Pérdidas del desastroso convoy PQ-17
Hasta
la fecha el convoy que había registrado más pérdidas era el PQ-16, que trataba
de alcanzar Rusia con un total de 30 buques. Entre el 24 y el 30 de mayo de
1942 la Luftwaffe había lanzado contra él un total de 245 misiones de bombardeo
y torpedeo en los que hundieron 5 mercantes y dañaron otros 4 más.
Por
su parte el PQ-17 trataba de alcanzar las costas rusas con 35 buques que
transportaban 297 aviones, 594 carros de combate, 4.246 vehículos de transporte
más 156.000 toneladas en suministros varios. Suficiente como para equipar un
ejército de 50.000 hombres valorado en 700 millones de dólares.
La
historia del desastre del convoy PQ-17 la hemos tratado en este link, pero en
total perdieron 24 barcos de 33 que formaban parte de él. Un total de 153
marineros mercantes perdieron sus vidas en la gélidas aguas árticas. Las
pérdidas en barcos mercantes ascendieron a nada menos que 22, con un registro
total de 142.518 toneladas perdiéndose también su carga transportada; 3.350
vehículos a motor, 430 carros de combate, 210 bombarderos y 99.316 toneladas de
suministros varios, incluyendo equipos de radas y munición.
Fecha
|
Barco
|
Tonelaje
|
País
|
Hundido por
|
4 de Julio
|
Christopher Newport
|
7.191
|
US
|
U-457
|
William Hopper
|
7.177
|
US
|
U-334
|
|
5 de Julio
|
Navarino
|
4.841
|
UK
|
Luftwaffe
|
Carlton
|
5.127
|
UK
|
U-88
|
|
Fairfield City
|
5.686
|
US
|
Luftwaffe
|
|
Daniel Morgan
|
7.177
|
US
|
U-88
|
|
Empire Byron
|
6.645
|
UK
|
U-703
|
|
River Afton
|
5.423
|
UK
|
U-703
|
|
Earlston
|
7.494
|
UK
|
U-334
|
|
Honomu
|
6.977
|
US
|
U-456
|
|
Peter Kerr
|
6.476
|
US
|
Luftwaffe
|
|
Washington
|
5.564
|
US
|
Luftwaffe
|
|
Bolton Castle
|
5.203
|
UK
|
Luftwaffe
|
|
Zaafaran
|
1.559
|
UK
|
Luftwaffe
|
|
6 de Julio
|
Pan Atlantic
|
5.411
|
US
|
Luftwaffe
|
John Witherspoon
|
7.180
|
US
|
U-255
|
|
7 de Julio
|
Alcoa Ranger
|
5.116
|
US
|
U-255
|
Pankraft
|
5.644
|
US
|
Luftwaffe
|
|
Aldersdale
|
8.402
|
US
|
U-457
|
|
Hartlebury
|
5.082
|
UK
|
U-355
|
|
8 de Julio
|
Olopana
|
6.069
|
US
|
U-255
|
10 de Julio
|
El Capitan
|
5.255
|
Panama
|
U-251
|
Hoosier
|
5.060
|
US
|
U-376
|
|
13 de Julio
|
Paulus Potter
|
7.168
|
Holanda
|
U-255
|
NOTA: Los escoltas abandonaron su posición al
anochecer del día 4
U-255
El Paulus
Potter fue encontrado a la deriva por el U-255 tras ser abandonado por su
tripulación después de ser bombardeado por la Luftwaffe. Tres hombres lo
abordaron para valorar si podía ser navegado hasta Noruega pero era imposible
de modo que fue torpedeado y hundido. Tres barcos más se perdieron cuando
regresaban de Rusia; el Silver
Sword fue hundido
por el U-255 el 20 de julio siendo su quinta víctima del PQ-17, el Bellingham
y el Gray Ranger también resultaron hundidos. En total la Luftwaffe
realizó 202 misiones de combate perdiendo 5 aparatos a cambio de hundir 8
mercantes.
Tras
el desastre el siguiente convoy PQ-18 con rumbo a Rusia partió de Inglaterra el
2 de septiembre con un total de 40 buques llegando a Arkhangelsk el día 17 con
27 buques. Los Lobos Grises hundieron 3 barcos y la Luftwaffe 10 más pero no
sin pérdidas. Tres U-Boot fueron hundidos, el U-88, U-457 y el U-589 sin que en
ninguno de ellos hubiese supervivientes. Tras este nuevo varapalo se
suspendieron hasta que en diciembre de 1942 partió el JW-51. Estas victorias
tuvieron un efecto importante más allá de las pérdidas materiales y en vidas ya
que privó a Rusia de vitales suministros durante los meses inmediatamente
posteriores al PQ-17 y PQ-18.
Paulus Potter drifting abandoned on July 13.
Fuentes:
IRVING, D. “Destrucción de convoy
de PQ-17” 1987
BLAIR, C. “Hitler´s U-Boat war” Random House, 1998
WYNN, K. “U-Boat operations of the Second World War” Naval Institute Press
1998
English version
To date, the convoy had recorded more
losses was the PQ-16, that Russia was reaching a total of 30 vessels. Between
24 and 30 May 1942 the Luftwaffe had launched against him a total of 245
missions bombing and torpedoing where sank five merchant and 4 others injured.
Meanwhile the PQ-17 was reaching the Russian coasts with 35 ships carrying 297 planes, 594 tanks, 4,246 vehicles over 156,000 tons in miscellaneous supplies. Enough to equip an army of 50,000 men valued at $ 700 million.
The story of the disaster of the convoy PQ-17 we have discussed in this link, but lost 24 vessels in total of 33 who were part of it. A total of 153 merchant seamen lost their lives in the icy Arctic waters. Losses totaled merchant ships no less than 22, with a total of 142,518 tons register also lost its cargo; 3350 motor vehicles, 430 tanks, 210 bombers and 99,316 tons of miscellaneous supplies, including equipment and ammunition harbors.
Date
|
Ship
|
Tn.
|
Country
|
Sunk by
|
July 4
|
Christopher Newport
|
7,191
|
US
|
U-457
|
William Hopper
|
7,177
|
US
|
U-334
|
|
July 5
|
Navarino
|
4,841
|
UK
|
Luftwaffe
|
Carlton
|
5,127
|
UK
|
U-88
|
|
Fairfield City
|
5,686
|
US
|
Luftwaffe
|
|
Daniel Morgan
|
7,177
|
US
|
U-88
|
|
Empire Byron
|
6,645
|
UK
|
U-703
|
|
River Afton
|
5,423
|
UK
|
U-703
|
|
Earlston
|
7,494
|
UK
|
U-334
|
|
Honomu
|
6,977
|
US
|
U-456
|
|
Peter Kerr
|
6,476
|
US
|
Luftwaffe
|
|
Washington
|
5,564
|
US
|
Luftwaffe
|
|
Bolton Castle
|
5,203
|
UK
|
Luftwaffe
|
|
Zaafaran
|
1,559
|
UK
|
Luftwaffe
|
|
July 6
|
Pan Atlantic
|
5,411
|
US
|
Luftwaffe
|
John Witherspoon
|
7,180
|
US
|
U-255
|
|
July 7
|
Alcoa Ranger
|
5,116
|
US
|
U-255
|
Pankraft
|
5,644
|
US
|
Luftwaffe
|
|
Aldersdale
|
8,402
|
US
|
U-457
|
|
Hartlebury
|
5,082
|
UK
|
U-355
|
|
July 8
|
Olopana
|
6,069
|
US
|
U-255
|
July 10
|
El Capitan
|
5,255
|
Panama
|
U-251
|
Hoosier
|
5,060
|
US
|
U-376
|
|
July 13
|
Paulus Potter
|
7,168
|
Dutch
|
U-255
|
NOTE: The guards
abandoned their position on the evening of day 4
HMS Poppy
The Paulus Potter was found adrift
by the U-255 after
being abandoned by its crew after
being bombed by the Luftwaffe.
Three men boarded to assess whether it could be sailed to Norway but it
was impossible so that was
torpedoed and sunk. Three boats were lost when returning
from Russia, the Silver Sword was sunk by U-255
on July 20 being his fifth victim of the PQ-17,
the Ranger Bellingham
and Gray were
also sunk. In
total the Luftwaffe made 202 sorties
losing 5 devices in
exchange for sinking eight
merchant.
After the disaster the next convoy PQ-18 bound for Russia left England on September 2 with a total of 40 ships arriving in Arkhangelsk on 17 to 27 vessels. The Grey Wolves sank three ships and the Luftwaffe 10 more but not without losses. Three U-boats were sunk, U-88, U-457 and U-589 without any of them had survived. After this new setback were suspended until December 1942 left the JW-51. These victories had a significant effect beyond the material losses in lives and depriving Russia of vital supplies during the months immediately after the PQ-17 and PQ-18.
After the disaster the next convoy PQ-18 bound for Russia left England on September 2 with a total of 40 ships arriving in Arkhangelsk on 17 to 27 vessels. The Grey Wolves sank three ships and the Luftwaffe 10 more but not without losses. Three U-boats were sunk, U-88, U-457 and U-589 without any of them had survived. After this new setback were suspended until December 1942 left the JW-51. These victories had a significant effect beyond the material losses in lives and depriving Russia of vital supplies during the months immediately after the PQ-17 and PQ-18.
Sources
IRVING, D. “Destrucción de convoy
de PQ-17” 1987
BLAIR, C. “Hitler´s U-Boat war” Random House, 1998
WYNN, K. “U-Boat operations of the Second World War” Naval Institute Press
1998
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