Page "Convoy PQ 17" Paragraph 4

The first convoy sailed from the United Kingdom in August 1941, two months after the German invasion of The Soviet Union.

By the spring of 1942, 12 more convoys had made the passage with the loss of only one out of 103 ships.

From then on, the threat of attacks on the convoys increased, with the Germans preparing to stop the flow of supplies to the USSR with every means at their disposal, including the basing of heavy ships in Norway.

In 1941, the Kriegsmarine had already begun concentrating its strength in Norway in winter, both to prevent a repeated British attack, and to obstruct Allied supply lines to The Soviet Union.

The battleship was moved to Trondheim in January, where she was joined by and in March by the heavy cruiser.

Initial German dispositions had also directed battleships and and the heavy cruiser to concentrate in Arctic waters, but these all fell victim to Allied air attacks, and had to turn back for repairs.

Moreover, the Germans had bases along the length of Norway, which meant, until escort carriers became available, Allied convoys had to be sailed through these areas without adequate defense against aircraft and submarine attack.