (_RFA Black Ranger_ and _HMS Ledbury_) was ordered to proceed to Sullom Voe instead of Scapa Flow. 

The cruiser cover force _HMS Nigeria_ , _HMS Liverpool_ , _HMS Norfolk_ , _HMS Onslow_ , HMS Oribi and _HMS Marne_ arrived at Scapa Flow. 

The battlefleet, which at that time was made up of the battleships _HMS Duke of York_ , _USS Washington_ , heavy cruisers _HMS London_ , _USS Wichita_ , destroyers _USS Wainwright_ , _USS Mayrant_ , _USS Rhind_ and _USS Rowan_ and the escort destroyers _HMS Middleton_ , _HMS Lamerton_ , _HMS Wheatland_ and _HMS Blankney_ also arrived at Scapa Flow. 

_HMS Kent_ arrived at Hvalfiord. 

Convoy QP 12 (minus the three merchants and their escort that had been detached on the 27th) arrived at Reykjavik, Iceland. 

**30 May 1942.**

The merchant vessels _Cape Race_ , _Empire Morn_ and _Southgate_ (Ex QP 12) escorted by _HMS Venomous_ and _HMS Badsworth_ arrived at the Clyde. _Ulster Queen_ had been ordered to proceed to Belfast where she arrived also on this day. 

Convoy PQ 16 arrived at Murmansk. Six merchant ships continued on to Archangel where they arrived on 1 June. (2)

**27 Jun 1942**  
** __Convoy operations PQ 17 / QP 13__**

Convoy’s to and from Northern Russia 

On 27 June 1942 Convoy PQ 17 departed Reykjavik Iceland bound for northern Russia. This convoy was made up of the following merchant ships; 

American **Alcoa Ranger** (5116 GRT, built 1919), **Bellingham** (5345 GRT, built 1920), **Benjamin Harrison** (7191 GRT, built 1942), **Carlton** (5127 GRT, built 1920), **Christopher Newport** (7191 GRT, built 1942), **Daniel Morgan** (7177 GRT, built 1942), **Exford** (4969 GRT, built 1919), **Fairfield City** (5686 GRT, built 1920), **Honomu** (6977 GRT, built 1919), **Hoosier** (5060 GRT, built 1920), **Ironclad** (5685 GRT, built 1919), **John Witherspoon** (7191 GRT, built 1942), **Olopana** (6069 GRT, built 1920), **Pan Atlantic** (5411 GRT, built 1919), **Pan Kraft** (5644 GRT, built 1919), **Peter Kerr** (6476 GRT, built 1920), **Richard Bland** (7191 GRT, built 1942), **Washington** (5564 GRT, built 1919), **West Gotomska** (5728 GRT, built 1919), **William Hooper** (7177 GRT, built 1942), **Winston-Salem** (6223 GRT, built 1920), 

British **Bolton Castle** (5203 GRT, built 1939), **Earlston** (7195 GRT, built 1941), **Empire Byron** (6645 GRT, built 1941), **Empire Tide** (6978 GRT, built 1941), **Hartlebury** (5082 GRT, built 1934), **Navarino** (4841 GRT, built 1937), **Ocean Freedom** (7173 GRT, built 1942), **River Afton** (5479 GRT, built 1935), **Samuel Chase** (7191 GRT, built 1942), **Silver Sword** (4937 GRT, built 1920), 

Dutch **Paulus Potter** (7168 GRT, built 1942), 

Panamanian **El Capitan** (5255 GRT, built 1917), **Troubadour** (6428 GRT, built 1920), 

The Russian tankers **Azerbaidjan** (6114 GRT, built 1932), **Donbass** (7925 GRT, built 1935), 

The British (Royal Fleet Auxiliary) tanker **Grey Ranger** (3313 GRT, built 1941). 

Also with the convoy was a British rescue ship **Zaafaran** (1559 GRT, built 1921). 

The US merchants Exford and West Gotomska had to return both arrived back damaged at Reykjavik on 30 June. The first one due to ice damage and the second one due to damaged engines. 

Escort was provided by the minesweepers HMS Britomart (Lt.Cdr. S.S. Stammwitz, RN), HMS Halcyon (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Corbet-Singleton, DSC, RN), HMS Salamander (Lt. W.R. Muttram, RN), A/S trawlers HMS Ayrshire (T/Lt. L.J.A. Gradwell, RNVR), HMS Lord Austin (T/Lt. O.B. Egjar, RNR), HMS Lord Middleton (T/Lt. R.H. Jameson, RNR) and HMS Northern Gem (Skr.Lt. W.J.V. Mullender, DSC, RD, RNR) and the submarine HMS P 615 (Lt. P.E. Newstead, RN). 

The convoy was joined at sea by a close escort force made up of the following warships; destroyers HMS Keppel (Cdr. J.E. Broome, RN / in command of the close escort of the convoy) , HMS Offa (Lt.Cdr. R.A. Ewing, RN), HMS Fury (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Campbell, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Leamington (Lt. B.M.D. L’Anson, RN), escort destroyers HMS Ledbury (Lt.Cdr. R.P. Hill, RN), HMS Wilton (Lt. A.P. Northey, DSC, RN), corvettes HMS Lotus (Lt. H.J. Hall, RNR), HMS Poppy (Lt. N.K. Boyd, RNR), HMS Dianella (T/Lt. J.G. Rankin, RNR), HMS La Malouine (T/Lt. V.D.H. Bidwell, RNR), Auxiliary AA ships HMS Palomares (A/Capt.(rtd.) J.H. Jauncey, RN) and HMS Pozarica (A/Capt.(rtd.) E.D.W. Lawford, RN) and submarine HMS P 614 (Lt. D.J. Beckley, RN). Also two more British rescue ships sailed with this force to join the convoy at sea; **Rathlin** (1600 GRT, built 1936) and **Zamalek** (1567 GRT, built 1921). 

The RFA tanker Grey Ranger, which was to fuel the escorts, was now sailing independent from the convoy, she was escorted by the destroyer HMS Douglas (Lt.Cdr. R.B.S. Tennant, RN). Another RFA tanker, the **Aldersdale** , had now joined the convoy. It had originally been intended that Aldersdale would take the role the Grey Ranger was now performing but Grey Ranger had been damaged by ice to the north of Iceland so both tankers swappd roles. 

Meanwhile on June 26th the Archangel section of the return convoy QP 13 had departed that port. This section was made up of 22 merchant ships; 

American **American Press** (5131 GRT, built 1920), **American Robin** (5172 GRT, built 1919), **Hegira** (7588 GRT, built 1919), **Lancaster** (7516 GRT, built 1918), **Massmar** (5828 GRT, built 1920), **Mormacrey** (5946 GRT, built 1919), **Yaka** (5432 GRT, built 1920), 

British **Chulmleigh** (5445 GRT, built 1938), **Empire Mavis** (5704 GRT, built 1919), **Empire Meteor** (7457 GRT, built 1940), **Empire Stevenson** (6209 GRT, built 1941), **St. Clears** (4312 GRT, built 1936), 

Dutch **Pieter de Hoogh** (7168 GRT, built 1941), 

Panamanian **Capira** (5625 GRT, built 1920), **Mount Evans** (5598 GRT, built 1919), 

Russian **Alma Ata** (3611 GRT, built 1920), **Archangel** (2480 GRT, built 1929), **Budenni** (2482 GRT, built 1923), **Komiles** (3962 GRT, built 1932), **Kuzbass** (3109 GRT, built 1914), **Petrovski** (3771 GRT, built 1921), **Rodina** (4441 GRT, built 1922), **Stary Bolshevik** (3794 GRT, built 1933) 

They were escorted by the destroyers HMS Intrepid (Cdr. C.A. de W. Kitcat, RN), ORP Garland (Lt.Cdr. H. Eibel), the corvettes HMS Starwort (Lt.Cdr. N.W. Duck, RD, RNR), HMS Honeysuckle (Lt. H.H.D. MacKillican, DSC, RNR), the auxiliary AA ship HMS Alynbank (A/Capt.(rtd.) H.F. Nash, RN) and a local escort of four minesweepers ; HMS Bramble (Capt. J.H.F. Crombie, DSO, RN), HMS Seagull (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Pollock, RN), HMS Leda (A/Cdr.(rtd.) A.H. Wynne-Edwards, RN) and HMS Hazard (Lt.Cdr. J.R.A. Seymour, RN). 

the next day (27th) the Murmask section of convoy QP 13 also went to sea. This was made up of 12 merchant ships; 

American **City of Omaha** (6124 GRT, built 1920), **Heffron** (7611 GRT, built 1919), **Hybert** (6120 GRT, built 1920), **John Randolph** (7191 GRT, built 1941), **Mauna Kea** (6064 GRT, built 1919), **Nemaha** (6501 GRT, built 1920), **Richard Henry Lee** (7191 GRT, built 1941), 

British **Atlantic** (5414 GRT, built 1939), **Empire Baffin** (6978 GRT, built 1941), **Empire Selwyn** (7167 GRT, built 1941), 

Panamanian **Exterminator** (6115 GRT, built 1924), **Michigan** (6419 GRT, built 1920), 

They were escorted by the destroyers HMS Inglefield (Cdr. A.G. West, RN), HMS Achates (Lt.Cdr. A.A. Tait, DSO, RN), HMS Volunteer (Lt. A.S. Pomeroy, RN), the minesweepers HMS Niger (Cdr.ret.) A.J. Cubison, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Hussar (Lt. R.C. Biggs, DSC, RN), the corvettes HMS Hyderabad (Lt. S.C.B. Hickman, RN), FFS Roselys and the A/S trawlers Lady Madeleine (T/Lt. W.G.Ogden, RNVR) and St. Elstan (Lt. R.M. Roberts, RNR). Also three Russian destroyers (Grozniy, Gremyashchiy and Valerian Kyubishev) joined the escort of convoy QP 13 as far as 30 degrees East. 

To cover these convoy operations a close cover force departed Hvalfjordur, Iceland on 30 June to take up a position to the north of convoy PQ 17. This force was made up of the British heavy cruisers HMS London (Capt. R.M. Servaes, CBE, RN), HMS Norfolk (Capt. E.G.H. Bellars, RN), as well as the American heavy cruisers USS Tuscaloosa (Capt. L.P. Johnson, USN) and USS Wichita (Capt. H.W. Hill, USN). They were escorted by the British destroyer HMS Somali (Capt. J.W.M. Eaton, DSO, DSC, RN) and the American destroyers USS Rowan (Lt.Cdr. B.R. Harrison, Jr., USN) and USS Wainwright (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Gibbs, USN). 

A distant cover force had meanwhile sailed from Scapa Flow late on the 29th to take up a cover position north-east of Jan Mayen Island. This force was made up of battleships HMS Duke of York (Capt. C.H.J. Harcourt, CBE, RN, with the Commander-in-Chief Home Fleet, Admiral Sir J. Tovey, KCB, KBE, DSO, RN on board), USS Washington (Capt. H.H.J. Benson, USN, with Rear-Admiral R.C. Griffen, USN on board), aircraft carrier HMS Victorious (Capt. H.C. Bovell, CBE, RN, with Vice-Admiral Sir B. Fraser, CB, KBE, RN, second in command Home Fleet on board), heavy cruiser HMS Cumberland (Capt. A.H. Maxwell-Hyslop, AM, RN), light cruiser HMS Nigeria (Capt. S.H. Paton, RN, with Rear-Admiral Sir H.M. Burrough, CB, DSO, RN, commanding Cruiser Squadron 10 on board). They were escorted by the destroyers HMS Faulknor (Capt. A.K. Scott-Moncrieff, RN, Capt. 8th Destroyer Flotilla), HMS Escapade (Lt.Cdr. E.N.V. Currey, DSC, RN), HMS Martin (Cdr. C.R.P. Thomson, RN), HMS Marne (Lt.Cdr. H.N.A. Richardson, DSC, RN), HMS Onslaught (Cdr. W.H. Selby, RN), HMS Middleton (Lt.Cdr. D.C. Kinloch, RN), HMS Blankney (Lt.Cdr. P.F. Powlett, RN) and HMS Wheatland (Lt.Cdr. R.de.L Brooke, RN). The destroyers HMS Onslow (Capt. H.T. Armstong, DSC and Bar, RN, Capt. 17th Destroyer Flotilla), HMS Ashanti (Cdr. R.G. Onslow, RN),  (Cdr. C.C. Hartman, USN) and USS Rhind (Lt.Cdr. H.T. Read, USN) meanwhile arrived at Seidisfiord, Iceland from Scapa Flow to fuel before joining the Battlefleet at sea later. 

Earlier on the 29th Force X, which was to act as a decoy convoy to fool the Germans, had departed Scapa Flow. This force was made up of; the auxiliary minelayers Southern Prince (A/Capt. J. Cresswell, RN), Agamemnon (Capt.(rtd.) F. Ratsey, RN) , Port Quebec (A/Capt.(rtd.) V. Hammersley-Heenan, RN) , Menestheus (Capt.(rtd.) R.H.F. de Salis, DSC and Bar, OBE, RN) and four merchant vessels (colliers ?). They were escorted by the light cruisers Sirius (Capt. P.W.B. Brooking, RN), Curacoa (Capt. J.W. Boutwood, RN), minelayer Adventure (Capt. N.V. Grace, RN), destroyers Brighton (Cdr.(rtd). C.W.V.T.S. Lepper, RN), St. Marys (Lt.Cdr. K.H.J.L. Phibbs, RN), HMAS Nepal (Cdr. F.B. Morris, RAN), HrMs Tjerk Hiddes (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Kruys. RNethN), the escort destroyers Oakley (Lt.Cdr. T.A. Pack-Beresford, RN), Catterick (Lt. A. Tyson, RN), and 4 A/S trawlers. This force sailed eastward twice, on 30 June and 2 July, to about position 61°30’N, 01°30’E but was not spotted by the Germans. 

First contact with the enemy occurred on 1 July 1942 when escorts from convoy PQ 17 twice attacked German submarines that were spotted on the surface several miles from the convoy. These were U-456 that was depth charged by HMS Ledbury and sustained light damage and U-657 that was depth charged by HMS Ledbury and HMS Leamington, she sustained no damage. That evening convoy PQ 17 also suffered its first attack from the air. Nine torpedo aircraft approached the convoy at about 1800 hours in position 73°30’N, 04°00’E. Some dropped torpedoes but they exploded wide of the convoy. One aircraft was shot down, most likely by the destroyer USS Rowan which was en-route from the cruiser force to the convoy to fuel from the Aldersdale. 

The next night the convoy ran into for which persisted until the forenoon of the 3rd. In the afternoon of 2 July, U-255 made a torpedo attack on one of the escorts, HMS Fury, two torpedoes were fire but both missed. Fury then counter attacked with depth charges but U-255 sustained no damage. At more or less the same time U-376 was also depth charged by two or three escorts, she was not damaged. Shortly afterwards U-334 was also depth charged but she also escaped without damage. 

On the 3rd several U-Boats were in contact for short periods but three were driven off by the escorts in the afternoon. When the mist cleared shadowing aircraft soon regained contact on the convoy. 

By the early morning of the 4th convoy PQ 17 was about 60 nautical miles north of Bear Island where it sustained its first loss. Just before 0500 hours the new American merchant vessel Christopher Newport was torpedoed by a single aircraft. Damage was serious and the ship was finished off by the British submarine HMS P 614 which was part of the convoys escort while the rescue ship Zamalek took off the crew. The ship however remained afloat and was finally finished off by U-457. 

In the evening of the 4th German aircraft made a successful attack on the convoy hitting the British merchant vessel Navarino, the American merchant William Hooper and the Russian tanker Azerbaidjan. The Azerbaidjan was able to proceed at 9 knots and in the end reached port. The other two ships had to be sunk, most of their crews were picked up by the rescue vessels. William Hooper in fact remained afloat and was finally finished off by U-334. 

The situation was now as follows. Convoy PQ 17 was now about 130 nautical miles north-east of Bear Island and had just come through the heavy air attack remarkably well. The convoy discipline and shooting had been admirable and a substantial toll had been taken on the enemy. Rear-Admiral Hamilton was still covering the convoy with his cruiser force some ten miles to the north-eastward, with orders by the Admiralty to do so until ordered otherwise. Some 350 miles to the westward the main cover force was cruising in the area south-west of Spitzbergen. 

Now turning to the Germans. The approval of the Führer to sail the heavy ships to attack the convoy had still not been obtained. The Tirpitz and Admiral Hipper meanwhile had joined the Admiral Scheer at the Alternfjord but noting further could be done without the Führer’s approval. 

Meanwhile at the Admiralty it was known that German heavy surface units had gone to sea from Trondheim (battleships Tirpitz and heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper) and Narvik (pocket battleships Lützow and Admiral Scheer) but they had not been detected at sea. Fearing an attack on the convoy by these ships was imminent the convoy was ordered to scatter at 2123/4. Shortly before that the close cover force had been ordered to withdraw to the west as it was obviously no match for the German heavy ships. 

The Admiralty decision was conveyed to Rear-Admiral Hamilton in the following three signals; Most immediate. Cruiser force withdraw to the west at high speed. (2111B/4) Most immediate. Owning to threat of surface ships, convoy is to disperse and to proceed to Russian ports. (2123B/4) Most immediate. My 2323B/4. Convoy is to scatter. (2136B/4) To Rear-Admiral Hamilton these signals could only mean that further information the admiralty had been hoping for had indeed come in and was of such a nature as to render imperative the drastic measures now ordered. Actually the reason for use of high speed by the cruisers was due to the massing of enemy submarines between 11°E and 20°E and the order to scatter was intended merely as a technical amendment of the term disperse that was used in the previous signal. This could not be known by the recipients, and the cumulative effect of these three signals – especially as the last one had a more important marking as the middle one – was to imply that pressing danger was actually upon them. As Commander Broome put it he expected to see the cruisers open fire and the enemy’s mast appear on the horizon at any moment. In this belief he decided to take the destroyers of his escort group to reinforce the cruiser force, and ordered the two submarines to stay near the convoy when it scattered and to try to attack the enemy, while the rest of the escorting ships were to proceed independently to Archangel. 

At 2215/4 Commander Broome passed the signal to scatter to Commodore Dowding. The convoy was then in position 75°55’N, 27°52’E. Commander Broome then departed with the destroyers of the close screen to join the cruiser force of Rear-Admiral Hamilton. 

Rear-Admiral Hamilton received the Admiralty orders at 2200/4. HMS Norfolk had just flown off her aircraft on an ice patrol. He therefore stood to the eastward for half an hour while attemps were made to recall it but these were without success and at 2230 hours the force turned to a westerly course at 25 knots steering to pass to the southward of the convoy so as to be between it and the probable direction of the enemy. An hour later they passed the merchant vessels which were now on widely divergent courses. 

Rear-Admiral Hamilton was much concerned at the effect of the apparent desertion of the merchant ships had on morale. Had he been aware that the Admiralty had no further information of the enemy heavy units then he himself possessed he would have remained in a covering position until the convoy was widely dispersed. 

As time went on without further developments Rear-Admiral Hamilton became more and more puzzled as to what have led to the sudden scattering of the convoy. But whatever the reason, the orders for his own force were clear, so he remained his westerly course at 25 knots. Thick fog was encountered soon after midnight, which persisted with brief intervals till 0630/5. Commander Broome, equally mystified by the course of events, soon began to feel that his place was with the merchant ships but he thought Rear-Admiral Hamilton was acting on fuller information then himself. As soon as the fog lifted sufficiently for visual signalling he informed the Rear-Admiral of his last hurried instructions to PQ 17 and requested that they should be amplified or amended as nessesary. 

Actually Rear-Admiral Hamilton, who was still under the impression that enemy surface forces were in close proximity, argued that once the convoy had been scattered the enemy would leave it to their air forces and submarines to deal with it (and this was exactly what the Germans did). He feared the enemy surface forces would be ordered to deal with his force and reinforced by Commander Broome’s destroyers he felt that he could fight a delaying action, and had a good chance of leading the enemy within reach of the aircraft of HMS Victorious and possibly the heavy ships of the force of the Commander-in-Chief. 

At 0700/5, while in position 75°40’N, 16°00’E, Rear-Admiral Hamilton reduced to 20 knots and at 0930 hours set course for Jan Mayen Island. It was not until that forenoon that the situation as regards the enemy heavy ships was made clear to him. Meanwhile he had to decide what to do with Commander Broome’s destroyers. Accordingly he ordered them to fuel from HMS London and HMS Norfolk. By 1630 hours the fueling of HMS Ledbury, HMS Wilton, USS Rowan and HMS Keppel had been completed. At 1740 hours a German Focke Wulf aircraft made contact and correctly reported the force in position 74°30’N, 07°40’E. Having been located, Rear-Admiral Hamilton broke wireless silence and at 1830/5 informed the Commander-in-Chief of his position, course, speed and the composition of his force. This was the first time the Commander-in-Chief was informed of the fact the Commander Broome’s destroyers with with the force of Rear-Admiral Hamilton, a fact which he regretted. 

The Commander-in-Chief, having spent 4 July cruising about 150 nautical miles north-west of Bear Island, had turned to the south-westward in the early morning of the 5th, and was then on his way back to Scapa Flow some 120 nautical miles south-west of the force of Rear-Admiral Hamilton. Shortly afterwards there came news at last of the German heavy ships. The Russian submarine K-21 reported at 1700/5 the Tirpitz, Admiral Scheer and eight destroyers in position 71°25’N, 23°40’E, steering course 045°. She claimed to have hit the Tirpitz with two torpedoes. An hour or so later, at 1816 hours, a reconnoitring aircraft reported eleven strange ships in position 71°31’N, 27°10’E steering 065°, speed 10 knots. And finally HMS P 54 (Lt. C.E. Oxborrow, DSC, RN), at 2029/5 reported the Tirpitz and Admiral Hipper escorted by at least six destroyers and eight aircraft in position 71°30’N, 28°40’E steering a course of 060° at a speed of 22 knots. 

Actually the cruise of the German ships was of short duration. Hitler’s permission to lauch the operation had only been obtained in the forenoon of the 5th and the executive order was given at 1137 hours. Rear-Admiral Hamilton’s cruisers were then known to be moving to the westward and Admiral Tovey’s covering force was some 450 miles away from the convoy. It seemed there would be no immediate danger for the German heavy ships provided they could approach the merchant ships unseen and engage them for a time as short as possible. But the Allied sighting reports were intercepted and the Naval Staff calculated that Admiral Tovey would be able to close sufficiently to launch an air attack before they would be able to return to port I they continued operations against the merchant ships after 0100/6. Air and U-boat attacks were meanwhile taking a heavy toll on the convoy and it did not seem that it was worth the risk. At 2132/5 orders were given to abandon the operation. At 2152 hours, while in position 71°38’N, 31°05’E the German ships reversed course and returned to Altafjord. 

During the night of 5/6 July the Admiralty made three signals to the Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet suggesting that the Tirpitz might be ‘reluctant to go as far as the convoy’ if the battlefleet was sighted steering to the eastward, and that aircraft from HMS Victorious might be able to attack her if she had ben damaged by the Russian submarines. The latter appeared to Admiral Tovey unlikely, for as it seemed certain that the Tirpitz, especially if damaged, would not be sailed down the Norwegian coast until adequate fighter cover and seaward reconnaissance were available. However, arrangements were made for the fleet to reverse its course if the approach of enemy aircraft was detected and at 0645/6 course was altered back to the north-eastward. An hour later an enemy aircraft passed over the fleet above the clouds but endeavours to attrack its attention by gunfire and fighters were unsuccessful. That forenoon Rear-Admiral Hamilton’s force joined the fleet at 1040/6. Weather was unsuitable for air reconnaissance and Admiral Tovey felt that nothing was to be gained by continuing to the north-eastward. Rear-Admiral Hamilton’s cruisers and eight destroyers were detached to Seidisfjord at 1230 hours and the battlefleet turned to the southward again shortly afterwards. All ships reached harbour on the 8th. 

The last news of the enemy ships came on 7 July, when a British aircraft working from Vaenga, near Murmansk, reported the Tirpitz, Admiral Scheer and Admiral Hipper and some destroyers followed by an oiler from a neighbouring fjord turning out of Lang Fjord in Arnoy (70°N, 20°30’E). By this time the Allied ships were well on their way home but an attempt to attack the enemy was once again made by submarines. Anticipating their return to Narvik, HMS Sturgeon and FFL Minerve had been ordered on 6 July to leave the main patrol line and to patrol to the mouth of the Vest Fjord on the 7th and the 8th, one at a time, in case the Tirpitz should pass on the outside of the Lofoten Islands, owning to her heavy draught due to possible damage. Nothing came of this, however, nor of a further patrol carried out by HMS Sturgeon on the night of 9/10 July close inshore some 70 nautical miles north of Trondheim in case of any German ships going to that port. 

Now back to the ships of convoy PQ 17. The sudden order to scatter came to Commodore Dowding as an unpleasant surprise. Like Rear-Admiral Hamilton and Commander Broome he did not doubt that it heralded the immediate appearance of enemy heavy ships, and as the escorting destroyers parted company to join the cruisers, he signalled to HMS Keppel ‘Many thanks, goodbye and good hunting’ to which Commander Broome replied ‘It’s a grim business leaving you here’. It was indeed a grim business and the gravity of the situation was clear to all. Weather attack by surface craft developed in a few minutes or by aircraft and submarines during the next few days, the plight of the individual merchant ships – deprived of mutual support of their escort - was parlous in the extreme. 

The convoy scattered as laid down in the instructions, in perfect order, though it must have been apparent to the ships that had to turn to the south-west that they were heading towards where the most trouble might be expected. The merchant ships proceeded mostly alone, or in groups of two or three. The anti-aircraft ships HMS Palomares and HMS Pozarica each took charge of a group, each collecting also two or three minesweepers or corvettes to act as a screen. They joined company the next day and proceeded towards Novaya Zemlya. HMS Salamander accompanied two merchantmen and a rescue ship. HMS Daniella was escorting the submarines, HMS P 614 and HMS P 615. She stood them clear of the convoy, when they separated to patrol in its wake, while the corvette went on by itself. At first the different groups spread on courses ranging from north to east, a few steering afterwards for Archangel, most seeking shelter in Novaya Zemlya. But less than half the merchant ships reached even ‘horrid Zembla’s frozen realms’, for 17 in addition to the oiler RFA Aldersdale and the rescue ship Zaafaran were sunk during the next three days by bombing aircraft and U-boats. The bulk of the losses took place on the 5th while the ships were still far to the north, six being sunk by bombs and six were torpedoed by submarines. One ship was bombed on the 6th. Four were torpedoed by U-boats off the south-west coast of Novaya Zemlya between the evening of the 6th and the early morning of the 8th. 

By the 7th of July, most of the escort, the rescue ship Zamalek and five merchant ships, the Ocean Freedom, Hoosier, Benjamin Harrison, El Capitan and Samual Chase, had reached Matochkin Strait. Commodore Dowding, whose ship the River Afton had been sunk by a U-boat on the 5th, arrived in HMS Lotus, which had rescued him and 36 survivors, including the Master after 3.5 hours on rafts and floats. After a conference on board HMS Palomares, these merchantmen were formed into a convoy into a convoy and sailed that evening, escorted by the two AA ships, HMS Halcyon, HMS Salamander, HMS Britomart, HMS Poppy, HMS Lotus and HMS La Malouine and three A/S trawlers. The Benjamin Harrison soon got separated in fog and returned to the Matochkin Strait but the remainder were still in company when the fog temporarily cleared during the forenoon of the 8th, and course was shaped to pass east and south of Kolguyev Island. It was an anxious passage, much fog and ice was encountered and U-boats were known to be about. From time to time boatloads of survivors from other ships already sunk were encountered and picked up. A remainder of the fate that might be in store for any of them. During the noght of 9-10 July some 40 bombers carried out high level attacks on this small convoy. The attacks lasted for four hours, the Hoosier and El Capitan were sunk by near misses some 60 nautical miles north of Cape Kanin. Four aircraft are believed to have been shot down. The attacks ended at 0230/10 and half an hour later two Russian flying boats appeared. The surviving ships arrived at Archangel the next day, 11 July. Three ships out of thirty-seven were now in port, not a very successful convoy so far. Things were however not that bad as Commodore Dowding thought at that moment. The rescue ship Rathlin with two merchant ships, the Donbass and the Bellingham had arrived on the 9th, having shot down an aircraft the day before, and before long the news of other ships sheltering in Novaya Zemlya came in. 

At his special request, Commodore Dowding, despite all he had been through, left Archangel in HMS Poppy on 16 July, in company with HMS Lotus and HMS La Malouine, to form these merchant ships into a convoy and bring them to Archangel. After a stormy passage they arrived at Byelushya Bay on the 19th. There 12 survivors from the merchant Olopana were found. During the day the coast was searched and in the evening the Winston Salem was found agound and later the Empire Tide was found at anchor. The next morning Motochkin Strait was entered and five merchant ships were found at anchor, the Benjamin Harrison, Silver Sword, Troubadour, Ironclad and the Azerbaidjan. A Russian icebreaker (the Murman) was also there as was a Russian trawler (the Kerov). Also, one of the escorts of convoy PQ 17 was found there, the British A/S trawler Ayrshire. 

Commodore Dowding wasted no time. A conference was held that forenoon and in the evening all ships sailed, the Commodore leading in the Russian icebreaker Murman. The Empire Tide, which had a lot of survivors from sunken ships aboard joined the convoy early the next day. The Winston Salem was however still aground with two Russian tugs standing by. Much fog was encountered during the passage which was uneventful except for two U-boat alarms. The escort was reinforced by HMS Pozarica, HMS Bramble, HMS Hazard, HMS Leda, HMS Dianella and two Russian destroyers on the 22th. The convoy arrived safe at Archangel on the 24th. 

Four days later (on the 28th) the Winston Salem was finally refloated. She managed reached harbour as the last ship of the ill-fated PQ 17 convoy making a total of 11 survivors out of a total of 35 ships. It was realised afterwards by the Admiralty that the decision to scatter the convoy had been premature. 

The disastrous passage of convoy PQ 17 tended to throw into the background the fortunes of the westbound convoy, QP 13. This convoy of 35 ships sailed in two parts from Archangel and Murmansk and joined at sea on 28 June under Commodore N.H. Gale. Thick weather prevailed during most of the passage, but the convoy was reported by enemy aircraft on 30 June while still east of Bear Island and again on 2 July. No attacks developed, the enemy focus was on the eastbound convoy. That afternoon the ill-fated convoy PQ 17 was passed. 

After an uneventful passage, convoy QP 13 divided off the north-east coast of Iceland on 4 July. Commodore Gale with 16 merchant ships turned south for Loch Ewe while the remaining 9 merchant ships continued round the north coast of Iceland for Reykjavik. At 1900/5 these ships formed into a five column convoy. They were escorted by HMS Niger (SO), HMS Hussar, FFL Roselys, HMS Lady Madeleine and HMS St. Elstan. They were now approaching the north-west corner of Iceland. The weather was overcast, visibility about one mile, wind north-east, force 8, sea rough. No sights had been obtained since 1800/2 and the convoys position was considerably in doubt. At 1910/5 Commander Cubison (C.O. HMS Niger) suggested that the front of the convoy should be reduced to two columns in order to pass between Straumnes and the minefield off the north-west coast of Iceland. This was the first the convoy Commodore had heard of the existence of this minefield. Soon afterwards, Commander Cubison gave his estimated position at 2000/5 as 66°45’N, 22°22’W and suggested altering course 222° for Straumnes Point at that time. This was done. About two hours later, at 2200 hours, HMS Niger which had gone ahead to try to make landfall leaving HMS Hussar as a visual link with the convoy, sighted what she took to be North Cape bearing 150° at a range of one mile and ordered the course of the convoy to be altered to 270°. Actually what HMS Niger sighted was a large iceberg but this was not realised for some time. At 2240/5 HMS Niger blew up and sank with heavy loss of life, including Commander Cubison. Five minutes later a last signal from her, explaining her mistaken landfall and recommending a return to course 222° was handed to the convoy Commodore. But it was too late, already explosions were occurring amongst the merchant ships. The westerly course had led the convoy straight into the minefield. Considerable confusion prevailed, some thinking that a U-boat attack was in progress, other imagining a surface raider. Four ships were sunk, the Heffron, Hybert, Massmar and the Rodina and two were seriously damaged, the John Randolph and the Exterminator. Good rescue work was carried out by the escorts, especially the FFL Roselys which picked up 179 survivors from various ships. Meanwhile HMS Hussar had obtained a shore fix, led out the remaining merchant ships, which reformed on a southerly course for Reykjavik where they arrived without further misadventure.

**3 Feb 1943**  
HMS Lady Madeleine (T/Lt. W.G. Ogden, RNVR) picks up survivors from the American merchant Greylock that was torpedoed and damaged by German U-boat U-255 in the Norwegian Sea in position 70°52'N, 00°21'W. The Greylock was later sunk by gunfire by one of the escorts.

**17 Mar 1943**  
HrMs O 10 (Lt.Cdr. Baron D.T. Mackay, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Tobermory together with HMS Kite (Lt.Cdr. W.F.R. Segrave, RN), HMS Lady Madeleine (T/A/Lt.Cdr. N.S. Heriot, DSC, RNVR), ML 166 and ML 574 (T/S.Lt. E.R.S. Gillham, RNVR). (3)

**17 Mar 1945**  
German U-boat U-246 was sunk south of the Isle of Man, in position 53°40'N, 04°53,5'N, by depth charges from the British ASW trawler HMS Lady Madeleine (T/Lt. J.D.W. Lewis, RNVR).