Arctic Convoy PQ18: 25 Days That Changed the Course of the War

This book is about one of the most significant maritime operations of the Second World War, the Arctic convoys providing the Soviets with equipment needed to win the war on the Eastern Front. It was heavily defended and attacked, with the Battle of Stalingrad hanging in the balance. The author draws on contemporaneous accounts from both sides to offer newly discovered facts about the convoy's turbulent passage.

Format: Unspecified
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 02 November 2023
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

This meticulously researched book delves into the captivating narrative of one of the most pivotal maritime operations of World War II. The significance of the Arctic convoys, which supplied the Soviets with the vital equipment required to secure victory on the Eastern Front, has often been underestimated. This book rectifies that oversight.

Following the catastrophic Allied maritime disaster known as PQ17, the success of PQ18 became paramount. When the convoy departed Loch Ewe on September 2, 1942, the stakes could not have been higher. The Battle of Stalingrad hung in the balance. If the convoy had sustained unacceptable losses in shipping and war supplies, the Arctic route would have had to be suspended, potentially altering the course of the war in significant ways, not just for the Soviets but for the entire Allied effort. Consequently, as this work vividly portrays, it was both the most heavily defended and the most heavily attacked convoy of the entire conflict.

The Author has drawn upon contemporaneous accounts of the combatants from both sides, including U-boat crews, airmen, and, of course, the crews of the warships and merchantmen. By offering newly discovered facts about the convoy's turbulent passage, this book serves as a valuable addition to the history of the campaign, appealing to historians and laymen alike.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 164 x 242 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399036603